Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Posts tagged ‘God’

Motivations

[Here I am imagining (sometimes about myself) the deeper motivations people
have for their actions, the motivations that we might not be aware of.]

When I turned my face away from you,
Maybe I just didn’t want you to see me cry.

When I didn’t speak,
Maybe I was afraid I would yell at you.

When I laughed loudly and annoyingly,
Maybe I needed attention.

When I hurt you with my words,
Maybe I hadn’t dealt with my own hurt.

When I seemed to ignore your pain,
Maybe I hadn’t let God heal my pain.

When I got violent,
Maybe I was extremely frustrated,
And no one had ever taught me how to deal with it.
No one was there to guide me,
To help me find better ways to deal with anger.

When you listened to me,
I began to heal.

When I asked your forgiveness,
I began to heal.

Longing for Home

Where is the place
I can call home?

At ocean shores,
Or mountains high,
In grassy plains,
Or deserts nigh?

Near rushing streams,
By forests green,
Or just in dreams
Will I be free?

Will I find rest
Upon a path
Strewn with my tears,
Or might I laugh?

In God I must
Seek out my rest.
And then at last
Will end my quest.

Even if …

Even if you don’t perceive it, God is working. Even if you don’t feel it, God is working. Just because we have limited perception, doesn’t mean that God isn’t working. You can trust Him. You can believe Him. You can hope in Him. You are part of His plan, and “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.” (Philippians 1:6) Keep on hoping.

The Scouring Sea

How much the ocean lifts my soul,
And fills my lungs with freshness full,
Clears cobwebs from a cluttered mind,
Breathes in new life, leaves cares behind.

In symphony the waves do roar,
They crash upon the sandy shore,
Wash, scour and sift the detritus,
And leave essential things for us.

Oh ocean, like my God so good,
Please cleanse my heart, if that you could.
Remove all bitterness and strife
And grant me peace for all my life.

The Existence of Evil Proves God’s Love

This came to me a few days ago.  A friend said that it was good as far as it went,
but that there wasn't enough about God's chastisement.  I added one sentence about
that later. At any rate, here it is.  Comments are welcome.

---------------------------------------------------------

The title statement may seem shocking or incomprehensible.  Evil brings much pain
and suffering to this world.  Bitterness, hatred, trauma, violence, and it goes on
and on.  History is littered with the consequences of evil.

But we need to know this:  Love is something that can never be forced.  You cannot
MAKE someone love  you.  You can attempt to make yourself more attractive to them
perhaps, but attracting the person doesn't necessarily mean they love you; they 
may be out for their own pleasure, or trying to fulfill a need.

God's love, however, is totally pure.  God IS love.  He will never force us to 
choose Him, and if He did, it wouldn't be real love; it would be a lie.  Therefore,
God allows us to accept or reject Him.  He doesn't want false love.  He knows that
real love is a totally free decision.

Don't confuse what people may have presented to you as God's love; there may be
a confusion in your heart and mind between how people may have treated you,
how some bad things have happened to you, and what you would consider love.  
Instead, go read the Bible and see how merciful God is to the woman caught in 
adultery (John 8:1-11), or the book of Judges, where over and over God rescued 
His wayward people, or the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, where God mercifully brings
back His people to Israel after a period of exile for their grievous sins.
Notice the story of Peter in John 18:15-18, 25-27 and 21:15-19, how Jesus gently
draws Peter back to Him after denying him three times.  You will notice that God
is always offering love, even when people are doing wrong things.  

You may not be aware of the things you are choosing.  It may even be that some 
people unconsciously choose or reject God's love.  I am not the one to judge 
whether you have accepted or rejected God.  But, I do believe that if you reject
His love, evil will grow.  Maybe you don't even realize you're doing it.

So, God allows us incredible freedom.  He gives us real love, and He wants only
real love from us. It is our choice to accept His love or not. [His love can 
include chastisement, but it's a loving chastisement designed to guide us back to
His truth.] The consequences of our choice are huge.

Tale of the Rat: Two Sequels

THAT FEARFUL THING

That fearful thing did quiet lurk.
It disappeared into the dirt.

I dreaded to that thing go near;
With apprehension I did fear.

I set a trap to catch that thing.
I’d catch it good, with trap to sting.

I knew it must a monster be.
I knew it lurked to get at me.

What wonder did my eyes behold —
‘Twas not a rat, but lizard bold.

It looked benign, it stared at me.
It did not jump — sat quietly.

And now I’ve given the thing a name.
My fear misplaced — it’s not to blame.

—————————————————————————————————————————

IN DARK SHADOWS

In dark shadows live our fears;
In half-seen pictures, fear comes near.
In hidden places lurk our doubts;
In darkest alleys, doubt comes out.

Our thoughts get twisted, tied in knots —
Contorted, garbled — truth it’s not.
Imagination — it runs wild.
We’re fearful like a little child.

Until the light of love turns on,
Until God’s truth shines like the sun.
Until we give Him all our fears —
And then He calms and dries our tears.

More Amazed

Every day
I’m more amazed
That I have lived
Another day.

The world’s still here;
I’m still alive.
God’s mercy
Helping me to thrive.

It’s not that I’ve
Been gravely ill.
Not quite so old —
Nor over the hill.

He’s just surprised me,
Still walks beside me,
He’s keeping me here —
The purpose not clear.

Amazing grace,
How sweet the sound.
My destiny
Is heaven bound.

Too Much Me

There’s too much Me,
It’s plain to see —
On this we can agree.

Too much of Self,
Let’s put it on the shelf —
My soul needs help.

It’s by God’s grace
I can embrace
The truths I need to face.

So thanking Him
Comes peace within;
Begin again.

A Psalm for Today

Dance, dance,
Dance to the Lord.
Sing and shout His praises always —
Dance to the Lord.

God has visited His people!
He has not abandoned us;
He has not left us orphaned.

He is a sure Boat in troubled water,
A Rock in shifting sands,
A Bridge across deep chasms;
He is our Life Preserver.

Though violence is all around me,
He will keep my soul safe.
Though my body be ravaged,
He will not abandon me.

Though He brings us low,
He will again raise us up.
Though He chastises,
He will again comfort us.

God’s Word lives forever;
It cannot die.

Who can know the ways of the Lord?
Give all to Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

A Child Be

How can I His child be
When worldly cares relentlessly
Beat at my door?

I must let go,
Let trust decide
And be my guide.

Let go with wings
And songs that sing
Eternal glory.

Give up my way
And eyes must stay
On unseen Lord.

Does He now know
My suff’ring deep?
Of course; ‘tis His.

And calmly will I
Go to sleep
And rest in Him.