Things Forgotten

This room is familiar:
These walls, this floor, the air.
I strive to recollect,
All the times I have listened, learned, cried in here.
The Great Teacher smiles upon me;
He, whose knowledge exceeds all,
Who knows me better than even I.
"What shall I learn today?"
I eagerly question,
In hopes of something scholarly,
Something advanced,
Something I could deem worthy.

He lovingly speaks,

"Trust."

Enraged, I cry out
With bitterness,
"Teacher, have I not already learned this?
I know I have!
I remember!
When brother moved away,
When You led me to camp,
When You drew me back to this town,
When he left me for months,
When Dad was gone...
I sat in this very room,
Learned this very lesson.
I know trust."

He looks at me, into me, through me.
Patiently, knowingly, perfectly.
He needn't say anything,
For He speaks to my soul;
Without comprehensible syllables,
He communicates,
Beautifully, articulately.
I know He is right;
He is always right.

I have forgotten.

O'er and o'er
Has He proven His faithfulness
To this faithless creature.
O'er and o'er
Have I turned away;
Forgotten;
Forsaken;
Lessons so flawlessly taught,
Yet so foolishly abandoned.

I fall down.
Ashamed.
Despondent.
"Forgive me,
Oh Great Teacher!
For against You,
You only,
Do I sin.
Not life,
But death is all I deserve.
Were justice to be done,
This shallow breathing would cease,
And the beating of this weak and weary heart
Would drum no more."

I look up;
Grace overwhelms me;
Peace,
Love,
And mercy abounding.

He calls to me.
"Cease striving,
And know
I AM."


Lessons taught,
Lessons learned,
Flood my mind,
Like the tears upon my face.
Accepted,
Saved,
Redeemed,
Sanctified,
Loved,
Justified,
Conquerer...
Because of Christ alone,
For Christ alone,
By His blood alone.

These sweet truths
I pray not so easily to forget.
Even if I do,
Prone to wander as I am,
There is hope.
The Great Teacher is not yet finished;
More,
An unspeakable glory,
A perfect Shalom,
Is yet to come!

Let it come!