Friday, November 8, 2019

Knowing the Unknown

In the silence I heard footsteps
Scrape across an old tile floor
For a second, pensive shivers
As the sound came toward the door


In a panic, my eyes spastic
Darting all around the room
Searching for a hiding place
To escape impending doom


Why am I worried?
Why am I scared?
Do I think perhaps I’ll meet my maker?
And what if no one cared?


Through my heavy breathing
The scrapes became more faint
Like a haunting in a graveyard
By a wrongful murdered saint


Why do I worry?
Why do I care?
Ain’t there a God up there who loves me?
Isn’t Heaven waiting there?


When the doorknob turned I shuttered
My soul hid behind my bones
And I nearly let a scream escape
As the door crept open with a groan


Then I sighed and melted, sobbing
Believing I would face a ghost
And when the shadow came into the room
I learned right then what I feared most


Why do I worry?
Why do I cry?
Why do I let this dread define me?
Lord, I’m afraid to die!


When the shadow came into the room 
And turned on the old light switch
It wasn’t some old ghost at all
It wasn’t some old witch

My mother stepped out from the shadows
Rushed right over to the bed
Wrapped her loving arms around me
And this is what she said


You don’t have to worry
Your mommy’s here
And she has Jesus deep down in her heart
He’ll wipe away the sadness, take away the fear


No, no, don’t worry
Don’t be afraid
Trust the Lord, he’s got your back
It’s going to be okay.


By Royce Waxenfelter
11/3/19

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