Orbital Dynamics

A poetic reflection on how the physical dynamics of orbit paints a picture of the human spiritual journey to full surrender and intimacy with God. You’ll want to view this one on your computer rather than your phone, but your phone’s landscape mode will do in a pinch.

Round

      and round

            and round I go:

                  running, running,

                  circling, circling,

            living

      a weightless illusion:

free fall.

Falling, falling,

      in the gravity of

            Your being, yet

                  running, running—

                  dodging Your girth,

            ever holding myself

      at arm’s length

in a bid to outrun the Fall.

For I fear

      the all-consuming

            wind and fire

                  of entry

                  into Your presence—

            Too much to lose.

      Too much unknown.

Too much of You.

For what am I

      but the smallest

            speck of dust

                  to Your Immensity?

                  Better just

            for You to be

      my Anchor in the night,

and me Your tiny satellite.

Yet even here,

      in the rarefied air

            of this orbital existence,

                  the tiniest glimpses

                                      of a true, whole life in You

                        wear away at my flight,

                  drawing me farther and farther

            into You, strengthening the call

      of the Fall.

      Until at last,

            trusting

                  that whatever small part of me

                        survives this baptism will be

                              all that is worth keeping,

                  praying

                        that this Fall be deeper

                              than the first,    I

                                                          dive

                                                          .

                                                          .

                                                          .

                                                          through

                                                          wind

                                                          and

                                                          fire

                                                          .

                                                          .

                                                          .

                                                          into the oceans

                                                          of Your being.

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