Overwhelmed Again
my earthly Captain has relinquished his command
his field general and fellow captains
have all gone rogue
our standard has been captured, our banners scattered &
tattered among the dead, wounded, dazed & confused
my colleagues – other battalion & squad leaders
attempt to regroup amidst the tumult & disarray
but the once proud army has been dealt a stunning blow
as old alliances have crumbled and all scramble
to forge new allegiances
my own company has been shaken
some troops murmur, others have deserted
a few even dismissed for insubordination with
confidence in my competence wavering by all
battle worn, exhausted and discouraged
i enter the command tent, lay down my sword
collapse in a chair, place my head in my hands
in a haze of fatigue, my spirit slides into vision
the destruction & debris of the battlefield fades
i’m standing alone on the edge of a
green pasture beside a wide, still river
before me stands a tall, fair warrior
dressed in gleaming combat array
He turns toward me with a two-edged sword in his hand
“Are You for us or against us?” i mutter
“Neither, I Am the Captain of the Army of the Lord of Hosts.
Take off your shoes, for this is holy ground.”
I remove my shoes, bow and complain…
“My Lord, our army has been swept from the field
the troops are defeated and downcast
the enemy has sown confusion & chaos
our cause has been lost”
the Captain calmly listens, waits and smiles
“Do you not know; have you not heard?
Do you not remember?
the enemy is an eternally, defeated, beaten foe
his deceptions & ways are not new
and his impact temporary & fleeting
you are not alone and the battle is not yours
I Am the God of the Angel Army; I Am mighty to save
look with your spirit eyes and see those who
are with you are more than those against”
behind Him now stood a brilliant hosts
banners, horses, shields, weapons – an impressive,
innumerable force - as far as the eye could see
a call from outside my tent
brings me back to the natural realm
refreshed, renewed, strengthened and hopeful
once again with the eternal eclipsing the temporal
i have been overwhelmed
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
“They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb
will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings,
and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
- mark d. cooke, 3-17-12
