While at the gathering we’ve been treated to original poems by Tanner Olson. Here’s my crack at a written to speak style poem summarizing last night’s event. Remember it’s written to speak which means you kind of need to read it aloud to get the rhythm to it.
I didn’t earn this place.
Didn’t climb enough ladders
or check the right boxes.
Didn’t bring a spotless résumé
or a perfect past,
just a mess of mistakes
and a hunger that wouldn’t quit.
But the table was set.
Candles flickered with welcome.
Chairs pulled out like open arms.
And there, at the head
was Jesus.
Not a scowling judge,
but a smiling Host,
nails in His hands,
grace in His eyes.
He didn’t ask what I brought.
Didn’t weigh my worth
on scales of effort or achievement.
He just said,
“Come. Sit. Eat.
You belong here, not because of you,
but because of Me.”
See, this table isn’t for the perfect.
It’s for the hungry.
The weary.
The wanderers and wrecked.
It’s not about merit,
it’s about mercy.
Not performance,
but promise.
The Host broke the bread, His body.
Poured the wine, His blood.
And every bite, every sip,
tastes like grace
so rich
it ruins every lie
that said I wasn’t enough.
So here I sit,
shoulder to shoulder with saints and sinners,
all the same in His eyes
not because we climbed our way in,
but because He came down
and opened the door.
We get a seat at the table
not because we’re worthy,
but because He is.
And He says,
“This chair has your name on it.”
That’s grace.
And it’s dinner time.
