As Moses Was Faithful

Hebrews 3:2

He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. (NIV)

“Besides a seeming inability to accept much on faith, we often found ourselves handicapped by obstinacy, sensitiveness, and unreasoning prejudice.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, pp 47-48)

Say Moses died at 120,
less wandering forty years,
lose maybe five more years
after shedding sandals
for the burning bush —
at my age was he scared,
maybe obstinate, touchy,
hating Egyptians?
Did Moses learn faithfulness?
When? In an instant, picking up that rod?
In seven days of plagues?
During forty nights and days on Sinai?
I’ve got only one day,
one night,
right now.
But I’m faithful now.

Lord, Paul talked about
the shield of faith,
helmet of salvation,
and sword of the spirit.
I pray for all of that
and the grace to accept it when offered.

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

Holy Brethren

Hebrews 3:1

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (KJV)

“From a trembling, despairing, nervous wreck, had emerged a man brimming over with self-reliance and contentment. I talked with him for some time, but was not able to bring myself to feel that I had known him before. To me he was a stranger, and so he left me. A long time has passed with no return to alcohol.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page xxxi)

Holy brethren, us?
brethren, certainly, but holy?
Yes.
Our pasts are not us – we’re not
who we were,
not barrel-bottom scum
any more.
We’re changed,
lifted to the fourth dimension
of existence,
holy, brethren with each other
children of the
power to change.

God, you took me from
a despairing nervous wreck
and made me holy. What can I do
for you?

Pain, the teacher

Hebrews 2:18

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. (NLT)

“The faith and sincerity of both you and your husband will be put to the test. These work-outs should be regarded as part of your education, for thus you will be learning to live.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 117)

Pain is always the teacher,
which makes the pain
more tolerable
if I can just remember that,
if I can go past seeing some wisdom
and really buy into the notion.
Pain does make me more tolerant
of others facing such,
unless I take credit
for God’s grace
in bringing me through,
a better person,
renounced by my forgetting
the Source.

God, the source of all that’s good
help me to trust you through the pain
of growth.

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.

Merciful and Faithful

Hebrews 2:17

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (KJV)

“We pocket our pride and go o it, illuminating every twist of character, every dark cranny of the past. Once we have taken this step, withholding nothing, we are delighted.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 75)

Mercy me!
Mercy! Me?
Merciful to me!
How can you know
my baseness
my depravity
and accept me?
How can one so good,
so pure,
not shun me
but hug me,
accept me,
love me?
Mercy!

God of grace,
God of mercy,
thank you for your faithfulness.

Abraham's seed

Hebrews 2:16

For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. (NIV)

“When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 51)

Angels those alcoholics weren’t,
an angel I’m not.
Like Abraham I give up waiting
for God’s promises
and take matters into my hands.
I misunderstand,
get scared and lie to save
myself,
forsaking the parts worth saving
in the process.
God wins, though,
no matter what I do.
God wins,
and with his triumph
I win.

God, take me,
my character defects,
my plans, my hopes, my dreams,
and trump them with
Heaven on earth.

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

Like me!

Hebrews 2:14

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. (NLT)

“After your man has gone along without drinking for a few months, you may be able to make use of his services with other employees who are giving you the alcoholic run-around…. An alcoholic who has recovered, but holds a relatively unimportant job, can talk to a man with a better position. Being on a radically different basis of life, he will never take advantage of the situation.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 146)

Same, same;
different, different.
Same, different,
different same.
Some differences matter – big time.
Others flavor.
You tell me it’s fine to have just a bit,
I’ve earned it, I’ve done so well.
You’ve no idea what a snippet would do,
how total debacle would follow.
You have to be like me
to understand me,
to gain my trust in my insanity
with my recovery.

God, thanks for putting people in my life
who’ve walked this path,
who lead me to recovery and to you.

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.

Footprints Through the Minefield

Hebrews 2:14

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. (NLT)

“How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute and hopelessness? The practical answer is that since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you. Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come. The age of miracles is still with us. Our own recovery proves that!” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 153)

The devil made me do it –
the devil that’s my need,
my habit, my compulsion.
The devil held me, made me want to die,
made me need to die to break free,
to live.
Impossible, the task –
impossible to turn around,
transmogrify debris,
craft elegance from dung.
Had not a crowd of witnesses
walked the steps ahead,
left footprints through the minefield,
I’d have given up, stayed dead,
dismissing the follow of the path.

God, thanks for leading me,
for sending others, a visible, tangible
example of hope, of life.

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.