Staying On the Straight Street
by Michael Doyle

No longer timid sure sure
That the gates of Heaven will prevail
So that no longer
Will the gates of Hell prevail

This broken world
Needs a brave church
Our banners unfurled
Victory is seized from the lurch

As Paul met Jesus
Blinded on Damascus' road
Taken from shackles
To the great things foretold

Interventions come with mercy
And can save you from your plans
Walked back from the ways of Pharisees
To fulfill God's commands

Arise from falling down
To be raised up to victory
Share in the Father's crown
That meant for you and me

Every fall that exists
Is an invitation's entrance
In it's chance to begin again
Offered by this God of second chances

God's grace is not
A path of retaliation
Not to be forgot
Is each nudge toward humiliation

Every saint ever known
Has had their own past
Until good fortune is shown
In moments to be recast

This then comes into view
When we dare to surrender
God's grace, is a gift to me and you
Purity of strength often seems tender

For those new to the church and our ways
There are blessings of truth in our days
Things there that are without need to say
Like the grace given when we were once astray

It's hard to give the ask
Of needing help along our day
Seen as peculiar in our tasks
We are called out along our way

Filled with the Holy Spirit
We are filled with the kingdom
If only we are ready to hear it
In the blessing that will come

Stay on the straight street
Listening to fulfilling instruction
So that God can greet
Us and keep us from destruction

In Eden, we chase our own way
Walking from that perfection
Instead of knowing the dragons we should slay
As with humility, we keep our dedication

Turned around in our days
Given from day one, in our sufficiency
Changing all our paths and ways
That led us to need God's resiliency

As children of God
We are born to rise
Proclaiming Jesus
Before the world's eyes

Our future is not our past
Learning each day's answer
To hold onto what needs to last
In the goodness of all that is true

(c) July 18, 2022  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved