Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Grace of God

We have no need of patience with ourselves and with others.
With those below and those above us, and with our own equals.
With those who love us and those who love us not, for they are.

The greatest of things, and for the least of things we leave them
To God who knows our needs even before we even know them,
He who shares our hurts and our sense of failure with ourselves.

He watches against sudden inroads of trouble, and daily burdens.
For disappointments as to the weather, or the breaking of the heart.
In the weariness of the body, or the wearing of our souls; He knows.

In our own failure of duty, or others’ failure toward us; in everyday
Wants, or in the aching of sickness or the decay of age, He knows.
In disappointments, bereavements, losses, injuries, and reproaches;
In heaviness of the heart, or sickness amid delayed hopes. He knows.

In all things, from childhood’s little troubles to our bodies sufferings.
Patience is the grace of God, whereby we endure Satan’s evil even daily.
For it is in the daily unchanging love of God that we see His grace to us.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Contentment

To be content with what we have in life and not want more.
To not look over the neighbour’s fence and covet what we saw.
To always find fault with our body, the way that God has made us.
To look in the mirror and fret and fuss and never be satisfied.
To count all within our storehouse and to sadly find such lack.
To look and criticize our family for they always appear so slack.
To have difficulty discerning the difference between need and greed.
There is something dreadfully wrong with the life that we lead!

When there are thousands homeless, hungry and dying
When wars rage on and we know nothing about self-denying.
When we measure others by the mass of their accumulation.
When we live above our means to compete it is regressed!
When we carelessly use our world’s resources and rape our land.
When we sit and do nothing as another abortion clinic is planned.
When we see our seniors mistreated and do not lift a hand.
There is something dreadfully wrong with the life that we lead!

For it is time now to be counted and not cause Him more shame.
For we do know better, those of us that are called by His name.
For it is the selfish act, the lustful thought, and striving for more.
For God will call us into account when finally we stand in His court.
For it is only God’s Spirit that can crush Satan’s heel in this world.
For you will only be content when you follow the path He set out.
For He knows the way, happy the man who follows where He leads.
There is something dreadfully wrong with the life that we lead.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Worship

You Lord are the light that brings joy into my world.
At times all those mundane tasks of everyday life

Drag me down the steps of depression and despair,
Just the mention of your name is like sunshine to me.

Out of clouds you come, filling me with your warmth.
I whisper "Jesus" and I desire to utter it again and again.

It sweeps away the cobwebs and permeates my mind.
Amazing, just the thought of Thee erases despondency

Filling my heart with sweet songs of praise to Thee!
Words learned long ago are as valid today as yesterday.

I was created to worship you, no wonder it lifts me up!
It is obedience to your will that heals my anxious soul.

Worship opens wide the doors of intercessory prayer,
And I know Father that is what you planned all along!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

By Rote

You will find that poems that are repeated time after time,
Begin to lose all their meaning and scatters their rhyme.
This begins to happen when we pray by wrote to our Lord,
Frequent repetition loses meaning even joined in one accord.

Scriptures too can lose power when it becomes mundane.
Like mutterings and chanting or following another’s refrain.
But memorized scripture is always hidden within your heart,
And the Spirit brings it to mind, words for a brand new start.

The guidelines and passages God has designed just for you,
Not to rule or dominate, but gently guide you in what to do.
God’s word always comes to you like a soft music refrain,
And your heart soars and wants to sing it again and again.

"Thy word was found and I did eat it, and it was unto me
The joy and rejoicing of my heart", Lord let it always be!
You need to search in order to find, and dig into the word.
With hunger, seek out new verses that you have never heard.

Seek and we shall find; like a blind man searching the way.
Knock and it shall be opened unto us, and as we begin to pray
It will be unceasing, and we will want to knock likewise.
If God’s word is a lamp and a light that shows us the way
Shouldn’t we be inspired to read more and called upon to pray?

With words alive from in our hearts and not from any book
For praying should be inspired by the Spirit and not mistook
As taking someone else’s words and claiming them as yours.
God wants your heart, your mind and all your own thoughts too
For His word is all that you need and all that He desires is you!