A Multitude

When the apostle looked and saw

A multitude

(A crowd from every nation, tribe, and tongue),

He saw the beauty of the gospel

Displayed in death-defying, barrier-breaking,

Culture-countering, God-glorifying ways.

A multitude

Of reasons exist in the worldly

As to why the apostle should have never seen

Such a foreshadowing. 

Clutching and clawing to create chaos 

Reasons whispered from the father of lies 

Wrap themselves in the disguise of 

Almost truths.

The kind of messages we attend our ear to 

When there is space.

A multitude

Of space left empty, void of the Spirit’s

Fruit and Presence. 

We are being formed by whatever we 

Wait on, wandering up ways that wilt our 

Will to follow His. 

A multitude

Of messages drive our minds to be made up 

About the other. 

Forsaking the example of the One we claim to follow

We chose tribe over multitude. 

Tribalism is a not merely poison or in-circling but 

A lack of discipleship. 

Where did the days disappear to when disciples discerned 

That Christ was bigger than a nation’s leader?

And that He, though a servant of all

Was the King of the third way? 

When did we start resisting His kingdom 

For party lines and personal gain? 

A multitude 

Of sorrows upon the Church of Christ

Who has turned her back on the goal, 

Shortsighted for the tribe of comfort and self-created identity. 

May we repent and weep

Crying out for the heart of Jesus Who gave His all.

Taking on the form of a servant, He birthed the possibility of

All nations, tribes, and tongues–

A multitude.