At the dawn of creation
When all was dark
And quiet
When the void was all there was
Chaotic, the waters were still but for a breeze
Before love spoke and life came into being
From dust to dust
Particles became present
And started coming together
Started presenting themselves as atoms
The clay forming and molding
Presenting itself as Adam
Man was made
And so it continued –
The universe expanding and growing
But somewhere along the line the light
That shone before the dark
Stopped glowing
within our hearts
We seemed to drift apart
Seemed to fall so far
From what we were supposed to be
So God – the Love that spoke before the dawn
Sent His only begotten Son
To die for the lost upon the Cross
And bring us back into His arms
But that was not enough.
What use is a religion bound in book
What good is laws and rules and regulations
And prophetic gestation, homelietical speculation
And all this love – if it cannot live in us?
So, it is Passion that led me here.
To give myself as God gave
Freely to each man
Even in the face of adversity
I will push onward
Pay it forward
Whether through peace or war
Suffering or prosperity
I will whether the storms
And let love lead me on
To make a difference in the lives
Of those I encounter along the way
Clothe the naked
Feed the hungry
Take care of the widow
Show compassion for the prisoner
Be a father to the fatherless
A friend to the friendless
Let passion lead me there.
And my prayer is simply this today
That every action, every word we say
Will be guided by a love divine
So that in time
We can see the common line
That divine spark set alight
At the beginning of it all
That no matter how great or small
Our contribution might be
We are all different, yet so beautiful
Breathtakingly
Painstakingly, wonderfully
Carefully and fearfully
And marvellously made
In the image of our Creator
Let Passion lead us there.
Andre Darius Labuschagne is a poet, musician, and pastor from Johannesburg, South Africa. He is currently involved with various church movements – and his theological and philosophical beliefs are reflected in his poems. A recovering drug addict, his poetry also explores themes of mental illness, substance abuse, finding God, and the process of growing towards completeness. He is currently the pastoral counsellor at Lethlabile Halfway House, and hopes to help many overcome their battles with mental health and substance abuse issues.