The Staircase

The Staircase
by: R.A. Slater
early 2000's after the New Years Eve Church service/party

On and on it seems to stretch
*This staircase in my life
Of trials and tribulations, of challenges and growth
*That I alone can climb, must climb
Though the trip is wearying
*It is not in vain
For He is a promise-keeper
*His promises are 'yes and amen'
And He has promised great things
*Though I do not see them except in my mind's eye
From where I now stand
*The staircase appears to have no end
Though I know that this is an illusion
*Cast by my perspective
Could I look down and see my life
*From heaven's higher view
I would see things quite differently
*From what I see them to be while here on earth
Though granted revelations
*Of God and of my self
That often gives reprieve of my emotions
*I often live mment by moment
Often forgetting to even ask
*For those revelations
I grow so eary of this constant climbing
*This constant battle to be who I am meant to be
In such moments God will sometimes give
*A moment to rest, a moment to breathe, a moment to reflect
Sometimes we will sit in silence together
*Grateful for each other's presence
Sometimes I will weep for the emotion of the moment
*And His loving arms hold me in a tender embrace
That strenthens me and draws me nearer to Him
*And keeps me from falling off this staircase that grows ever steeper
Sometimes I will look back down the staircase
*And wonder at what I see
Although the memory of the past steps have been emblazoned in my heart and mind
*I see only a gradual incline behind me
Littered with gemstones of tears
*Made beautiful by His compassion
Littered with the torn down alters of my life
*Now an altar to Him and Him alone
Littered with cast aside burdens
*Burdens that ever prowl, awaiting a chance to reattach themselves
How I did fight, sometimes kicking and screaming
*To give up those things that stained my worship
And when I surrendered my will to His
*How I did wonder why I fought so hard
The path before me is steep
*As it always has been
And He alone knows how many times
*I have paused in moments of despair to gaze over the side of these stairs
And into the dark abyss
*Pondering dark thoughts of giving up
But as I listen to the quiet voice within and without
*I am filled with comfort and peace
For the voice of God does not condemn me for my weakness
*No, He reminds me that He is God, and He is good
That He has given we abundant life
*If I am willing to walk in it
That I am His child
*And nothing will ever take me from Him
That the heart of the cross did beat with love for me
*With all my foibles and follies, sin burdened and alone
And so, knowing beyond feeling, that hope remains
*I rise to my feet, repositioin my armor and continue the climb
Knowing that I do not climb alone
*For He often carries me
And that the heart of the cross
*Beats for me still