Abiding
Embracing
Savior’s light
Holiness of righteousness
Enriched by Father’s Word
Truth
Promising
Transformed
By grace
Accepting disciplined steps
Honoring commitment to Christ
Faith
Reassuring
Enlightened
Through Jesus
Loving Him back
Daily praises of joy
Peace
From Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is He, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Light assured
From heavenly realm
Every promise
Steering from Father’s helm
Light nourished
From holiest Word
Righteous in truth
Sharing Father’s password
Light gathered
From Savior’s birthplace
Victory breathes
Feeling Father’s embrace
Light sustained
From destiny’s road
Love now descends
Trusting Father’s source code
Light strengthened
From Messiah’s view
Hope now fulfilled
Following Father’s cue
From Zechariah 9:16: “On that day the Lord their God will save them, for they are the flock of His people, for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on His land.”
Assurance
Embracing
Father’s outlook
Righteousness must lead
Supported with His love
Light
Breakthrough
Leaving
World’s darkness
Righteousness fills spirit
Highlighting journey toward Jesus
Discovering
Guidance
Possessing
Treasured grace
Righteousness offers peace
Father’s eternity of love
Faith
From 1 John 4:9-10: “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Lost in darkest wilderness
Uncertain where to turn
Truth’s light marked with God’s love
Finding hope’s blessed return
Sky above filling with light
Destiny of Christ’s gift
Assurance of God’s love
Trusting, no longer adrift
Every breath of Spirit’s grace
Heaven’s light to behold
Radiance of God’s love
Removing sinner’s blindfold
Together at Calvary
Who can be against man?
Forgiveness through God’s love
Knowing from where light began
Every heart redirected
Strengthened from faithful light
Steadfast stream of God’s love
Redeeming on mercy’s flight
From Romans 5:3-5: “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
No less a person than God is needed to assure us of God’s love.
From 1 John 4:9-10: “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) was an Anglican theologian and a Calvanist.
Father
Calling us
Accepting His Word
Trusting His divine plan
Faithfulness
Father
Empowering us
Igniting spirit’s fire
Lighting way through darkness
Trustworthy
Father
Teaching us
Forgiving each stumble
Sending out as disciples
Worthiness
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.
Stepping
From shadows
Leaving enemy’s darkness
Christ rises for us
Trusting
Strengthening
Faith’s heart
Building core values
Discipleship in Christ matures
Following
Sharing
Infinite love
Flowing with grace
Christ’s own daily delight
Interacting
Being in Christ, it is safe to forget the past; it is possible to be sure of the future; it is possible to be diligent in the present.
From Galatians 2:19-20: “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910) was an Scottish-born pastor and Christian writer.
From Job 19:25-26: “For I know that my vindicator lives and that in the end He will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God.”
Darkness shadows day
Each forgotten path
Sown hope uprooted
Crushed by evil’s wrath
Consumed with anger
Future’s light escapes
Forsaken feelings
Each evolving shape
Innocence cries out
Emptiness of heart
Tomorrow frozen
Outlook breaks apart
Faith’s net cast away
Trust lacking within
Tide now rushing forth
God always knows when
Redemption assured
Risen Savior lives
Light’s ember blossoms
Peace forever gives
From Psalm 17:6-7: “I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show Your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at Your right hand.”
From Isaiah 2:3: “Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
Seeking Father’s assurance
Darkness shall be overcome
Out of Zion, transformed hope
Embracing every breadcrumb
Praising every breath of grace
From root of Jesse will come
Messiah’s renewing hope
Rising to heavenly drum
Standing outside Bethlehem
Jerusalem shares her peace
Unity backed up with hope
Cradling redemption’s release
Waking to heavenly joy
Forces of darkness now quake
Manger caresses new hope
Witnessing Savior awake
Remaining always watchful
Shepherds innocently wait
Love piercing night sky with hope
Trusting in salvation’s fate
From Romans 15:12-13: “And again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the gentiles; in Him the gentiles shall hope.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
The popular hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” has been a favorite of past Advent seasons. The original hymn can found in the music of monastic life over 1,200 years ago. The English version was translated in 1851 by John Mason Neale, who was an English Anglican priest and hymn writer.
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