The Waste Places

I usually share my own writings but, this has been my favorite poem since I was in high school studying English Literature (my FAVORITE). Fear can be paralyzing but, we know who is the author of fear. So often, it is the fear itself that is our undoing. Proverbs 29:25 "A person's fear sets a trap [for him], but one who trusts the LORD is safe." Living in fear is no life at all.

The Waste Places
by James Stephens

AS a naked man I go
Through the desert sore afraid,
Holding up my head although
I’m as frightened as a maid.

The couching lion there I saw
From barren rocks lift up his eye;
He parts the cactus with his paw,
He stares at me as I go by.

He would follow on my trace
If he knew I was afraid,
If he knew my hardy face
Hides the terrors of a maid.

In the night he rises and
He stretches forth, he snuffs the air;
He roars and leaps along the sand,
He creeps and watches everywhere.

His burning eyes, his eyes of bale,
Through the darkness I can see;
He lashes fiercely with his tail,
He would love to spring at me.

I am the lion in his lair;
I am the fear that frightens me;
I am the desert of despair
And the nights of agony.

Night or day, whate’er befall,
I must walk that desert land,
Until I can dare to call
The lion out to lick my hand.

II
As a naked man I tread
The gloomy forests, ring on ring,
Where the sun that’s overhead
Cannot see what’s happening.

There I go: the deepest shade,
The deepest silence pressing me;
And my heart is more afraid
Than a maiden’s heart would be.

Every day I have to run
Underneath the demon tree,
Where the ancient wrong is done
While I shrink in agony.

There the demon held a maid
In his arms, and as she, daft,
Screamed again in fear, he laid
His lips upon her lips and laughed.

And she beckoned me to run,
And she called for help to me,
And the ancient wrong was done
Which is done eternally.

I am the maiden and the fear;
I am the sunless shade, the strife;
I the demon lips, the sneer
Showing under every life.

I must tread that gloomy way
Until I shall dare to run
And bear the demon with his prey
From the forest to the sun.

Waving A White Flag Now...

So, I entered a competition last night. It's one that given a night to think about and looking at all the facts I don't think I can win and yet, I am determined to win. I am just one of those people that was born with an excessively competitive spirit. Sometimes that spirit motivates me to succeed and sometimes that spirit keeps me from experiencing possibly wonderful things. How does it keep me from experienc? Well, having the competitive spirit that I do, I don't want to do anything that I don't think I will be good at because I have to excel...it's a necessity.

This life is competitive. We compete for careers, we compete for attention... we are taught from a young age that nobody ever remembers second place. There are several problems with this mindset.

Problem number one lies in the fact that, sometimes we get caught up in a race for the sake of the race, with no real goal.

Picture in your mind a man driving down a road and another man comes driving up behind him. As he sees the car gaining on him, he increases his speed. His mind, reeling, tells him to go faster, to not let this stranger catch up to him. Faster and faster he goes until the car behind him becomes a faint spot in the distance. Just then, he rounds the bend to find a bridge out and cannot stop in time. Perhaps that stranger was trying to catch up to him to issue a warning and backed off when he knew it was too late.

Problem number two lies in the fact that we are in the world but, not of it. Yes, the world is competitive but, we are called to surrender.

I hate that word. It is not in my nature. Me, surrender?

But then, I read my Bible and I find that this competitive nature of mine is part of Satan's lie. As contrary as it sounds, my competitive nature may full well impede my success and victory.

In the following verses, it is said that whoever seeks to save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for God will find it;

John 12:25, Mark 8:35, Matthew 16:25, Matthew 10:39, Luke 9:24, Luke 17:33

I need to keep my competitive nature in check. I need to keep my eyes focused on my goal and not just run the race for the sake of running. I need to surrender... give up to God and not be caught up in the lie that I have to win here on earth because true victory comes after we leave this life.

Philippians 3:14 "I pursue, looking towards the goal, for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus."

Although it goes against my very grain, I have the promise that in my weakness, I will be made strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9 "Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

Today, I am singing the words to the Lincoln Brewster chorus "All To You".

I'm living my life for You
And I'm giving everything to You
Not holding back, from every part
I'm giving it all to You

Not very competitive but, the sure way to victory.