Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Posts tagged ‘grace’

Underneath His Sway

God comes to me in my grumbling
(Though surely I do not deserve),
Comes to offer His faithful love,
And for His love I have no words.

Nothing I do (or do not do)
Has bearing on His gracious love.
I’m helpless, hopeless, to be sure;
Still He pours down grace from above.

How can I learn to just let go,
And let the Lord God have His way?
Learn how to love, from what He does,
And be underneath His sway?

When will I learn that He controls,
No matter what things may portend?
Then I can be a little child —
Trust, peace, and His joy be my end.

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The Fruit and Vegetable Lady

The fruit and vegetable lady
Sells amaranth leaves,
Plums and lemons,
And other things.

She smiles when I ask her name.
“I have lemons for you,” she says.
She sits or stands in the shade,
Most days.

Her garden must be quite a thing.
Daily, abundant things she brings.
But always, the amaranth leaves.
(She calls them spinach.)

“Hot peppers today,”
She says with a grin,
Bringing them from
A bag within.

I hope she is making
Her livelihood,
By grace of God,
In the neighborhood.

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If Only

If only I could speak —
To tear down strongholds,
To shatter darkness,
To shred the webs of dread deceit.
 

God’s words alone have this power.
 

His power brings His blinding light,
His breath — it scours away our sin,
And shatters clever, insidious lies,
Enlight’ning places dark within.
 

If only I had the power, but —
Surrend’ring humbly to His grace,
Letting my weakness gain His strength,
Perhaps I help the human race.

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Insomnia

Can you hear the moon at night?
Its bright beams crashing in noisy light?
When sleepless eyelids long to rest,
With jangled thoughts – unwelcome guests.

Can you feel the soft night air,
The gentle breeze upon your hair?
At least in restless night you feel
Some hint of comfort, the air surreal.

And then beyond the restless fears,
Or aching leg, or head, or ear,
You find inside a solid place
That lets you sleep, with God’s good grace.

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Ridin’ on the Wave

Ridin’ on the wave of God’s love —
It can be precarious,
It’s sometimes hilarious,
But don’t be nefarious —
Just ride it, ride on.

As we ride the wave of God’s love —
Our balance let’s keep,
His truth and love seek,
Be humble and meek —
Keep ridin’, keep on.

To ride on the wave of God’s love —
Let go and surrender,
Receive His love tender,
His grace do not hinder —
Let go and ride on.

… And if you should fall —
Attend to His call;
Get up and stand tall …

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A Voice to Speak

I cannot live in frozen fear
And yet, I often do
Fear of what you think of me
And what I think of you

I need the Savior’s loving grace
His wisdom, bright and true
His love for sinners and for saints
His love for me and you

That He would give my being
A voice to speak His love
His wisdom, truth, and mercy free
His view from heaven above

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Scattered Dreams

Why, in scattered dreams do I
Remember childhood fantasies,
Of growing up, of painful times —
And also happiness and ease.
Who can give the why, wherefore?
Who can know why life is spent
On fruitless searches, till the time
God’s grace on other road does send?
Am I to blame for all those years
In ignorance and darkness spent?
Or must the drama take its course
For story to have happy end?

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I Must Believe

I must believe God’s faithful love,
Else madness will my soul o’ertake.
If on myself I fix my eyes,
Despair will be my sorry fate.

I must believe, though I could choose
An easier path; with tide to swim,
To let opinion rule my life
And let the light within me dim.

I must believe the words God speaks,
When worldly cares do contradict.
As storm does rage; no shelter found —
But in God’s boat, all grace begins.

I must believe, and then one day
A shining light will lead my soul.
No longer strife and stress to sway,
My life at last found healed and whole.

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Strength

Every burden
Borne with grace
Advances all
The human race

Every cheek,
To other turned
Absorbs their violence —
Hate is spurned

Every insult
Not rebuked,
Will throw your enemies
For a loop

To not strike back,
Withhold revenge,
Shows strength and power
In the end

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What You Need

You don’t need that gun,
That automatic rifle,
To show that you have needs —
The hate that anger breeds.
To show that no one cares;
At least that’s what you feel.

You don’t need that rotten drug
To make you feel good and snug —
An empty self you’re trying to hug.

You don’t need that candy,
Or doughnuts by the dozen,
Or calories galore —
You need something more.

You don’t need that woman or man
To satisfy your lust —
You need to learn to trust
That God will meet your every need —
Love you without condition.

False self you must uncover,
And then you will discover
Hope and truth and grace
Through friends in the human race.

You need a sense of belonging;
For that you have been longing.
Let Jesus fill your heart —
Then begins your beginning.

 

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