The Flame

Loving God is like loving a burning flame of fire.  

It's so beautiful that you want to touch it, 

But you know that if you do, 

You'll get burned. 

Not that God will "burn" me like other people have. 

His burning is not one of rejection or denial.

But, make no mistake, 

He does burn.

The second my flesh touches the beautiful flames, 

It is singed and seared and melted away, 

Like an old coat falling from my shoulders. 

And I'm left feeling exposed, 

And aching, 

And alive.

It hurts so bad, 

But it's also so beautiful.

The strange thing is, 

I keep coming back for more. 

Even though I know that I will die if I go any closer, 

I also know that I will die

If I don't. 

So I'm stuck here in the middle - 

Only half living -

Waiting until I decide if I'd rather die 

From an overdose of beauty, 

Or a lack of it.