West

Today obedience is putting on running shoes
And going west
Chasing the ever-changing brushstrokes of this glowing evening

Invitation beckons, so
Leave your the usual trail
Run with eyes on the sky
Take the roads that lead you closer
To the beauty of the sunset

And then - the houses are behind me
The river is before me
The clouds are glowing
And here I stop, thinking:

Jesus heard my prayers this morning:
I miss sunsets - I want to see one again
I miss my camera and looking for beauty
And tonight, I know that I heard him
As I watched the clouds twirl in yellows and blues on my drive home
Telling myself, I should go for a run tonight
Quickly throwing on my shorts and shoes
Turning abruptly from my normal route
To head expectantly westward

In the dusk I recognize God is in the rhythms -
Quiet mornings and a settled pace
But that he also calls urgently, desperately
Put on your shoes and come
Chase the beauty, the silence, and the waiting
I am here,
and this is for you.

Today,
Obedience is putting on running shoes
And going west.