Kept From Stumbling

Jesus said, “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:1-15 

Kept from Stumbling

O great Creator of this fragile earth
we have found ourselves stumbling
in unknown, unnavigated territory
daily on the verge of falling down.

We line up to gather our weekly food
we have no contact with deliverers
faces are covered to control disease
and hands are gloved now as well.

Way too many lives have been lost
our carelessness and selfishness
have caught up with the human race
and we are crying out for your spirit.

Draw near to us now who stumble
to those who are on the crumbling edge
we ache to be gathered up like children
held close until the coast is finally clear. Amen