This Wild Man John

We saw it
The day the heavens opened
Tired, we were so tired
of dead ritual and
religion like skeleton bones
that we walked a day in the hot sun
over rough roads and danger
to get to the Jordan
where this John was,
this baptist,
this wild man
who brought people up out of the water
ready to live for God
This John who said
Look for the One who is coming:
I baptize you in water
but He will baptize you
in the Spirit of God,
and with fire.
And then we all saw
the man Jesus
come up out of the water
under an exploding sky.
The heavens opening,
the Spirit of God descending
like a dove
and a Voice like talking thunder
calling Jesus son, beloved son,
and one Who pleased Him so.
Our hearts opened too,
like the heavens
torn wide, ready
for that Spirit
that baptism
that fire
John promised.
The wild man
John
standing in the water
hearing God talk
under a torn up sky.
The day the heavens opened.

by
Linda Johnson