Waiting for Me

God is.
God is waiting for me.
He woos me.
He thirsts.
God thirsts
For my thirsting for Him

Here in the Now,
I Am.
I Am in mystery.
I Am in darkness.
Being of Light,
Overshadowed, as by a cloud,
As driving in the dark,
Seeing darkly,
Perceiving indistinctly,
All senses at high pitch.

Unify the threads of day.
Compose my hours
To sing one song.
Bathe me anew.
Let me swim in You.
Alive to Presence.
Awake in repose.
Listening.

I know You in fullness,
Fully and abundantly.
I know You
In the fullness of my emptiness,
Robed in the fullness of my sorrow,
In the fullness of my grief,
In the fullness of my joy and plenty,
In rapture,
Sweetly knowing
And by Love known.

© 2012 Joann Nelander

 

Counting Stars

I counted stars today.
As prophets and dreamers,
Glimpsing God through the darkness,
My wonder soared.
I, too, beheld
The promise of eternity,
Stretched across the eons.

Mere points of light
In a midnight sky,
Announcing Truth veiled in mystery,
Of things hidden and unseen,
Of ages long past and yet to be.
Who with me
Knows that there is more,
Much more?

Lanterns hung in the heavens
Make of me their lampstand,
That Eternal Light
Might shine more brightly,
Giving voice to creation.

No dumb marvel,
Rather angelic themes,
To sing high praises
In celestial chants,
For all who turn their gaze
Heavenward, counting,
And loosing count,
Journey home.

Copyright 2012 Joann Nelander

Clinging

 

Clinging, clinging to You,

As a leaf clasping the vine

With mouth pressed

And soul hungry,

Receiving in its will

Sustenance and vigor.

Stress, season, time,

And the tempters three,

World, Devil and fleshy me,

Turn, test and try resolve.

Clinging, I cling,

Clasping fast,

For only the glue of love

Suffice as bond,

To quell and conquer,

The wanton, the unruly.

For the Conqueror abides in me,

I cling to the Almighty Three.

 

Copyright 2011 Joann Nelander

Listening to Love

What are you saying, dear Lord?

You Who speak with Your poor creature.

Give voice to Your desire.

Place Your lips to my ear.

 

How do You speak?

Will I hear a voice?

See a vision?

Feel Your stirrings in my soul?

Will there be thunder as on Sinai

Or the breeze of Carmel?

 

Can I see in my blindness?

Hear, despite ears that have inclined to foreign gods?

Barnacles of perversion weigh on me.

Encrustations of sin hamper my ascent.

 

Give me feathers,

And wings of desire,

That I might rise, weightless and free,

Drawn by Your Love for me,

As music on the Wind of Your Spirit.

 

©2011 Joann Nelander

Walking in the Fire

“They walked about in the flames singing to God.”

My will is to sing to You,

To walk in Your fire.

Your love is a mighty flame,

Alive with its purifying blaze.

Help me be as You are,

Pleasing in Your obedience.

 

© 2011 Joann Nelander

Thanksgiving Kiss

O, Mary, thank you for Your Child.

See my empty arms.

See my open heart.

Place your Treasure

In my embrace.

 

He smiles at me,

As I push aside  His swaddling,

To gaze in awe

On the Babe of my redemption.

 

Mystery of mysteries,

Mercy of God,

You’ve come to me.

You’ve come for me

I dare a kiss on Your sweet brow,

My Emmanuel.

 

© 2011 Joann Nelander