Part 7 — A Friend on the Mountain

blessings yearn for steady streams of pure hearts
patiently refined in the flames of God’s Spirit
hearts that grew up—suffering in the furnace of life
scalded in physical, mental, or emotional affliction
and were sentenced to wander halls of resentment
who cried out for friendship in mists of darkness
often tied to burdens of crushing debts and flaws
even frayed in the fearful losses of faith and hope
but still—they climbed—beyond any aching mind
to offer kindness to every scruffy—quaking smile
gentle ones who see God’s beauty in every creation
and on the faces of every diverse soul—they touch
who realize we are all cherished children of God
and who demonstrate their pure devotion to Him
through Christlike service and stewardship to all
endlessly reliable—valiantly enduring to the end
defending honor, virtue, integrity, and the truth
over paths where morality and character still matter
trusting an atonement that offenses can be mended
all these stars of hope bathe our dogged mountains
in soft—peaceful lights of certainty—forever true
so that when all these beloved believers see God
tenderly wiping away their drained tears of despair
they will recognize Him from another time—as Father

 (Matthew 5:8)