Middle Time

Between the exhilaration of Beginning
and the satisfaction of Concluding
is the Middle Time
    of enduring, changing, trying,
    despairing, continuing, becoming.

Jesus Christ was the man of God’s Middle Time
between Creation and . . . Accomplishment.
Through him God said of Creation,
“Without mistake.”
And of Accomplishment,
“Without doubt.”

And we, in our Middle Times
    of wondering, waiting, hurrying,
    hesitating, regretting, revising;
We who have begun many things—
and seen but few completed;
We who are becoming more—and less;
through the evidence of God’s Middle Time
have a stabilizing hint
    that we are not mistakes,
    that we are irreplaceable,
    that our Being is of interest
    and our Doing is of purpose,
    that our Being and our Doing
    are surrounded by AMEN.

Jesus Christ is the Completer
    of unfinished people
    with unfinished work
    in unfinished times.

May he keep us from sinking, ceasing,
wasting, solidifying—
that we may be for him
experimenters, enablers, encouragers,
and associates in Accomplishment.

Lona Fowler