back at the cross

I'm failing You, Jesus
I don't meet up
and no matter how hard I try
an accusing voice
reminds me again
I
have
failed.

Maybe I have failed
but not quite as I think.

I haven't failed because of my mistakes
lack of discipline
or shortage of effort.

I have failed because I have forgotten the gospel.
I have tried to replace
propitiation with perfection
dependence with discipline
grace with effort
and in doing so,
I've forgotten the cross.

The cross is only good news
because I do mess up
because my discipline and effort
will never be enough.
My biggest failing is not that I need grace
but that I forget
grace exists.

At the cross
everything is simple.
I'm not enough
I don't meet up
and that is where the good news begins.