MY BIRTHDAY GIFT TO YOU

Self

Beloved, you may be pleased to know that last Sunday was my birthday. As always, I used the occasion to pray and reflect over a number of things pertaining to life and ministry. In the process I remembered one of the poems I had written in 2009 while still on hospital admission in Hamburg.

It is my pleasure to dedicate it to you as my birthday gift for your inspiration. Please pass it on to others.

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THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2)

1. Whether born of noble birth

Martha and I

With great accompanying pomp and pageantry

And much expectations for a bright future;

Or of supposed low birth

Without even a register to enter our birth,

Let alone the hope of a ‘lucky monkey’

One thing is certain:

The divine Architect who crafted us in secret

Has marked out for us

A race to run

And tracks within which to run.

 2. His decision was not based

On our abilities and competencies

Nor of merit of any sort;

It is out of GRACE—

Pure GRACE,

That in His sovereign will

He places us in various tracts of various races.

 3. In our finite and corruptible minds

Olympians racing towards the finishing line

We are inclined to think of some of these races and tracts

As more honorable than others,

Those which bring some into the limelight—

Whom the world calls ‘Stars’ and recently, ‘Superstars’—

But for those whose tracks go through seemingly nether lands,

 Through obscure places to unmarked graves,

We consign to the rank of ‘ordinary commoners’

Yet in the sight of God

Who made and marked out these tracks for us all

There is no difference—

No difference between

The names by which we call the various athletic events

Or the athletes who run them,

For each was designed

To accomplish His eternal purposes

And no one accomplishment

Will be complete without the other.

                                             

4. Therefore beloved fellow athlete

Involved in this invisible race,

Do not look across your shoulder

To behold with an evil eye

The race your neighbour runs,

But run your own race with joy;

And wheresoever your race has been marked out to pass---

Across the dense Amazon forest,

Or the arid Sahara desert;

Over the towering Himalayan heights,

Or down the lonesome crevices of Chimborazo and Cotopaxi;

Across the Niagara or ‘Devil’s Throat’ which dare the bravest,

Or the still waters of Lake Bosomtwi or the Dead Sea;

Through the fearful Valley of the Shadow of Death

Or the pleasant Valley of Berakah;

Yea, from the throes of Flamingo, the Camp of No Return,

To the fanfare of Hollywood;

Whether it is through persecution to martyrdom

Or through celebration and stardom---

What the Master desires is that

We run with perseverance

The race which is marked out for us,

And to depend on His inexhaustible GRACE

Olympians showing their medals

To start and finish every phase of this race,

Until with the inner witness

Of the Blessed Holy Spirit we declare with Paul,

‘I have fought the good fight

I have held on to the faith,

I have finished the race’                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Then shall we all receive a hero’s welcome

The Master’s praise:

‘Well done, good and faithful servant,

Enter into your Master’s rest’

5. And there,

A section of church members of COP Bronx Assembly in New York 

When the secrets of men’s hearts are made bare,

And we behold with unveiled eyes

How each person ran their race,

We will marvel at one of the wonders of Heaven,

ANONYMOUS CELEBRITIES,

People, whose names though may not feature in halls of fame,

Are held in high honour by God

Because they ran with diligence and perseverance

The race marked out for them.

A section of the Youth of COP Chicago Assembly