To Dust

I used to think they were so stupid

Stubborn

Hard-headed

Harder-hearted

To want to go back to Egypt

Where they were kicked and killed,

Where their spirits were trampled

To dust

Return, return, to dust we will return

You'd have to be an idiot, I thought

A real idiot

To spurn the cloud by day

And the fire by night

To choose to be led back into chains

(Back into chains, can you imagine)

Don't you know that in the wilderness you are free?

The land ahead is good, we promise

But they didn't want to hear it

No milk

No honey

Just dust, please

At least we know what that tastes like

There is no place here

For the Calebs and Joshuas

(Please just go, it hurts too much

To hope)

Let's choose a new master and go back

For people are slaves to whatever masters them

said Peter

The Rock

Compacted from dust

~

I used to think they were stupid

But now I understand

I am stubborn

Hard-headed

Harder-hearted

I run back to Egypt

To be kicked and killed

My spirit scratched and bitten

I turn to old masters

Hello, doubt

greetings, fear

That grind me to dust

That girl was washed only to wallow in the mud

~

The land I have for you is good, I promise

To dust, God, to dust

To dust and doubt I have returned

There can be no place here

For Caleb or Joshua

I am afraid, God,

To let go of what I know

To trust the things I've seen:

Red Seas parted

Manna from heaven

Water from rocks

Fire and clouds

A tent to abide in

A leader to follow

At the end of it all

How can it be

My soul still looks

At Egypt

(Back to chains, can you imagine

Familiar masters, can you imagine

Worse than before, can you imagine)

I am afraid, God,

To hope

For people are slaves to whatever masters them

said Peter

The Rock

Who was compacted, fortified from dust

Who was fortified from dust

Who was fortified from dust

Who I fortified from dust

Caleb and Joshua

Cephas and Yeshua

In a land of dust

For a land of spirit

You can trust the ones who scout

Mastering the desert itself

You can trust the One who scouts

The Master of the dust itself

The land ahead is good, I promise

Let the dust be dust

Let the spirit be spirit

Dust to dust, spirit to spirit

You are who I have made you to be

Come, follow me,

Come, I will lead

Back out of Egypt,

to the sea

Back out of Egypt,

you are clean

Hiking near Gallup, New Mexico, June 2022

Inspired by:

• Numbers 14

• 2 Peter 2:20-22