October 21, 2026
By Porter C. Taylor
Faithfulness is slow
We worship a God
Who acts and who asks
With “immediately” and “suddenly”
But the response of trust
Of obedience, of surrender
Is a beginning, not an ending
The boys drop their nets
To follow, to become
A man struck blind on
The road to Damascus
Begins to see clearly
But their faithfulness comes
Later, slowly, steadily, steadfastly
Only because His faithful preceded
Going before and behind
On either side so no veering
A mother instructs “do what he says”
A father raises the knife
A disciple is led to his death
The leader led to see but not enter
Ordinary women and men,
Children and the young at heart,
Slowly becoming the faithful
That their immediately
And suddenly
Aspired to be
Thanks be to God
That his will will never
Take you
Where his grace will not
Protect you
For his steadfastness
Forms us into who
he created us to be