Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Posts tagged ‘grief’

Why Do You Fear?

John 20:13-18
Why do you weep,
Oh woman, why do you weep?
Because they’ve taken my Lord,
And I don’t know where they’ve laid Him.
But, when Jesus said to her, “Mary,”
She knew Him and went rejoicing to tell others.

Luke 24:5-12
Why do you seek,
Oh women, why do you seek
The living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen.
So they rushed back
From the tomb and
Told everyone else
What had happened.

Acts 1:11-14
Why do you gaze,
Oh men of Galilee, why do you gaze
Up to the heavens?
This Jesus will come again from heaven
In the same way that you saw Him go.
So they returned to Jerusalem
And were constantly united in prayer.

Luke 12:32
Why do you fear,
Oh little flock, why do you fear?
For it is your Father’s good pleasure
To give you the kingdom.
So let us trust and obey
The One who loves us.

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Poems

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All the World

All the world is filled with grief.

There is no place to find relief —

Except at the foot of Jesus’ cross.

All the world is filled with hatred.

Hardened hearts to sin have catered —

But some souls sacrifice themselves.

All the world is filled with violence,

With killing, thievery, fighting, riots —

Except when people learn to forgive.

All the world is filled with madness,

Insanity twists sense to rashness —

But reason can find a better way.

All the world must turn around

Until a better truth be found —

And hearts and minds are finally sound.

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Poems

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Grief

I cannot excise your pain,
The painful, pounding refrain,
The unmet need
Of a  heart that bleeds.


I can only say I’m here
And wipe away a tear,
Or say that God is walking near —
The pain won’t disappear.


You will learn to carry it, accept it. 
And through that burning, searing stab,
The mending bone, the itching scab,
You’ll know you lived and loved.


One day the wound will heal
And only leave a scar.
You’ll know that you are real,
That you have lived and loved.

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Poems

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Selfless Love

Jesus, Mary and Joseph are amazing examples of selfless love  Even in the midst of great joy, grief, pain, or challenges, they thought of the welfare of others.

Mary, upon learning that she would conceive Jesus the Messiah, the son of God, went off to help her cousin Elizabeth, who was also with child, though further along in her pregnancy.  At the wedding in Cana, Mary thought of the distress of a married couple running out of wine.  Mary also stood at the cross of Jesus when many had deserted Him.

We never hear Joseph, Mary’s husband, speak a word in the Bible.  But his actions speak loudly.  Like his namesake in the Old Testament, he was a dreamer, and as far as we know, he always obeyed God’s leading, which often came through dreams.  No matter the embarrassment (of Mary’s pregnancy), or inconvenience (having to travel long distances or pull up roots), he obeyed God and fulfilled his role as protector of Mary and Jesus.

Jesus, when he heard of his cousin John the Baptist’s beheading, went off to grieve privately, but when the crowds discovered His location, he had compassion on them and healed their diseases.  Later that day, he multiplied loaves and fishes to feed the crowd.  How often in our grief do we want to just curl up in a ball and pull the covers over our head?

While Jesus suffered excruciating pain on the cross, he still thought of us.  He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

When we have a vision of how God wants us to cooperate in His plan, we, too, can be selfless, through His grace!

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Commentary

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Paradoxes

I swallowed the bitter pill,
And it became sweet in my mouth.

I lowered myself,
And I was exalted.

I forgave my prison warden
(from the prison that I and others had built for me),
And I was liberated.

I cried tears of grief,
And God put a new song in my mouth.

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Christian, Poems

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Grief

 

Was there some comfort
I could have given here?
A song to sing,
That could have stopped the tears?

Did I not smile,
Nor give a fond embrace,
When sadness threatened
Or sorrow creased your face?

Did I ignore you
When you were so forlorn?
Or turn away
When you by men were scorned?

How does one soul
Give solace to another?
How can one person
A broken heart uncover?

Then gently heal,
As surgeon of the heart –
At first some pain,
But mending then does start.

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Poems

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Sleeping from Grief

[“When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found
them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, “Why are you
sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
(Luke 22:45-46)]

As darkness falls,
Do we sleep from grief,
Or weariness –
Discouragement deep?

Or cynicism,
Or harsh derision,
Or is our sleep
Another kind?

Brought on by drugs,
Or too much wine?
From entertainment,
TV time?

Or trying to end
Our emptiness
With false romance
Or casual sex?

No matter why
We’re sleeping now,
Must ask for grace
To wake somehow –

To take up cross,
Accept all loss
Of worldly glory –

Must tell the story
Of Jesus’ love,
His always-love.

Let grace come in,
Fill souls within.
Our peace receive,
And let grief sleep.

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Poems

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In Gardens We Could Smile

[On the passing of my friend Martha]

Goodbye, my friend,
Until we meet again.
When sorrow runs its painful course,
There will be joy again.

Goodbye, my friend,
Who bravely bore your pain,
Who wandered earth in brokenness
And still could wear a grin.

Goodbye, my friend,
Sometimes I hardly knew
What went on, inside your mind
Or what you had been through.

Goodbye, my friend —
We didn’t see eye to eye
On many things, but still it seems
In gardens we could smile.

Goodbye, my friend;
We’ll meet again someday.
Your body healed, our friendship sealed,
And love will ever stay.

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Poems

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Your Candle

When your candle’s barely burning,
When your breath is just a sigh,
Step out into the darkness —
Lift your prayer to God on high.

Remember how He loves you
Amidst your fear and sin;
Remember how He died for you
And did the victory win.

He’ll carry you in darkness,
He’ll comfort you in grief.
He’ll give you all you ever need
If you’ll just trust in Him.

And if you don’t feel trusting,
If doubt and fear creep in,
Just let it go, give Him control,
Just give it all to Him.

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Christian, Jesus, Poems

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