Receive His Monologue (when you shut up in prayer... and listen) copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo, ON, 2016
(photo by my son Jordan Blair, a pilot in love with the variable skies.)
Almost a Monologue Son, you come to me Praying This New Year's Day Taking stock perhaps Seeking direction. You sense it's hard Routine job No great challenge No great thanks Disabled wife With large demands Children living their lives Friends few On the horizon No formal church connection No desire either In that direction. This your 65th year Will work, yet And you wonder
About significance And legacy. Many large names In your ken Are gone And all but forgotten. What do I want of you? Fidelity Equity Honesty Patience A listening ear A smiling disposition Words in season To downtrodden Or confused. Oh, and there are your writings I haven't forgotten Touching a small readership Glorifying my Son Holding forth my Spirit Some of the works Have pleased me Proved that you were Listening Meditating Praying Studying Waiting Passing along. And in such writings An inkling for you Of what I really want: That you worship me Utter my name before others And the hope that comes From my Son The real life that comes In my Spirit. And do it where you are That factory That family That neighbourhood That marketplace That readership. And when you are ready Perhaps a turn In the road. Don't rush
You have barely begun Your service In me, for me. Do not ever fear The sand in your glass. You were not born In some exotic place Neither am I sending you. So Son Remain Worship Occupy OK? Happy New Year. In my Now.
Loving the Monologue
Again you have Shut down other signals This is good As I have a word or two: I delight in you No this is not impossible I delight in you Not because of do-gooder stuff Many others go that route And are duplicitous. You are my child Plain and simple A Father looks At the ups and downs And smiles. And you have sensed the smile And you need it. Seeking me Through my Son's story You are rewarded. Your Elder Brother Inspires confidence Family likeness grows Through time, tending And absorption. The signal grows strong
As you step into Singleness of purpose. That's the mustard-seed message Remember? My Son told it Have faith, Church Like that mustard-seed Small but undivided Uncompromised Unmixed Hearing again and again One of my words of promise And stepping forward on it. Where you are Where you can speak Or where you can uplift. To me that's just Like a home run Child. It moves mountains And I get the glory.
Following the Monologue Really were charged up Over that last exchange Weren't you? Sensing my pleasure And my calling Simple as it may seem. Now I suspect You want to race forward Into more. Don't be disappointed When I say “slow down� Absorption takes time. The patient walk Is the quality walk Obedient and finely-tuned. My voice is not Always that clear. Perhaps a single scripture A word from a friend A stumbling addressed And corrected
A song lyric A walk in the park. My agencies are Without limit. But they are all Of me, from me Right purposes in you. And you will come To recognize my whisper Nothing is just coincidence When I adopt And take up in Hand. I called You answered. I rewarded You gave thanks. I am Love You are relinquishing Doubt. A workable partnership Yes? Remember the Psalm? Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet Clarity...a step at a time, Son.
A Proper Response: Unite My Heart You must do it You must draw me To that place of perfect peace Where your truth Becomes my balance And your smile my heart's release. I am tired of Double motives And the soul pushed to and fro' I would rather Listen to you For directions where to go. And the past proved You are worthy To receive my utmost trust. What a marvel! Heaven stoops down, Daily shepherds wayward dust.
Other fears now Duly quieted By the one fear of your law And the comfort Of your keeping Fills this settled heart with awe.
Small: Perspective on Self Strange it may sound In a world full of striving “Yes, look at me. I have gained and will be Noticed of men At the top of the ladder. Do what it takes And admirers will see.” Yet there’s a place To discard all pretention Breathe ever freely Released from sin’s thrall. Mountain or forest Or sea coast all glorious Showing God’s grandeur For there, I am small. Small, and so thankful That He knows my journey. Small, and in wonder That He has my back. Small, there’s a comfort
In trusting and leaning Safe from the arrows Of Evil’s attack. But does He fathom My daily dilemmas? But does He know The hurts people will bring? That’s when my eyes turn To Christ ‘neath the Olives Begging for rescue; Of Him will I sing.
And So Prayer Goes
The time flew by I had named the lot Claimed their blessing In Christ's care And the Spirit's equipment. Some were ill Some were wandering Many were ably using Every one of your supplies To fight the good fight. And countries were mentioned Countries in trouble and confusion. Then I took to rehearsing Mercies come my way A peaceful upbringing Quality training A constant wife Good partner in all Delightful children Eye-opening travels Mysteries and marvels of Creation at hand Your precious Book of books And gifted eyes to
Read and see. And often understand. Sufferings processed But in the palm of your hand. The syncopation of my heart To yours for the asking And oh Father, I do ask. And now the words stop And silence expectant Brings on that new mystery of prayer. Together, available, loving. And yes Father “I love you. And it seems That I can't say it enough.� Good time to stop I guess But the ears of my little spirit Remain open. Bring on the day. In Jesus' name I ask. Amen.
Trusting the Monologue I like what I'm hearing The love-response Is true birth-place Of all holiness and power. And yes child, I am holy And just Requiring from you sometimes The tough pill: Apology Restitution Confession Longsuffering Service and sweat. As much as lieth in you Live peaceably with all men. And doubtless you will chafe And wonder if off-track. Go again to my Word Let it be the arbiter. Receive your breakthrough
Remember Isaiah's tremendous word “Repairer of the breach Restorer of paths to dwell in.” And yes there is much In this fallen world Needing repair. You partner in this As you repent and pray I desire you to speak it out. “Be careful for nothing. But in everything By prayer and supplication With thanksgiving Let your requests Be made known unto God And the peace of God Which passes all understanding Will keep your heart and mind Through Christ Jesus.”
A-Courting I come a-courting Once again Within your hallowed halls But this time Not with pressing needs Nor puzzlement, nor falls. I only come to Think on you And all your mercy shown To one so frail And faltering But still your child, your own. And all around Your handiwork In nature's shapes and hues The big and small You made them all Your breath of life infused. These halls are still They offer rest And insights rich, divine And in this peace The sure release That such a God is mine.