Fire and Brimstone

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For the past couple years I have been struggling with the way in which the gospel (good news) is often presented. A book that helped me work through a lot of my theology was A More Christlike God by Bradley Jersak.

fire and brimstone

gnashing words
my heart limps on
long before it had left
it was already gone

in the crimson break before
the end, the final night's score
fear perches, ready to take me once more
to taunt and take me to places i know
a fire's horrid answer
the truth will i now know?

memories carved
will one day they crack?
in the life after death
this burden breaks my back

my crime they say
is as clear as the day
of being born
of living
of the air
i am stealing
i once was a light
i could see in a mirror
before it arrived
and darkened my cheer
age has left its mark
and robbed me of joy

oh fire and brimstone
is this who You are?
oh fire and brimstone
i guess i'll run far

when i sought ancient cloth
to relieve the pain
instead of relief
they burdened me again
and left me with thought
that damn screaming thing!
and all i heard was wrath and Your rage
and i'm afraid now to see You
as i farewell my old age
this death bed my coffin
open, my sins to see

oh fire and brimstone,
please don't take me!

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