Fields of hidden treasure

There at the beginning, spoke the earth into being.  The Word that commanded, light and darkness disbanded.  Consigning the roaring wild oceans to boundaries;  unearthing the land to unleash all its bounty.  The Word now a root, a green shoot in dry ground.  God’s seed in a woman’s willing womb incepted,  each precious cell replicating, growing and woven.  Tiny beating heart circulating blood to be given.  Ordained to be spilled, pure sacrifice of heaven.  The Word breaking forth on a dark starry night,  to the symphony of angels and shepherds’ delight.  The author of creation written into this chapter,  now the point at which all history comes after. A child growing in wisdom and stature.  Unparalleled obedience, serving his Father.  The one the messenger was sent to announce,  the fulfilment of prophesies hundreds of years in advance.  Immersed in waters, splitti...

I found myself in the midst of a battlefield. I was standing and facing a mighty and fierce army, which had lined up to battle their foe. The ranks of this mighty army were too numerous to count, and it stretched out as far as the eye could see. As I looked closer, I saw that the various generals of the army divisions were standing in a row at the front line, their troops behind them.  Amidst the great multitude of soldiers and weapons, I saw that one of the frontline leaders was looking directly at me. He was a big ugly monster with fierce teeth, a large snout and gold chains around his neck. He carried a banner and I knew who he was. His name was Shame. He had wanted my flesh for so long. He had come to me many times before to take my mind and curb my actions. He came to remind me of the past and to keep me bound there. Behind him were countless troops bound in chains, slaves that he had captured, and fought for him now. He seemed to sense my frailty, and to perceive that I...

They told me to bow before her beauty, but she was soon replaced by a younger rival. They told me to bow before my own reflection, but I only became more dissatisfied. They told me to bow before the twists and turns of Hollywood, but it was dislocated from my reality. They told me to bow before the collection of foreign travel I amassed, but it was never complete. They told me to bow before the application that produced a perfect mate, because it was shameful to wait.  They told me to bow before my own freedom, so why did I feel confined? They told me to bow before the altar of my own success, but I never achieved enough.  I can but bow before the one who draws me with love and not fear. I bow before the one who told me everything I’ve ever done. I bow before the one who bows down to wash my dirty feet. I bow before the one who was strong enough to carry my sickness, shame, and fear. I bow before the one who stood up to take my place when the gavel fell; guilty. I bow bef...

You deserve a symphony of the highest calibre. You deserve the serenade of the most talented of musicians. You deserve the tunes of the finest orchestra that man can muster. You deserve the notes of the most exquisite of songbirds. You deserve a backdrop of towering mountains, roaring oceans and the uncontainable glitter of the milky way.  You deserve the most expensive and rarest of earth’s offerings. You deserve the most talented of orators. You deserve armies of adoration marching in disciplined unison. You deserve the company of 1000 kings.  So why do you notice my warbled song? Why do you care about my frenzied dance? Why do you accept the notes of my unsophisticated talents? Why do you long for my upraised voice? Why do you seek out my uttered prayer? Why do you crave my humble company? Why do you tolerate my divided love? Why do you woo me until my devotion is complete? Why do you permit me to come so close, to you? Why do you permit me to express my unfiltered emo...

I keep waiting for you to let me down. I keep waiting for you to get tired of me. I keep waiting for you to turn your back on me. I keep waiting for you to tell me my effort is not good enough. I keep waiting for you to tell me that I’ve crossed the line of your forgiveness. I keep waiting for you to discard me upon discovery of yet another one of my faults. I keep waiting for you to be disappointed in me. I keep waiting for you to tell me to try harder. I keep waiting for your notification that I’m not good enough for you. I keep waiting for you to lead me into failure. I keep waiting for you to humiliate me. I keep waiting for you to let my enemies prevail over me to teach me a lesson.  I keep looking for ways to prove that you can’t be trusted. I keep looking for ways to show that you’ve let me down. I keep looking for evidence that you’ve left me alone. I keep looking for proof that you don’t keep your word. I keep trying to blame you. I keep trying to prove that you aren’...

It’s so easy to drive along our highways and take for granted that we are no longer battling with rocky dirt roads. We are mindlessly enjoying the progress of centuries past that has given us (relatively) uninhibited access between villages, towns and cities. We have the benefit of standing on the shoulders of our predecessors who sweat, fought and worked not only for better infrastructure, easier trade, but for voting rights, free education and many other advantages we take  for granted today.  The story of the Israelites escape from Egyptian slavery is a renowned account of plagues and miraculous liberation. The Israelites were finally commanded to leave by their slave owners. What seeming victory. Yet as they journeyed from Egypt, it appeared that they had to face their greatest impossibility yet. A whole community of men, women, children and livestock faced a body of water with no ferry passing or other means of transport. And their captors were hard on their heals....

I had walked past that shop many times. Flickers of curiosity had been quenched by apathy, worry or distraction. Today for some reason, I stopped. The sign outside stated in clear and daring letters “The Great Exchange”. My eyes travelled down to a notice underneath. “ I want all your junk.   Bring the worst that you have. In exchange, I will give you my life ”. It was such a strange concept. I had heard of the man who ran the shop inside. Some people said he was an imposter. Some people said he was crazy. Some people said he was a myth; that he didn’t really exist. They said he had holes in his hands, and scars on his body. Whoever he was, he was surely an enigma. Maybe he was dangerous? Why did he want this junk anyway? And could it really be true? I mean, it sounded just too good to be true… There must be some sort of catch. If there was anything I had learned in life, it’s that you can’t trust anyone these days. Walking away I dismissed this mystery pawn man from my ...