The altar stripped bare
each piece carefully and thoughtfully removed
layers peeled away
harsh, barren surfaces
and yet ...

The light dimmed
The sanctuary in near darkness
and yet ...

I cannot look away
I long to stand up
to walk out the door
to return to the life
I'd chosen away from
all of this
and yet ...

As my soul is stripped bare
tears of anger and bitterness
of regret and heartbreak
stream slowly down my cheeks
and yet ...

I cannot look away
I long to stay and never leave
this moment
and yet ...

I've never felt so broken
and yet so completely whole
so lost beyond hope
and yet so relentlessly found
so without a single word to speak
and yet so full of truth undeniable

I wrote this in on Maundy Thursday in 2017 and first shared it on the blog I had on Maundy Thursday in 2018.