Compel

And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭41‬ NKJV)

Compel them to come in!

Compel them to come in!

Compel, not repel.

Compel the lost, broken, lame, afflicted

Why should I be conflicted?

The lame,

Are before me.

Why should I feel shame?

Compel and tell

The GOOD NEWS!

Bring the GOOD NEWS!

So they can trade

Ashes for beauty,

Mourning for joy,

Weakness for praise, and

Give glory to the One

Who plants us as mighty trees.

The first tree,

We misused.

The second tree,

We accused.

We are the last tree.

He wants us to be used.

Instead, we have abused

The power he gave us,

The power to bring GOOD NEWS!

But, we don’t choose

To obey.

Instead, we walk away

From the call to

Shout to the lost,

“Come in to the banquet!

The feast awaits.

Are you hungry?

There is a place for you at

The table.

He is able

To bind up your wounds,

Heal your crippled hearts and

Twisted bodies.”

“He doesn’t care

If you are ready.

He is waiting

For you to come in!

Don’t you know,

You can come in

To the feast,

Just as you are.

You don’t need to fix

Your matted hair.

There is a chair

With your name on it!

No need to prepare

Your heart, or

Get perfect.

He already knows

All of the darkest secrets.

He KNOWS,

And yet,

He LOVES.”

He is calling us to

Compel the lost!

They can’t see,

We have the Light,

We must shine

Through the darkest night.

Not so we can be proud of

How bright we shine, but so

The blind

Can see through us,

Through our failures and inadequacies,

They can see

His compassion,

His eyes.

Instead, we compromise.

“Look at me!

I am sinless and beautiful!”

But, we are not.

We are wretched,

Steeped in sin.

It is only

Through him

We are even able.

Have we forgotten

How we crawled to the table?

Too weak and ashamed to

Strut into the feast.

What right have

We to think

We deserve to eat.

We have no rights,

Only grace to share in the

Riches of His glory,

Because, that is the

Story.

We all like sheep

Have gone astray.

We all have sinned,

We deserve death. But,

Because of His

Grace,

We sit at the table of the King.

He’s asking us to

Leave our seat, to

Get up from the table, so

We can help compel the

Rest of the family to

Join us.

We don’t want to wait!

It’s their fault

They are late!

What is their problem?

Why can’t they get it right?

Didn’t they read the invitation?

It said the time and place.

They just didn’t make space

In their sinful, busy life,

Committing atrocities.

I’m going to pout at the table.

It’s time to eat!

Why aren’t they here?

He gently whispers in my ear,

“Oh, child,

They don’t know.

Why do you judge them so,

And hold them accountable for

Information not shared?

The feast

I have prepared,

But you must share

The goodness

I have provided.

Remember,

You too were once chided,

Cast aside, by the religious right.

Uninvited.

It only made you want to fight.

No need for that.

Just, share your story.

It will reveal My glory.

If you are honest,

They will see

Themselves in you.

They will see

My heart through you.

They will see

My eyes of love for them.

It is kindness, which

Turns them away from sin.

They don’t have to be told

They are unworthy.

This, they know,

Everyday.

They have not been told,

I want to rescue them

Just the way

They are.

They need only to come in

To my presence,

My house.

Compel them to the table!

Leave your comfy place!

Run into the streets!

They are waiting.

They are hungry.

They are longing to eat,

But, only,

I Am

The bread and the wine.

They have not truly dined,

Until they have supped with me.

Tell them of the tree.

Don’t forget the cost.

It was all for the lost.

Include yourself in that

Group of sinners.

I died for

All of you. But,

Rose again, the

Victorious winner.

Take my crown!

Reign with me!

Bring with you

All you see!

They all need me,

Whether they know it,

Or not.”