Abide

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. John 6:52-59

Abide

The midwinter still is dark
the light fades yet too soon
there is no green of hopefulness
simply winter browns and greys.

This palette of February
when indoor warmth confines
and outdoors chills to the bone
we can forget the promises.

We can forget that spring
will come again unbidden
life renewed with abundance
will force itself upon us.

Abide, children, abide
hold tight to the love
settle in by the fire
know God brings better days.