The Tab I Can Never Repay
When Sin Meets Grace
Bartender pour me a drink
What’ll it be sir?
I’m feeling Gin and tonic tonight
Coming right up
Ah the spirits of the world They’re mischievous Wanting to cause mayhem Chaos their tried and tested forte Sinister are their minds And yet we love many a pour of them
We spend our nights gulping them down We devour them when our lives are in disarray Just a pour Nothing more Alas, just a pour wasn’t meant to be
We drink till our minds forget We numb the pain We drown the hurt We lie in our vomit And we call this victory The spirits of this world woo us with misery And we fall prey like a gazelle in trickery
One night I visited another bar The bartender looked different Almost Knightly
What’ll it be mister?
I don’t know Give me a glass of your finest whiskey
We’re all out of whiskey How about a different pour?
Sure Anything to rid me of this misery
The bartender pours a drink
This spirit looks different It has a shine like none other I stare at it in disbelief I lay my head on the bar top My head tilting like a puppy Examining the spirit My curiosity is at a high Ah it’s shine is alluring I take a sip There is no after taste No high No loss of memory It’s shine takes over my body The more I drink, the more my body glittered
Bartender This is a lovely drink I’m not buzzed But I’m happy I walked in sad But I’m wallowing in happiness My aim was to forget But somehow I’m able to be present Can I get another pour? Also, I forgot to ask How much is it for the drink?
Your pocket cannot pay for this drink This isn’t the spirit of the world It’s the spirit of My everlasting love You’re drinking of My unmerited favor This isn’t a bar It’s My dwelling place And you’re not sipping on whiskey or gin But My abundant grace Have as many rounds as you like This spirit never runs dry It flows from My heavenly abode It’s for you to sip One sip just won’t do So have one more And another Drown yourself in My grace Soon enough The spirits of the world that tried to bind you Will flee all around you And all that’s left is righteousness, peace and joy That My child is My kingdom Welcome home kiddo I’ve missed you
I was lounging on my chair and the thought of grace popped in my head. I’ve had my share of drinks and wild parties over the years. At the end I always go to close the tab. I realized God’s grace is the one tab I can never repay.
I was pondering about my sinful life when I started writing this poem. However, as I continued to write, I realized that despite my numerous sins, I have been blessed with the abundant grace of the holy God. He bestowed His grace upon me even when I was in the midst of my sins, and for that, I am grateful. From being riddled with sin, my life is now sprinkled with grace.
Sometimes I forget that God is the most empathetic entity out there.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15, NIV)