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Rebuilding Your Temple

A Poem of Destruction and Rebuilding, Addiction and Recovery

I have polluted Your temple
Where my soul resides,
With food and drink,
With pills and passion;

I have filled my mouth with words
Of hate and jealousy,
And my heart with feelings
Of fear and despair.

I have denied my illness,
And given into craving;
I am helpless,
Without Your power and Your love.

Rebuild my walls of hope,
Restore my resolution,
Lead me, step by step,
Into Your Holy Place,

That I may enter into recovery
Filled with Your presence,
Hour by hour,
One day at a time.

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: July 29, 2009
Beautiful.
Ignore the demands of others that you meet conditions--HaShem reached down and brought you to Him in your lowest and vilest moment. Let no one convince you that recovery depends upon your being perfect. It depends only on your relationship with the One, with constant support of your recovery community and daily contact, and doing whatever you must to not pick up the first drink, drug, activity--the first being only the doorway to the next. And the next. When you get an urge, don't freeze--think it through. In your mind take the first drink, drug, whatever, and ask yourself, "Then what?" Answer, do the next thing in your mind, and ask yourself, "Then what?" It doesn't take much of this to reach the point of deadly sorrow and self-hatred and retching stomach. That isn't so tempting, is it. This simple trick (and asking G-d for help every morning, thanking him in joy every night, staying in community, have seen me grow clean and sober. It's worked for 38 1/2 years now, and counting.
Posted By Beth C., Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville, FL USA

Posted: July 28, 2009
awesome
an incredible expression of what we do to our selves/created in the image of G-d, and redemption. i like it very much
Posted By Anonymous, heber city, utah

Posted: Jan 9, 2009
critique about the poem
Quite well defined. The first 12 lines refer to I and your confessions.The last 8 lines do intermarry with G-d and self, but its you-you that must take charge & rebuild and redo ,then G-d will bless & uplift you.Initially , you disowned G-d ,therefore you must fix matters & reclaim & re-posess G-d with holiness .Only then will He show mercy for your fall ,resulting from sinful transgressions. Title , i would rather say :"Rebuilding self."
Posted By mark alcock, durban , sa



 


Voices
We Chose Him
My Inner Purim Costume
Big Stuff - Small Stuff
The King's Chambers
The Lighthouse and the Tree
Your Alcohol or Your Life
Procrastination
Rebuilding Your Temple
More Light Than Dark
Just A Student
Identify - Not Compare
Despair In The Dough
Rewards and Applause
The Magic Chip
On The Fence
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