Romans 8:37-39

even when the rush is gone and
the fires have burned down
until only ashes flutter in the distance,
my faith as fickle
as the flippant flame
i cannot deny, i could never deny
cannot, as hard as i try to attribute all to chance's dance and self-strength
forget
when you fed me when i was starving
gave me what could fill me when the world dangled scraps

can't forget
the living water you quenched my thirst with,
like nothing ever i have tasted
drops of heaven that overwhelmed me

can't forget when i was fighting the darkness
every breath being pummeled out of me
because it was your hand that clasped mine
and as i lifted my tear-stained eyes,
saw you extinguish the darkness with one gesture

it is your love that i cannot run away from,
no matter how much i force my heart to shut up
as i force and consume
the sin that consumes me piece by piece, you wait at
the Cross. i brush you aside, choose satan's delicacies
but you don't move from that Cross.
as i pound my fists at the air, angry at your silence
and screaming until knees and lungs fail
i find myself at your Cross, and i'm pounding
against your broken body,
but you, God you..
with the power to obliterate a galaxy
don't move the nails,
don't stop my fists,
don't stop looking at me with those eyes,
i can't take those eyes because they penetrate
in a way that kills me,
the very words i've been running away from,
that your eyes say over and
over again,
I love you, I love
you.

I love you even when your heart is not in the right place
I love you when you're neck deep in sin, and have walked down the enemy's steps
I love you when you reject my word
I love you,
because you are mine, and I have created you and know you to the depths of your innermost being
I love you because I made you in my image, because you were the joy that allowed me to scorn the shame of the Cross
and die, for you


I love you, and
neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate you from
My love.