Thorns and Thistles

Hebrews 6:7-8

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. (NLT)

“We find it a waste of time to keep chasing a man who cannot or will not work with you. If you leave such a person alone, he may soon become convinced that he cannot recover by himself. To spend too much time on any one situation is to deny some other alcoholic an opportunity to live and be happy." (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 96)

Let me love him
until he can love himself.
But convince me I can’t save him,
can’t pull him to joy, to peace,
can’t push him to right thinking,
can’t help him
because I decide to.
When he’s stuck in thorns
and thistles,
I make it worse
when I try to pull him out.
I do best if I let the thorns
and thistles burn out.

God, stop me when kindness intended
is damage inflicted.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

If They Fall Away

Hebrews 6:4-6

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. (NIV)

“Then he fell victim to a belief which practically every alcoholic has – that his long period of sobriety and self-discipline had qualified him to drink as other men. Out came his carpet slippers and a bottle. In two months he was in a hospital, puzzled and humiliated. He tried to regulate his drinking for a while, making several trips to the hospital meantime. Then, gathering all his forces, he attempted to stop altogether and found he could not.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 32)

Recovery – so glorious,
the most important thing in my life
joy beyond joy, peace beyond peace.
New vistas open, new challenges,
courage enhanced by program,
I move forward.
Reading? Meditation?
Calls? Meetings?
Sure. So very important —
but first I must…
then there’s…
Recovery – so glorious.
How did it slip away?
Why can’t I pull it back?
I’ve tasted the manna from heaven.
Where did it go?
I’m powerless.

God, all things are possible
for you. Thanks for reeling me back in.
I pray for those standing at the doors,
wanting back in. Give them the courage to ask.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Beyond the Baby Pool

Hebrews 6:1-3

So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. (NLT)

“Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted. Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us. (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 63-64)

Ah, the recovery waltz,
one, two, three, oops,
one, two, three, oops.
Important Steps, to be sure,
but the first three
feel safer, less exposed, kinder
than the road ahead.
So we linger, cover fundamentals
again and another time.
We risk, though,
blocking ourselves,
cut off
from the sunlight of the spirit.
When we move on to
further understanding,
we’re closer still to
promises
fulfilled.

God, give me the courage to face my fears,
to move to what seems treacherous ground,
knowing you hold my hand on the walk
to bliss.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Growing Up

Hebrews 5:13-14

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (NIV)

“If the family will appreciate that dad's current behavior is but a phase of his development, all will be well. In the midst of an understanding and sympathetic family, these vagaries of dad's spiritual infancy will quickly disappear.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 129)

How dark is the glass
I look through?
Do I speak as a child,
understand as a child,
reason as a child?
A wise woman used to say
the trouble with people being
born again
is they stay there and
never grow up.

God, make me an old-timer
in the rooms of recovery
one day at a time.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

You are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen.

Hebrews 5:11-12

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. (NLT)

“So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of the selfishness. We must, or it kills us!” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 62)

The Shoe Department
of recovery.
The Slippers, the Sneakers,
and the Loafers.
It’s a simple program,
not easy.
You have to WORK
the Steps,
to practice these principles
in all your affairs.
Stop directing the play,
look at yourself, the only person you can
change,
and do – by stopping trying,
by surrender.
Then you can learn.

God, remind me to listen to me
when I say such things
and to you all the time.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Public or Private?

Hebrews 5:7-10

During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (NIV)

“I was to test my thinking by the new God-consciousness within. Common sense would thus become uncommon sense. I was to sit quietly when in doubt, asking only for direction and strength to meet my problems as He would have me. Never was I to pray for myself, except as my requests bore on my usefulness to others. Then only might I expect to receive. But that would be in great measure.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 13)

Funny. Didn’t Jesus say public prayers
were their own reward,
private ones mattered?
You reckon he ranted to God in private?
Reverent submission, not public display.
What anybody else thinks of me
is none of my business.
Hum. I guess those at the bottom of the page
don’t matter. They’re real prayers when I type,
maybe public displays later.
Made perfect, he became the source
of eternal salvation.
Made sane,
I can become the source
of salvation from insanity
for those who see him through me.

God, let the words of my mouth – or keyboard –
and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Melchizedek and Ebby

Hebrews 5:4-6

And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,

“You are my Son.


Today I have become your Father.”

And in another passage God said to him,

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” (NLT)

“You will be most successful with alcoholics if you do not exhibit any passion for crusade or reform. Never talk down to an alcoholic from any moral or spiritual hilltop; simply lay out the kit of spiritual tools for his inspection. Show him how they worked with you. Offer him friendship and fellowship. Tell him that if he wants to get well you will do anything to help.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 95)

God doesn’t choose the qualified,
he qualifies the chosen.
Of myself, I’m nothing, powerless.
Powerless over what I put in my body,
powerless over my family,
powerless over my future,
powerless to carry the message.
Like Melchizedek for Abraham,
Ebby for Bill,
I may be a ship in the night,
forgotten but for how God used me
to touch a life.
That’s fine with me.
God help me, though, if
the call is to be Abraham or Bill!
But like Isaiah, I stand on holy ground
and say, “I’m here, God. Use me.”

I’m here, God. Use me.
And qualify me for the call.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.