A long day has passed

A hard day

and I steal away to a quiet place

No one can see me

and that’s important

and I can be alone with you

my loofah. 

 

One of God’s surprise luxuries

things I never expected to be blessed with

Here in this harsh land, where I only expected sacrifice

God has hidden for me

Suzy’s fantastic cooking

mosquito netting that feels like being swaddled in angel’s wings

all the mangas I can eat

and my loofah. 

 

To think, you grow here on a vine

I can see you scattered about, as if you weren’t a precious treasure

Why does your plant produce you?

Was it just “to gladden the heart of man”¹

like wine

and oil

and stars?

I care not why you are there

whether as the plant’s fruit or its waste

All I care is that I have you

my loofah… 

 

You’re kind of like the Word

already I am clean because of you²

And every time I have an encounter with you

I want to run and tell everyone how wonderful you are

 

how each of us should have one

To wash away the dirt we accumulate each day

living in this filthy world

To scrub away the dead skin

the old man

and reveal the new man beneath³

And man may try to make a softer, easier version

like the polyethylene ones I could buy in a store

but nothing is better at cleansing me

than God’s original design

of my loofah. 

 

And so three times a day I steal away

to a quiet place

where no one can see me

And each time I emerge refreshed

alert

strengthened

to face the challenges of new dirt

Twice I steal away with my Bible

and the third time, it is with you

my loofah. 

 

 

1 – Psalm 104:15

2 – John 15:3

3 – 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:9-10