It's Hard Not To Notice

God, I thank you that I'm not like other people! Luke 18:11

It's hard not to notice the pious

arrogance claiming to point to Him, yet ever
pointing to the great created thing, itself

bragging about all His great grace right

alongside all the great, great things
which the created thing (thinking itself
to be quite great because of His great grace)
has created and can create.

And the created thing, perceiving
all things good to be of His great grace
and for its own great benefit, pronounces over all
great things how greatly pleased it is to please
the great Giver of such great providence.

Alas, great are the shouts of victory
the created thing feels, clad in its great new garb
of some pious heritage garbling about its great humility
while its quiver full of great grace greatness grows its own heap
of pious arrogance from that ever-bubbling fount
of effervescent wisdom.

And the created thing sounds most great, even
when it hisses, even when it boasts of His great grace
while its blesséd children gag at the not so great things to please
the great created thing, making sure that their great goodness
might be praised by it and seen by all, and I try not to look
nor to notice all the whitewashed tombs that clap
at its great cleverness, all in great goodness in all
cute humbleness and good taste of course, forgetting
His grace

that His grace abounds
much more

much, much more
in the not so great things

and in the not so great people laughed at
and trampled underfoot, which the great Savior pledged
to redeem and not to condemn--His promise
His death even

being found
in appearance as a man
not great at all, but very humble

and obedient

unto death--even
His great, great death

even on a cross!

It's very hard not to notice the pious
arrogance claiming to point to Him, yet ever pointing
to the great created thing that stands
and prays and thanks God
for its own great, great
self.

No matter how hard I try
not to look or to notice, I find
this pious arrogance

even in me

claiming to point to Him, yet ever
pointing to the great created thing, itself

bragging about all His great grace right

alongside all the great, great things
which the created thing
has created and can create

the not so great people
in need

of a great, great Savior!

Petra O. Hefner

Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. Isaiah 66:2