ministry moment

ministry is a cup
that cannot be sipped

this cup has to be emptied
right to the very bottom

the fizz
the surface
the first sip
is one thing

but the entire cup
including the dregs
is something else entirely

today
I stood alongside my brother
as he drank the entire cup
right to the bottom

the cup was his to drink
standing alongside was my choice

it was drunk well

painfully
slowly
intentionally

drop by drop
well

there was a weight to this drinking
that caused a bending over
a weeping in the spirit

deep longtime friendship was in this cup

the mantle of authority accepted
and worn well

shoulders drooped in sadness
even so
the mantle was worn well

I will never forget
this moment of drinking
the cup

the cup
offered by a pierced hand

and accepted
by one who walks
with a limp