Back in November, the Lord had me reading through the book of Isaiah. Like many, I struggle through the Old Testament prophets, but this time it was a little different. I found myself identifying all too well with Israel’s disobedience and rebellion, reminded that I too have set idols before me, running after my worldly and unsatisfying gods. Isaiah spoke of Israel’s coming judgment, but he did not leave them with only words of condemnation. He shared with them the hope of the coming Savior whose shoulders would bear the weight of their rebellion.
The book of Isaiah inspired the following poem.
“Ye Not Relent”
In our youth,
We turned from you,
And called you everything
But your name.
We blushed for the gardens we chose,
And we pawned off everything we cast in gold.
Though, we kept the money for ourselves.
Our shame was not vulnerable.
It lay hidden and festering.
Oh, how lonely sat this city
Before you came to us,
To once again teach us how to walk and talk,
But even now, we are new, just born.
You expel the vitriol from our bellies,
And we cough up blood and bile.
This learning isn’t easy,
But you replenish our bodies
With a better and nourishing food.
Even in our inability,
Help us to see that you are not
Just a consolation prize,
But that you are the very
Breath and bleeding
That keeps our bones and muscles
Tethered together.
Steal us away from our
Predisposition to darkness,
And when we are wrought with disobedience,
Pull us into your unrelenting.
Katie Marie Mitchell 