Do you want to be a Zebra?

Do you want to be a zebra, a lama or gazelle?

Run away really fast when you hear the warning bell

But what about the others? When the enemy strikes

Run for your lives! Forget about the tykes?

Each for their own! The strongest will survive?

Take what you want, have it all! As long as I’m alive!

The sick and the injured, the young and the old

Abandoned by the others- they didn’t fit the mould.

Aspire to be an elephant, a meerkat or rhino!

When the enemy comes prowling, you’re safe because you know

The weak are not abandoned; they’re in the middle of the herd,

They are cared for and protected by the Good Shepherd.

The rhino charges onwards, trusting in the One,

He can’t see into the distance, but weighs about a ton.

The elephants stand firm, side by side by side

Rather than attack the enemy runs to hide

We are all in this together, a meerkat community

Look out for one another, keep watch for the enemy

Let’s not stand back or run away, but trusting in the One

Let’s stand our ground and take back land in the power of the Son.

Are we content with someone else sitting on the throne?

Picking off the exiles and spitting out the bone?

We want to see His kingdom come, His will on earth be done!

Let’s bring in this reality! The battle’s already won!

Special thanks for the words that have inspired this poem, in particular Ruth P, whose point on elephants and zebras has provided the catalyst for this poem and to others particularly at Revive and Harvest through whom God seems to be calling people to stand up, stand firm and like Gandalf say,

"You shall not pass!"

and remember, it is only in His strength and power (Eph 6) that it is possible... Gandalf reminds me of Moses and it was God with him that parted the Red Sea!