The Spirit Is Willing Poem by Bill Upton

All throughout life, our mistakes and sins,
Both those of omission and commission,
Continuously repeat themselves
Despite our best efforts to reverse them,
Despite our requests to be forgiven.
We simply are unable to move the needle to zero.
Our lifestyles, our patterns are those of mortals.
Although our intentions are good,
We fall short each and every time.

We pray, we lament missed opportunities,
We lack discipline we thought we had.
Daily hopes for do-overs, for mulligans
Become old.
No matter our good intentions, life has a way
Of intercepting good intentions.
Our failures to lead perfect lives are just that.
We send regrets, 'won't be attending',
To the Ten Commandments RSVP.
When our 'glass mountain' attempts to right our lives
Go so far astray
That we can barely stand to look back at the face in the mirror,
Our call is made.
Before us appears a vision of mercy,
A reminder of 'I will never leave you'.
Before us stands the Father of all the prodigals.
Before us stands our God of second chances...
With arms wide open...
And we are forgiven, yes, again.