Blessed are you …
Telling the truth about where you are…
Because this is precisely the place
where God will meet you.
–Kate Bowler, A Blessing for Telling the Truth

All shall be well.
God is always with us.
There is nothing to fear.

I know that

but the truth is
something in me doesn’t believe it.
There’s no use pretending it does
or trying to convince, coerce or ignore that part of me.

Anxious unbelief is in my body,
and it’s not budging.

So, this is where I must wait.
You promised you’d meet me here,
said you’d leave the ninety-nine parts of me that are doing fine,
find this lost one,
and bring her home
safe in your arms.

As I imagine that,
I feel my body relax a little.

I think about You
gestating in Mary’s womb
taking on a body,
becoming contained.

I think of You
contained in my body
as it senses Your heartbeat,
feels Your movements
and waits
for what words
cannot do.

Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them,
does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness
and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
–Luke 15:4 (NRSVUE)

Credits and References:
Nativities Festival by The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Used with permission.
A Blessing for Telling the Truth by Kate Bowler in A Weary World Rejoices
The Meeting Place by Esther Hizsa, 2024
Lost Little Lamb by Matthew Kirkland. Used with permission.

© Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim, 2024.
The unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission from Esther Hizsa is prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used provided there is a link to the original content and credit is given as follows: © Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim 2013-2024.  http://www.estherhizsa.com