plain or fancy

what did he
say
and this is so
the Bible says that Jesus loves us
when we’re weak
so
he is
strong

always weak
always
strong
everyone seems called to both

weak to
hear
strong to act

call weak gentle or easy
or
withholding
openness to listen
and
to heed what he should say

we have the story
and the help of spirit
and
of angels

strong to act while strong is faith
and
otherwise
to
take great care

for anger destroys
and
pride
as vanity shall fall
every time
with
consequences to learn
if not yet
experienced directly

and that is plain
I hope
for me to learn

for you to be loved by God
and Jesus and the
Spirit
loved by God and in that book
find it affirmed
and
by our instinct as we grow with God
by Jesus
and the Spirit

and by the Bible
and with each other
as
we’re faithful
and even when
we fall

the love’s not over
anymore than faith or hope
though love’s
the
quality and entity
the strength
the practicality
that
remains

the theologian was asked
and
responded
Jesus loves me
this
I know
for the Bible tells me so

may it go so simple
and
so strong
if not perfectly not yet
by us

c l couch


the song “Jesus Loves Me” was written by Anna Bartlett Warner, published in 1859 (the line breaks above were by me)

the theologian in question, at least so goes the story, is Martin Marty, asked to sum up his theology, responding with the beginning of the hymn

photo by Lauren Mitchell on Unsplash
I hope the other side of the shirts says “The Now”