Gone prodigal again

_I did it again!_
Left my place of rest in search of fading bliss
I called ‘inheritance’ what was mere gifts
Dropped my daily routine to unwind with wild parties
Past achievements that have become ashes
I knew I was out of power but the fan’s still turning in my direction and it felt cool
I knew my embers were getting cold but I couldn’t resist the urge to dance without recharging and see what it felt like
I knew my  light was getting dimmer but I claimed I was shining in the darkness
Away from my Source
Away from who made me son
Away from my true inheritance
Away from my natural habitat

_I did it again!_
How can I face Father this time with shoes on?
How can I expect his forgiveness after the limit for a day?
How can I tell him his robe got torn?
How can I tell him the reason I am back was the memory of the tasty beef in my mouth?
That I want to be welcomed again?
That He was right and I lived wrong again?
How can I tell him I did it again?

Hannah DGinus
©2024

Submission

Children are known for plays
Errors and cravings for ice creams.
They love the Father
And He loves them too.

But in this kingdom
Sons submit all cravings
To the eternal will of the Father.
They approach Zion
Bowed in reverence.

Children are looked after
But sons bear responsibilities
The Father loves all
But the Sons knows His heart.

Ugwu David C.
©2023

Monopoly Of Power

After my long journey
into the league of darkness.
After my painful crossing
the bridge of conformism.

Here, I swim again.
Swimming in the pool of eternal truth
Rebaptizing my sense
in the pool of light .

Everyone has inherent right
To be as their wish to be.
As long as they affirm this power in others.
As long as they remain in this boundary.

I am holy in my own terms
You can be holy as you choose .
I am a king in my own way
You can own the world in your own terms.

There is no monopoly
There is no monopoly of life,
There is no monopoly of knowledge
There is no monopoly of love

There can be no monopoly of power
There can be no monopoly of creativity
There can be no monopoly success
There is no monopoly of God .

Ugwu David C.
©2023

His Glory

There is no shame that taketh a man
But such that is common to man
In nakedness without shame
For his glory surrounds you
You see not my flaws or mistakes
Not because you know you’re naked too
But because he’s made me good
In you I see glory
In me you see glory
With faults and flaws here and there
Yes in this journey we may hurt or be hurt
But it’s no shame in nakedness
Because when I see you
And you see me
Its his glory that surrounds us.


There is therefore now no shame
To those who are in Christ Jesus
Who walk not after the things they see
But after his word
Which says
Fear not, though fearful things surround you
Be thou not confounded,
Though there are things you may not understand
Be not ashamed, though you’re naked and hurt
You’ll not be put to shame, for I am your glory
Breath in earthen clay
Words into void state
Light into dark days
Your Maker and Husband I Am!

Philipa Oraegbu
© 2022

 

The Three Abstractions

Time like air is boundless, existing independent of us
Helping us take note, employing us
To nurture after our to-do-list
Yet reminding us the risk
of not being
of not seeing
The thought of it as illusion only makes bold the impact on our vision
An endless circle
Old enough to seal life’s chronicles
Yet does nothing to change it
The only certified entity to bridge it.

Love like the sea, is deep
Accommodating everything cold
and warm-blooded
Not seeking its own way
Needs nothing external to become
Countless questions on its existence
Unending thoughts on its purpose
And like the absence of peace
Making monsters of those who go by without it
The true essence of its fragrance waiting always on those who have gone past feeling
to becoming love.

Death, what happens when you’re busy making other plans
Claiming more lives with its rude interruption
The least talked about of all three
Yet with each blow comes a string of thought on time and love
Each seized breath a trail of shadows to your canvas
With more questions than answers
How much time is left?
Is love evident?
What next after death?

Imani Dokubo
©2021

REFLECTIONS

Life they say is full of risks
But I say more risky is this…
A life without God

We meet people everyday
Some good some bad
But all have come to play a role

Value the people in your space
For one day they will leave you
Or you will leave them

Live a life of purpose
Because after you are long gone
Your works will speak for you

Forgive others for their mistakes
You are a work in progress too
For no one is perfect

Put a smile on your face today
Don’t wait till all your teeth are fallen
For challenges come and go

Ajegbomogun Olufunke
©2021

not Ready

When I thought about the word
My heart leapt in silent laughter
as if to share in quiet joy my awe
At how I once believed readiness was a chapter
That I needed to attain to do more
Such an appalling misrepresentation of the matter

To be ready is to be a willing one
To serve opportunity’s timing now not after
To date today and not cheat with tomorrow
To learn while you grow from experience gathered
To live prepared for the much you know and the few you control
And ready you will always be, if you follow this pattern.

– Ezeonyeka Godswill
(c) 2021

Holy Gist

Yesterday was quite cloudy
It felt like the travelling rain
Decided to stop at my terrain to greet
But it didn’t
Flashes of lightning like swords fight pushed through the thick black clouds
It was an intentional scare I thought
And my thoughts slept with me

Now I’m thinking about it
How is a God whose voice is louder than the thunder speak so softly
That you could hear distinctly in stillness?
I remembered a time
I also wondered what lights really is
You know
Stepping into that flash of light as in the lightning
Light in light?
No shadow of turning?
How is that even possible?
How will light so fill a place
That it will cast no shadow

Hold it! what could Holy mean?
All white, flurry, smells like sweets?
Holy!
Set apart!
Yes, I later learnt what it meant
Separated for the divine
Who is actually The Vine
The one from whom we got our alias – the Branches

I was told that the Vine isn’t just a fruit tree
That it’s a tree that creeps
Better put infiltrate
It takes over
Just give it time
It’s so beautiful that after it’s done with the host
All you can see is vine
Branches faithful to the course
Actually bring forth the fruits
Occupy till I come
For you are a chosen generation
A holy priesthood
They are the ones
That become the Light in the light
The ones that there is also found no shadow of turning
God is light, in Him there’s no darkness
You are of God Little Children
The glory of the vine had made us one
As they are one
Abiding in Him as He is in the Father

How did I start this gist?
I hope it still rains today
Who knows it could make me think of another gist tomorrow.

Pearly Thoughts
(C) 2021