Here lies a sanctuary

An overly picked buffet

Tossed, torn, thrown about

Ravaged by the hands of man

An innocent solace

A pure light

Wrecked in a justified collision

Seethed in arrogance

Embattled in bitterness

Lost to ignorance

Careening through this gentle journey
The calming water guiding us home
Progressing forward without warning
Unaware of the coming doom

Light gives way to enclosing darkness
The waves bellow as they batter our vessel
Sudden terror encapsulates our consciousness
All will be lost if this storm prevails

Shaken and shattered we seek shelter
Shelter that can bring solace to the storm
Bruised, we reach out our trembling hands
Extended beyond the broken frame that we now reside

Will there be relief?
Will there be rescue?
Will there be recovery?
Will there be restitution?

The storm continues to ravage our lives
We wait; we listen for a voice of hope
Where will he lead us?
What is his plan?

Resting in reliance to his reward
Torn, tumultuously down in humility and grief
There seems no other answer
No other escape, but to the Lord

Distance separates us from embrace
Emptiness eludes us joining hands
The gap too vast to fill so quickly
Our turn, coming seemingly too late

Lord, guide and rescue our vessel
Keep watch and care over our journey
Give us grace and mercy, though undeserved
Return us to your secure resting place

This journey can only continue with your guidance
Our reliance can only be placed in you
Forgive our wandering, inattentive hearts
Lord, rescue us from this looming turmoil

You will be our light in this darkness
You will be our saving grace
You will be our calming water
You will be our savior

Undeserving grace abounds
Lost in understanding mercy
I struggle to find peace
Forever indebted

A gift or a curse
I cannot repay my debt
It follows me
Forever stained

Absolution defies logic
Blamelessness irrational
Forgiveness even questionable
Forever unimaginable

Will you rescue me?
There seems no reason
My actions are repulsive
Forever repeated

Where is my condemnation?
Where is my justice?
I deserve no less
Forever guilty

Your offer is hard to believe
Your offer is hard to refuse
Forever living
Forever free

Battered by draining thought
Minutes of physicality wasting away
The ever pressing loss
The ever pressing reality

I collapse, an empty shell
An outer coating of a man
Internally vacant
Internally empty

Hope escapes me
Anger rides me
Defeated I lie
Defeated I die

Lift me from my grave
Position me with your hands
Pull me from the water
Pull me from the darkness

Make your victory in me
Battle the evil within
Shelter me from the pain
Shelter me from the decomposition

I rest here broken
Embattled and fatigued
Losing my will
Losing my being

Reverse my course
Steady my hand
Revitalize my mind
Revive me

Night sets in,

Wind unsettling the bare branches,

The frigid air, turning exposed skin a deep red,

Mind and body, sit like stone.

The stone does not react,
The stone does not reply,
The stone does not recall,
The stone is silent.

It sits unmoved by its surroundings,
The passing of those on the street,
The turbulent sounds that fly its direction,
It is motionless and still.

The night’s tunneling wind eats away at the stone,
Corroding its outer shell,
Taking with it shards of uneven stone,
Eternally unable to be redrawn or set back in place.

Without movement, the stone is destined to fade,
Decaying in its settled state,
Eroding as nature pummels over its inaction,
The stone’s silence creates the stone’s fate.