Witnessing
Empty tomb
Christ conquers death
Good News travels afar
Discipleship
Sowing
Gospel’s teachings
Christ always leading
Reaping light’s trusted way
Love
Nurturing
Infinite wisdom
Shepherding wayward hearts
Christ’s perfect lesson plans
Life
This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.
Autumn’s fading peace
Winter’s renewing lease
One lonely snowflake
More coming at daybreak
Sky fills with more snow
Sunshine, morning’s no-show
Snow’s depth keeps growing
Wind wakes up, now blowing
Light powder sifting
Definitely drifting
Traffic hurries home
Under low-pressure dome
Drivers surrender
With each fender bender
Life’s pace slowing down
Snowstorm parks, all around
Forecast calls for more
Snowplows called out to war
Surfing waves of white
Under wintry twilight
Empty classrooms sleep
Children shall never weep
Nighttime dreams complete
Will tomorrow repeat?
From Romans 5:1-2: “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.”
Observing man’s life without light
Sending grace from heaven to earth
Darkness to be vanquished outright
Harboring Spirit finds its berth
Witnessing Savior’s final task
Hanging from deadly, Roman tree
Filled with anguish, mercy unmasks
Taking man’s place, evil now flees
Sharing destiny’s greatest love
Bending God’s will upon one Son
Redemption designed from above
Breathing His last, mission now done
Seeing heaven’s eternal light
Descending upon empty tomb
Victory over sin takes flight
Overcoming enemy’s doom
From Romans 5:8-9: “But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely, therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, will we be saved through Him from the wrath of God.”
Emotions boiling
Hate-filled rhetoric building—
Where has reason gone?
Mankind’s fading peace
Far too many emotions—
Bleeding in silence
Hope in tomorrow
Listening to each other—
Emotions stand down
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Failing once again
Life’s troubles bomb away
Whom shall I turn to?
Failing once again
Darkness moves ever closer
Where is the light?
Failing once again
Shame swallows me up
How can my spirit be restored?
Failing once again
Life’s torments engulf me
Why . . . why?
Failing once again
Loneliness surrounds my heart
What recourse do I have?
Failing once again
Life’s hour glass, now nearly empty
When will I be free?
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Failing once again . . .
Turning to my Heavenly Father
Never thinking of me as a bother
From a Cross, Salvation’s light sheds hope
Pulled up from the Pit by a Holy rope
Kneeling before the Savior, sins and all
Humbling following Him will be my call
Through a broken body and shed blood
By Grace alone, escaping life’s flash flood
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
The structure of this poem features dual parts. In the beginning verses, the reader is taken to a much darker place. Using themes of sorrow, darkness, and hopelessness presents a challenge to both the reader and the writer. In answering the questions found in the poem, the ending verses are structured around common Christian themes of hope, joy, light, and rebirth.
Originally published May, 2020.
From Psalm 111:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.
Father filled with compassion
Reaching out with love-filled grace
Delivering eternity’s flame
Marked upon Calvary’s faithful place
Every whole heart giving thanks
Following Messiah’s voice
Blessings endure from His righteous deeds
Marked upon trust in faith’s lasting choice
Knowledge shall strengthen weakness
Resurrecting faith’s highway
Receiving mercy from one Savior
Marked upon covenant’s trusted way
Gospel spreads across nations
Moving every man to hear
Bearing Father’s truth to light each day
Marked upon faithful hearts, cross appears
Body and blood paying price
Sparing man from sin’s true cost
Tendering faithful actions of love
Marked upon new life, no longer lost
The chosen hymn to accompany this poem’s message is “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us.” The lyrics were crafted by English poet and hymn writer, Eliza S. Alderson (1818-1889). This video is presented by Mary Munson.
Foreseeing
Insurmountable force
Against all odds
Trusting in God’s promises
Hope
Surrounding
Darkness surfaces
Never feeling forsaken
Heavenly light breaking through
Peace
Encountering
Stormy seas
By faith alone
Grace delivers blue skies
Joy
Winter’s timing
Of course, never exact
Latest Arctic blast
Forecast sometimes hijacked
Sunshine shows up
Mirage of comfy time
Wind roars from true north
Car battery’s downtime
Sunset’s curtain
Darkness shrouded in cold
Sky’s icy moonlight
Furnace remote-controlled
Layer of quilts
Pulled from hiding place
Frozen toes thaw out
Warmth flows, cozy embrace
Morning arrives
Winter throws its wild pitch
Freezing air remains
Long-forgotten, spring’s itch
From Jonah 3:4-5: “Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.”
Called to live in tune
With our Father’s Word
Strengthened through His light
Path no longer blurred
Shaped by His patience
Never be shaken
Righteousness stands firm
Truth shall awaken
Set aside worries
Empowered to walk
With loving Father
Away from man’s talk
Transformed by faith’s light
Darkness now falling
Past sins nailed to cross
Follow Lord’s calling
Called to repentance
Step forward in Christ
Delivered through grace
His blood sacrificed
From 1 Corinthians 7:29-31: “I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.”
Crystal, clear night sky
Reflecting moonlight’s spotlight—
Postcard’s tranquil dreams
Snowy landscape’s joy
Marked by tiniest hoofprints—
Scene of hope-filled peace
Chilly, early morn
Warming stove works her magic—
Biscuits with honey
All photos courtesy of Pinterest.
Big Sky Buckeye 