Have You Forgotten? (a poem)

It was a lifetime ago,
the days when we were together;
excited about God,
hearing His Word for our lives
and growing in Him.

The world was simpler then,
when we thought anything was possible;
dreaming of the future,
full of hope for each day
and trusting His promise.

Have you forgotten those days?
Are they far from your mind?
What caused you to turn from those dreams
and abandon your hope?
What drove you so far
that God is lost in the distance?

I saw you there;
I remember how God touched you.
You were chosen;
you stood for His holy Name,
unashamed before all.

In your younger days
you took joy in His presence.
Praises rang out
as you lifted up your voice
to glorify Him.

You were not unique
in your driftings and searchings.
When He called to you
you returned broken and humble
and He welcomed you.

Have you forgotten His voice?
Don’t you remember its sound?
It is the voice of He who speaks to nothing
and worlds are made.
It is full of power,
the One who conquered the grave.

Though years have passed
those days remain with you;
in the still of the night,
when your mind drifts in daydreams,
surely they speak to you.

Hear the sounds of those days,
of laughter and tears and kindred hearts.
Recognize those who were there,
we who shared those days with you
and the love between us.

Feel the touch of Him
Who wrapped you in arms of love;
He called you His own,
offered you a differed kind of life,
and you walked with Him.

But you must have forgotten it,
you locked it too deep inside.
What pain do those memories bring to you
that you would cast them away?
Is it so deep and dark
you believe God cannot comfort you?

Those days are far away
but He is still so close to you now.
His voice still speaks
and His arms reach out to hold you,
if you will only return.

Remember …

Backstory

I recently read a post by someone I knew when we were younger. Those memories seemed so far away as I read her words. She was thankful for the best days she’d known in her life. The description of those days was so different from those we shared in church together.

That post inspired this poem. This cry of my heart is not only directed to her, but to the many I have known over the years who have forgotten. Men and women, they were my brothers and sisters. The greatest of loves bound us together, and my heart breaks to see them in such a different place.

They are still loved. My prayer for them is, “Remember”.