Mark 10:24-25 

24 The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them,

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go

through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

 

 “… The eye of a needle …”

 

”Small is the gate and narrow” … the Kingdom is not far

Impregnable the walls … the watchmen know I’m coming

Admiring a sparrow … that flies in from afar

The watchmen smile … at the ones who are overcoming

 

Most are walking … and few are on a camel

Approaching the gate … to enter paradise

There is no talking … the moment will soon tell it

to the simple and the ornate or any otherwise

 

The camel and his rider … are the first to come

All baggage is now thrown out with the animal on its knees

Crawling like a spider … neck stretched on the ground

leaving no doubt about … the rider’s cries and pleas

 

He can’t let go of what drove him here … Oh! The love for comfort

He is removed from the narrow gate … so others may come in

There is no room for baggage … the watchman hollers at the door

having a list of names … the ones forgiven of their sins

 

Some are crawling, some stumbling … some at the end of their wits

All slowly approaching … hoping to fit through the gate

An experience so humbling ... for this ragged band of misfits

Who in the world were overloaded praying for them living in hate

 

Look at that donkey … will it fit perfection?

Who is that rider … he sure looks a lot like me?

Kicking the poor beast … to change its direction,

but the One, Who leads it … keeps smiling so serene

 

I look a lot like Balaam … as the donkey looks at me

It tells me with urgency: … “Put your head down on my neck”

“It surely gets knocked off … how dumb can you be?”

So I put my kisser down … Oh! what the heck?

 

The One Who is leading … is smiling at the donkey

Now He looks at me … slowly shaking His head

With wonder in His eyes … amazed at my blindness

what can He say … what has not been said?

 

I scream: “I am a Baptist!” … “I know Pastor Mark!”

“I go to church on Sundays … really an awful lot”

“I talk about the light … and don’t like the dark

I even read the bible some and pray sometimes to God”

 

A mouth full of excuses … a heart rejecting change everywhere

As the watchmen are still looking … through the Holy list

I cry: “Look under the “J”!!! of Jan!!!” But only one Name is there

The Holy Name of Jesus, Who looks up … with a Glorifying Bliss

 

It is now for the first time … I seem to understand Grace

Now I start to see … how much has been forgiven

My flesh now no hindrance … somewhere in outer space

As for the first time now I embrace the fragrance of true living

 

Now I see the value … of what was paid for sin

Now I seem to comprehend the purpose of it all

Now I understand … what could have been

If Jesus had not paid … the full price after all.

 

Jan Wienen