Decreed
Caesar Augustus decreed that
all the world should be taxed.
God decreed the same differently.
Mary’s firstborn would burden
every heart with subjection, with
the killing happiness of letting go.
She saw it the second they opened,
eyes hardened to the black of winter ice,
his stare chilling enough to melt.
He was born to cherish us. This he
would accomplish even if it killed him.
“the killing happiness of letting go”
yup. God is arm-wrestling me into the kingdom one death at a time and I think we both keep being suprised by how much fight I’ve got left.
BTW my 4 yo came home from Church desperately worried about “tax collectors” yesterday, do they steal money? when and how do they steal it? will they come to our house? Must’ve been in his sunday school lesson. By evening he decided he would work for the government, I guess you don’t have to fear them if you join them
Oh, man. Yeah – that’s the profound statement that burst from my mouth as I finished this. But really – OH, MAN. Thank you. More Christmas reflections, please.
[…] Decreed Posted on December 10, 2012 by […]