never give up, never surrender.

"That is why we never give up.
Though our bodies are dying, 
our spirits are being renewed every day.
For our present troubles are small
and won't last very long.
Yet they produce for us 
a glory that vastly outweighs them
and will last forever!
So we don't look at the troubles 
we can see now; 
rather, we fix our gaze 
on things that cannot be seen."*


It seems like a bizarre solution, God;
to stare into the distance at what we can't even see, 
like lunatics dancing in an Elysian field, 
when they're actually standing in the middle of a busy highway
about to get slammed by a semi. 


It seems like a hopeless solution, God;
to regard our present troubles as small and fleeting, 
when the fear and dread and weight of them 
far outweighs the phantasmagorical mirage of future glory.


It seems like a pointless solution, God;
to never give up though our bodies are dying, 
a hopeless, helpless battle we cannot win. 
A solution that feels ineffective against the current situation. 


We cry out to you in desperate hope. 


I pray for us all that it is not a 
turning
only
in 
a feeble
frantic
grab
for last minute items 
at the express checkout. 


I pray for us instead
that it is a 
rich
deep
joyful
lasting
hope
that worthily honours
your righteous, 
holy,
perfect and 
loving self. 


I pray for firm resolve,
steadfast love,
faithful endurance, 
quiet joy
and 
perfect peace.


Amen. 


*2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT.