'I Never Knew You' Poem by Tor Magnor Solvang

The church bells chime, a familiar sound,
For seventy four years, on hallowed ground.
Belief like wallpaper, a comfort worn,
A life in the pews, since the day I was born.

But a shadow fell, a chilling verse,
'I never knew you, ' a whispered curse.
Not for the wicked, the lost, the stray,
But those who called 'Lord' along the way.

A sudden fear, a restless night,
Had I just assumed I held the light?
Tithing and service, a virtuous show,
But did I know Him? Did my spirit know?

Sermons remembered, half-formed and faint,
Knowing about Him, like a brush with paint.
A hollow faith, a fragile plea,
Hoping for luck, eternally.

Checklists and feelings, a comforting lie,
Never truly asking the hard why.
Assuming my place, safe and secure,
Without a foundation that would truly endure.

Then came the change, a gentle guide,
Not duty-bound study, nowhere to hide.
Just voices and words, in simple form,
Breaking down truth, weathering the storm.

Ten minutes a day, a seed that grew,
Understanding bloomed, honest and true.
Not doctrines repeated, parroted and old,
But wisdom revealed, in stories told.

My friends saw the shift, the different tone,
Prayers with purpose, no longer alone.
I know what I believe, the reason I stand,
A progressing faith, held in my hand.

That verse holds no fear, no haunting dread,
For I strive to know Him, the words He said.
If you're in the same place, lost in the crowd,
And can't speak your faith, speak it clear and loud.

There's hope for us yet, a path to find,
To know Him deeply, with heart and with mind.

T.M.Solvang