Les Misérables

Somewhere along the line we lose sight

of God’s true identity and how we know

where God’s at work in the world.

We find ourselves settling for a scorekeeper,

praying to a profit-maximizer, or

shuddering beneath a short-tempered tyrant;

all of which lead us to fail at pleasing

the god who is no God, chaining ourselves

to dysfunction’s asphyxiating leash.

God's delight and plan are in anything

but miserable martyrs and cowering,

overwhelmed failures who can’t

figure out how to avoid the wrath

of a perfectionist whose glee

is shared by like-minded masochists.

Grace is a cake that won't be iced by guilt

of any flavor; divine dessert cut 

large and fresh for the universe to savor.

So, if your oven’s not actively baking

a mouth-watering pan of mercy overflowing,

it’s time to exchange your recipe book.

© 2013 Todd Jenkins