Battles in the garden

Battles in the garden.
Healing the ear of Malchus


A word from the Lord
Spoken, uttered
A double edged sword
Piercing and healing
The Living word……

Sword of the Spirit,
Let me not,

Use you in haste.
As Peter in the garden

Of Gethsemane.
His intention

Was to protect,

To defend Jesus.
But Jesus healed,

The one wounded

By Peter’s sword.
“No more of this!” Jesus said
He touched the man’s ear

and healed him.

In haste Lord,
Your word is used like
A sword from our mouths
Our intentions vary:
Defending our Lord,
Rebuking someone,

Without love or in haste.
People’s ears are cut off!
Cut off or now deaf
Because of a sword
Quickly drawn.

Lord, come!

Heal again!
Heal our ears!

Heal their ears!
So that we may hear you
So that we may know you
So that we may experience

The miracle of being whole,

Restored.
Heal those wounded

by our swords.

A sword in the heart,
A word wisely spoken,
Spoken in love,

Can still hurt.
Can still pierce the soul.
Yet, healing comes,
When the word of the Lord
Is used with skill and care.
By a warrior who is fighting
The Lord’s battle,

Not his own.

Lord,
How often is our zeal misplaced?
How often do we wound instead of heal?
How often are our intentions pure?
Only to see the look in our your eyes..
As Peter did in the garden that night.
We’ve missed the point again.

Thank you Lord,
For forgiving.

Forgiving our mistakes,
Our haste.
Thank you Lord,
For healing.
For healing the ear of Malchus.

cjb

Luke 22:36-38, 47-51, John 18:10-11