Your damaan

Your damaan

O Lord, whatever it takes.  I am holding onto You.

Through rough treatment, barren patches,

through episodes of almost unendurable intimacy,

I am holding onto You.

You broke open this heart of mine

and with Your lovely hands planted a seed.

I can feel it now taking root in my chest.

One day it will pin me to the earth

and a huge, sheltering tree will grow.

Then I might be worth something.

It’s cracking me open now,

letting in joy and pain and a great love.

I have the hem of that great love in my hands.

I can only imagine the height and breadth of it in the dark.

Stumbling along, as You twist, tug and sway me –

my whole world has become this grip on Your damaan.

O child of God, don’t get lost.  Hold on to Your Beloved

          tightly and mightily.

Get into the rhythm of His long, holy strides.

                                   (from The Garden of Surrender, 2004)