Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Posts tagged ‘salvation’

The Confiteor

Some of you may be familiar with the prayer called “The Confiteor” (“I confess”). The form of this prayer that I’m most familiar with is:

“I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, (And, striking their breast, they say) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

Some time ago, I realized something new about the Confiteor. When we say the words, “Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault,” it’s not about me beating myself up and blaming myself for everything, it’s more about the fact that, compared to God, I am an extremely faulty creature, and in His great mercy, He has made a way for me to be saved.

When I compare myself to others (or focus on myself), it creates misery, but when I compare myself to God, who is all Perfection, it creates humility and gratitude.

Category:

Commentary

Tagged with:

Armor of God Prayer

(Based on Ephesians 6:10-17)

Dear Lord,

Please gird my loins with Your truth,
Please grant me the breastplate of Your righteousness,
Let me walk in the readiness of the shoes of the gospel of peace,
And let me carry the shield of faith in You;
Let it extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

With the helmet of Your salvation,
Protect me from lies, half-truths, falsehoods, and deceptions,
From fear, worry, negativity, and anxiety,
From pride, arrogance, prejudice, and taking offense.
Grant me, Lord, protection from
Depression, discouragement, dejection, desperation, and despair.

And I ask for the sword of Your Spirit,
Which is Your Word.

Let me read it, re-read it, memorize it,
Chew on it, meditate on it,
Swallow it, digest it, and contemplate it.
Let me sing it out, shout it out,
Proclaim it and acclaim it,
But most of all, help me to LIVE Your Word.

Amen.

Category:

Christian, prayer

Tagged with:

Suffering Servant

Weighed down
By our sin and suffering,
You sweated blood.
How did you persevere?

Knowing the evil within us,
You still loved us.

Having mercy,
You forgave.
You healed.

Confronting evil,
You were crucified.

Freely laying down your life,
You took it up again.

Savior of the world,
Save us!

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

To Be Human

 

To be human
Is to love – and lose.
Then my response
I need to choose.

To be human
Is to hurt – and cry.
Perhaps anger will
My hurt belie.

And then my anger
Might energy give
To right the wrong,
To help me live.

To be human
Is to have deep needs.
I might deny them,
But they’re the seeds …

To bring salvation
If I’ll confess
How needy I am –
That my heart is a mess.

But if my love
Is real and true
Will it be spurned?
I don’t have a clue.

And if my “love”
Has selfish roots,
I’m back to square one –
Truer love to pursue.

But I’m always learning,
Ever learning.
And for God’s truth —
Forever yearning.

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

Don’t Throw It All Away

Don’t throw it all away …
So you’ve messed up,
You’ve screwed up —
Keep your head up.

Don’t throw it all away …
In your anger, in your pride,
Don’t allow the pain inside
The truth to override.

Don’t throw it all away …
Life’s too precious,
Infectious;
God’s perfecting us.

Don’t throw it all away …
God still loves you,
He’ll protect you;
Don’t listen to what others say.

The backbiters,
The infighters,
The naysayers,
The faith slayers.

Don’t listen to the “no” sayers.

It’s not up to them or you.
Surely God’s word is true.
Don’t believe lies
And don’t compromise.

The fact that He loves you,
The truth that He died for you,
His heart surely burns for you,
You must let Him live in you.

Category:

Christian, Hope, Poems

Tagged with:

Tag Cloud