Unashamed

a poem

Photo by Anna Vi on Unsplash

She wanted to be worthy
of winning like a pricey pearl.
She hoped she’d be whole
and holy but not a simpleton girl.

Desiring depth and beauty
inside as well as without,
she journeyed into the world,
attracting a fellow devout.

He wanted to prove he was brave
like a warrior fit for the fight.
He hoped to spot every threat
and vanquish them into the night. 

Desiring to fulfill his duty
discerned through intuition,
he wed the girl in the spring,
determined upon his mission.

Adored and admired they were,
through thick and thin they went,
but the weather wore down their disguises
of what they thought they'd meant

Until the sight of each other
hinted of all they were not.
"Not worthy of his love," she thought.
And he, "I can't protect as I ought."

So unsure they were of themselves
that they hid face from each other.
Together but apart made a friendship
an acquaintance instead of lovers.

But the Maker whose hands ne'er stop
leaves no one alone in the night.
Those who are scattered and broken
He makes whole in His holy sight.

He takes every lack and loss
exposed in the light of His day
and fills the void with Himself
like oil in vessels of clay. 

Like so, He called the two
to break and give up what they'd had,
to lay out their shards of hope
like ripped clothes unable to clad.  

Then they before their Savior became
like those naked and unashamed.
They found they were good for each other,
man and wife, just as He'd named.

Made holy through the blood of the lamb,
Made lovely through a wisdom run deep,
Made strong through the weakness within,
Made right through the faith that they keep.

Finding they were less than they thought
brought wholeness instead of shame.
Perhaps that's what unions are for.
Perhaps that's still God's great aim.

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Note: While prompted by recent events, I don’t know that this poem is autobiographical. Perhaps it is. I don’t know yet. I wrote it because it was in my head. Now I, with you, look at it and ask it what message it has to tell.

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