pray for the rock that used to sing love songs to the King

.

watchin him on the front porch, head bowed like it would be if he were praying
but he isn't
hes wearing that sweater
shame

says he wishes he could join me for church but the truth is
he's dirty, he hasn't showered

and I tell him, Joe, it doesn't matter, they won't care
but he cant bring himself to come
he's dirty
he hasn't showered

.

truthfully?
thats what it is
thats the problem
that is what it's always been with him

hes dirty
he cant come
he hasnt showered

and that is why
he hasn't changed

he doesn't understand Grace
I wish his pride could get bolted to the ground for a second
so someone could explain it so he can hear it

(dust off his eardrums God)

.

Saturday
sitting on the piano bench
drunk

i tried to talk to him
and i heard from his mouth the same thing i had heard in prayer about him
he still identifies with them
still

i'm a streetpeople
he said

.

thats how it is with us too
thats why its hard i believe to change because we're scared to change the identity
that for so long has been our skin

like C.S. Lewis' dragon, spending hours by the pond clawing at the skin he's in
just to find he is still a dragon

and not until he asked Jesus to remove it
did it break free

.

Joe?
you are still a street people
until you decide not to be

we are still what we are
until our hearts
long
to look like Christ
until we let his water cleanse us, life-long water
we're dirty
we haven't showered
we cannot come

2. DanMike walked me to the curb strumming his guitar garbed in bandana, the sun shining, three drunk friends sitting on the front porch because there is hope here (asking me to smile because I always smile) Maria hiding away in the corner room so she doesnt have to remember herself Brooke packing for SALTS sarah studying Hebrew in the prayer room Jen with her arms crossed in the yard on her new rocks Don peeking around the corner asking me about Wednesdays haircut Steve and Marv moving gravel and I know I am missing someone but we are all set in a time that is purposeful each word splintering gracefully all moving toward Gods purpose everyday i'm that this is all on purpose and that if the sun sings pretty loud all the time without our notice maybe i do too and you do too and he does too without our notice sometimes God can talk pretty loud through us when we dont really even know it because we are on purpose too