This poem is written by Erin Peters, part of the Granvdview Calvary Baptist Church community and a member of the Earthkeepers team.

Mark 14:32-42

today the headlines read:

rebel attacks,

security fence complete,

rape of land and bodies, and

death.

the foundations of the earth are being shaken

and are we here

falling asleep?

some of us,

eyes barely open,

we do what we can:

we watch

we bear witness

the best we know how, naturally

imperfect.

Too often it is simpler

to lie down and sleep.

Our spirits may be

hypothetically willing, but

our bodies are weak,

very weak indeed.

and our eyes grow heavy

with the weight

of the world’s sorrows on our retinas and we

scream: ‘just make it stop!’

and so we close our eyes

to all that surrounds us.

and we ask:

for someone else take this upon themselves

for someone else to deal with it while we

turn our backs

for just a minute or two.

all the brokenness all the pain

rests on our backs, brick-like.

And we’re only Human, right?

we will be crushed and burst apart

we are overwhelmed with sorrow

to the point of

death-

But He said:

if I must carry this sorrow

if I must go through with this pain

for something or someone more than myself,

then so be it-

and that is the sign

of the Divine

coming to meet us.

And are we so unwilling

to simply speak out, cry out, or shout?

to say that we will indeed watch

that we will indeed bear witness to

the brokenness?

how could we claim fatigue

in the face of such

godly justice?

And so I believe that

it’s our turn now.

to find His strength to watch

and pray

it’s our turn to act, to sacrifice,

to bring a bit more of Him into our

everyday,

we must not fail

to at least try-

maybe then, the long-awaited

Kingdom will come.