The Beggar
Mark 11:15-19

I sit outside the holy grounds,
My leg pulled close beside my chest.
So many pass me on their way,
To worship God and to be blessed.

But I’m ritually unclean,
Along with others of my kind.
We sit and wait outside the gates,
We sit with cups and bide our time.

Some lambs and doves are driven up,
To be a sacrifice prepared.
Recall the God who led us here,
Out from the land where we despaired.

But I sit here upon these steps,
Unable to continue up,
To the place of Him we praise,
A place for which I’m too corrupt.

A family walks back down again,
Their lamb the priests would not accept.
And tried to sell one of their own,
Thus disgraced, the family left.

A man passed by up steps of stone,
He sees the family turned away
His jaw is grim, his shoulders broad,
Determined, walking to the fray.

I sit, I wait, I shake my cup,
When out the gate flies all the doves,
And down the stairs the cattle run,
And money changers flee in droves.

So curious, I climb the steps,
And see the man now holds a whip.
The temple grounds now purified,
He yells, the whip still in his grip.

"This is a place to worship God,
It's not a house of merchandise."
And with the temple court so cleared,
He beckons us with gentle eyes.

We draw near, still apprehensive,
To this man who preaches wisdom,
And he is so compassionate,
He called us all to him to come.

The deaf now hear, the blind now see,
The unclean are now drawn near.
He called to me and touched my feet,
And now I dance and praise in tears.

Bio:

Josh Cushman is a husband of one, father of four, pastor, carpenter, blogger, and Bible teacher from Bigfork Montana, USA.