When we are faced with choosing love
Our gazes do not see
The precious ones God placed on earth;
Our heart gives breach entrée.
A neighbor we ignore today
Expands the fissure’s gap.
The less we love, the more we’re prone
To Shadow’s fearful trap.
The less we love, the less we love
‘til friends and kin laid bare.
Susceptible to darkened heart
We even cease to care.
And enemy – well, who could love
Such wretched sinners strayed.
Yet, Jesus did; forgave them, too.
Could he your heart persuade?
We boast of being Christians, but
Our acts his words demean,
His call to love, to walk his will
Create a vast ravine.
As shadow overtakes your heart
And chasm seems no end
The answer is to love and hear
Both enemy and friend.
The more we love, the more our heart
Desires to love free.
The love of God takes over and
We love our enemy.
We see beyond the surface; yes
We see the tears below.
Our heart sees pain and hurt and wounds
The heart denies to show.
And as we’re willing to accept
God mercy, love and grace,
Outside of Shadow’s grip we rise
Into the Light’s embrace.
Thank you, Little Monk, for the inspiration for this poem.
Church Set Free 
[…] Source: Shadow | Church Set Free […]
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I’d love to take credit, but I quoted another when I repeated what he said one day…
“Look around you. When we look upon ANY of those people without loving them… when we refuse to love anyone as Jesus loves… we open the way for a shadow to enter and dwell in our hearts.”
Wish I’d said it. Wish I were more obedient in this myself…
But this is magnificent, Susan. Thank you.
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I knew the quote was from another, LM, but you were the one who passed along the ripple; thank you. BTW, would you please email me a link to his podcasts? I’d appreciate it.
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We all know the image of when we pass away we will be welcomed at Heaven’s gate by Peter with his checklist. However, what if we were welcomed by the person we most detested while alive? What if we had to take their hand, embrace them, in order to gain entry?
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What a great image! My first instinct when you said that was to break down and cry, to hug the person with joy and be glad they had turned around and were welcomed by our Father.
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Or, were you the one in the wrong, and now you have the chance to ask forgiveness? We assume the other person was on the wrong side.
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🙂
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When you used the word ‘detest’ it was a strong word. I visualized the man who molested me when I was a child. I was ready to forgive.
Be careful of your own assumptions.
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It wasn’t for you, personally, but a general question. How often do we assume that we are right, not seeing it through God’s eye?
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Oh, quite often! I agree with you there, Mike. And the old adage about “assume” is just as often correct! 😉
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[…] to think and look inward! Be sure to check out Sister Susan’s personal site and find her on Church Set Free […]
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