Advent, Day 4: At attention.

Today's reading: Isaiah 48:12-19

"Oh, that you had paid attention to my commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river,
and your righteousness like the waves of the sea." (Isaiah 48: 18)

the earth and sky stand,
sharp as tacks,
straighten their backs,
eyes front,
ready for inspection Sir

the people of God stand
shuffling our feet
eyes lowered
shoulders hunched
like the children we are
(if we don't see Him,
perhaps He also can't see us)

but when we hear the roll call,
our full names spoken with intent,
we know
He knows what we've done
(and left undone)
and immediately we
straigten up

He told us what He was going to do
before He did it
so we couldn't give credit
where it wasn't due

and now He promises
to make all things new
so we can't brush off miracles with a
"been there done that"

if only we'd been at
attention
all along

then maybe peace would already be running in torrents
maybe righteousness would be rolling over earth like the tide