Look up

If you didn’t know,

We’re all drowning.

That’s why Noah built the ark

Not so we could float atop

The sin of the world

But to spare and to save us.

Save us,

Like in that river

Where you were baptized,

And God stepped down

Grabbed your hand

And said rise my child.

Rise my child,

That’s what Jesus said to Jarius’ daughter

And the widow’s son.

After he wept for Lazarus,

He called his dear friend to rise

And brought new life.

You see He’s in the business

Of redemption

And he’s not done yet.

He’s not done yet.

Though he owns the empire

It’s still expanding

The light is still stretching,

Still seeking,

Still reaching out to take hold of us.

To make lights of us,

To Lift us up from the depths,

And the waves crashing over us.

The waves are crashing over us

And we’re drowning

We’re drowning in internet

And fame and sex

Money and politics

We’re drowning in booze

And broken families.

And when we come up for air

There’s only black clouds

Of cigarette smoke

left over

From last night

As it tries, unsuccessfully,

to suffocate the emptiness

But the void is too vast

And. It’s. Still. Night.

It’s still night,

Because we won’t let the light in.

And Christ hangs on His cross

Waiting for us to look up

To steal our attention.

Away from all of our “followers”

Our likes and shares and retweets.

With all the internet shopping

And live streaming,

we don’t seem to understand

That we can live without Instagram

For at least five minutes.

For more than five minutes,

The beads of blood and sweat

Dropped down from his crown of thorns.

He is love,

He doesn’t push or pry

He just offered a sacrifice

and a hand to you

To me,

And until we reach out to take it,

He waits and hangs.

He waits and hangs,

On the tree

Where we left him.

And His blood pools like a river

Calling you to be baptized.

Be made clean

Be made clean

Because blood is thicker—

Denser,

than water.

And we won’t drown here.

We take up courage here.

We put on clothes of strength

And dignity

And we become princes

And princesses

At his feet.

Remember that you’re at His feet

When the tides of this world try to drown you,

His blood is offering new life,

Look up,

Look up.