Journey to Freedom
i was trapped by my own
brokenness
bound by another’s bitterness
after a lifelong vocation
proclaiming liberty, freedom and forgiveness
i found myself in chains
seemingly of my own making
a bondage that made mockery
of
everything i believed and stood for
but there were friends
that stuck closer than a brother
and a divine outlet where I cared
for others whose lives
were in much darker places
nevertheless, my mind reeled
from a comprehensive disorientation
even as i put one step
before another
surviving on daily routines
work, phone calls, dinners, visits
i lived in a haze for quite
some time
forever wondering if this crushing limbo
was destined to go on endlessly
mercifully, perplexity did
not end in despair
for in this desert
i found water from a rock
yes, in this dry, arid, desolate place
a stream unexpectedly began to flow
cool, refreshing, pure and
soul satisfying
strangely unbelievable, surreally dreamlike
but undeniably thirst-quenching, invigorating
suddenly the painful
disorientation
was swept away
by an equally intense, heavenly bewilderment
“How could this be?”
“Is this really happening?”
“Is there truly a new
chapter in this story?”
“How did these chains fall
off?”
“Certainly, this must just
be a dream.”
but she was no dream, no
vain imagination
she literally parachuted into this weary life
embracing me with love,
healing, wholeness and a hope
a hope that there was a new
tomorrow
a hope that condemnation had
been cast aside
a hope that a life companion
had been found
a hope that God still had
good plans for me, for us
and on this Independence Day
i would hold her in my arms, breathe deeply
giving thanks to our Maker
for
this journey to freedom.
-
mark d. cooke, 7-4-24
