We the now and not yet people,
With a now and not yet King,
In a now and not yet Kingdom.
We are always in between.
In a paradox allegiance,
With obedience to both:
For the One who sits in heaven,
And the rulers here on earth.
But it’s not just in our duty,
For our beings contradict:
We are fashioned from the dust,
Yet the Spirit moves in us.
Yes we eat, but then we fast.
We show love when people scorn us;
Singing songs in persecution,
Finding hope amidst distress.
In betwixt the world and heaven,
As if swinging, hung in time,
From the holy to the common,
And then back again we fly.
We can bless; and we may curse,
After straying we repent.
Both as saints and yet still sinners,
We are strong when powerless.
Hope and faith may ebb and flow,
Though we strive to walk the path.
We are thankful for new life,
Yet we find a gain in death.
We are told when Jesus comes,
That then all will be aligned.
Contradictions finally gone,
And our true selves then alive.
In the meantime, we are pulled,
To the West and to the East:
Sometimes bad, and sometimes good,
And a thorn to keep us meek.
We the now and not yet people,
Yes we weep, but still we sing.
Of the joys and all the sorrows,
Being always in between.
See George Eldon Ladd for more on the now and not yet.
© 2020, Alignment Life
Alignment Life 