Dear God, my wife does a Substack called Poetry for Life. Today, she did a post about Ezekiel as a character in Lonesome Dove. I was struck by the poem she has in it so I thought I’d spend some time with it this morning. It also helps me feel closer to her since she’s out of town right now.
Here is what she wrote. Both the introduction and the poem:
You know what Lonesome Dove needs? A priest. And not just any ol’ reverend. It needs an Ezekiel. Someone who’s lost everything — homeland, vocation, wife — and still serves.
A man of vision. Even if it’s a “hell of a vision.”
A man who could do a funeral for an enemy as easily as for a friend, even when those two people are the same person.
A man to bury the dead and who would know what to say over a dead horse.
A man who’d hold out impossible hope for a wedding.
A man who’d always tells the truth but tell it slant, often with performance art.
A man who cries beside water.
A man who appreciates sky and fire.
A man who can take direction.
A man who prophecies to mountains.
A man who knows how to pack.
A man who can share allegories with Gus, out-silence Call.
A man who can write a lament and sing it as a lullaby.
A man comfortable speaking with other nations.
A man who can eat anything, even his words.
A man who, no matter how far he travels across space and time, can recognize the presence of his God and declare, “The LORD is there.”
The pastor she describes in this poem would be an interesting character to get to know. I’m not sure if they would be a “good hang” or not. I’m having dinner with a pastor friend tonight. He has terrific qualities and a great temperament. He’s one of my closest friends. And he has some of these qualities, but not all.
I wonder if I should have more of these qualities in me. There is something about the man she describes that is very attractive to me. A good ol’ boy who loves and worships you, but who can be comfortablewith anyone.
Father, I’m not sure I’m going anywhere with this. Frankly, I’m kind of lamenting this morning. ICE was in our community yesterday, and I know of families who were directly impacted by this change in policy. Help me mto be like this fictionalized modern version of the real Ezekiel. Help me to know truth . Help me to speak truth. Help me to be what you need me to be in the small world in which I live.
I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Amen
Emails to God 