Reverberations (Haiku Series #268)

Clarity

Blinded with troubles

Still hoping to see again—

Hidden light echoes

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Assurance

Longing to find hope

Searching forgotten places—

Retrieving echoes

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Optimism

Misplaced hope stirs

Blowing in from yesterday—

Echoes ride with wind

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Father in Heaven (Elfchen Series #190)

Acceptance

Father’s

Love provides

Do not worry

Grasp His righteous hand

Kingdom

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Assurance

Tomorrow

Always waiting

Do not worry

Father’s grace shall address

Today

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Affirmation

Faith’s

Living water

Do not worry

Father’s wisdom nourishes spirit

Enlightenment

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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.

Love’s Assurance (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

From Luke 2:15-16:  “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’  So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger.”

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Love breathes at creation

Stirring throughout darkest void

Goodness pouring from light

Father’s plans fully deployed

 

Love’s promises share hope

Flowing with peace, yet to come

From depths of Father’s Word

Mercy’s steady, beating drum

 

Love fulfills prophecy

Abounding in Father’s grace

No longer in darkness

Joy framing faith’s new embrace

 

Love’s assurance descends

Flowing from Father’s goodwill

Bethlehem’s stirring peace

Silent night, shepherds stand still

 

Love pours into each heart

Enduring Father sows seeds

Messiah fulfills hope

Light releasing joy’s proceeds

 

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Advent Prayer:  Heavenly Father,  as we remember and reflect upon this Advent season, assist us in turning our hearts toward You as we approach the birth of Your blessed Son.  Encourage us to celebrate the gifts received from that very first Christmas:  hope, peace, joy, and love.  Amen.

English pastor and hymn writer, Isaac Watts, wrote the lyrics for “Joy to the World” in 1719.  These verses embrace his interpretation of Psalm 98, which serves as a blessed completion of this Advent series of poems.

Charles Swindoll Quote

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Only through faith in Christ do we have the assurance of hope beyond the grave.

From Romans 6:8:  “But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.”

Gipsy Smith Quote

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There’s no sight like seeing the light from Calvary kiss a human face as it fills the heart with the assurance of Divine forgiveness.

From Hebrews 6:10-12:  “For God is not unjust; He will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for His sake in serving the saints, as you still do.  And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Rodney “Gipsy” Smith (1860-1947) was a British evangelist who conducted campaigns in both his native land and the United States for over 70 years.

All in with Jesus (Elfchen Series #167)

Elevating

Christ

Risen indeed!

Transforming faith’s cornerstone

Grace breathes with purpose

Justification

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Transcending

Christ

Conquering death

Taking sin’s place

Calvary’s now empty tomb

Redemption

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Following

Christ

Faithful shepherd

Hearing Savior’s voice

Wayward sheep now found

Assurance

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Salvation’s True Hymn

From Romans 3:21-22:  “But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets, the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no distinction.”

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Faith’s wayward journey

Bearing under sin

Without righteousness

Evil in sheepskin

 

Life’s unworthiness

Deceiving ourselves

Misery’s ruins

Man’s faith hides on shelves

 

Eternal darkness

Living without hope

God’s love sends Savior

He changes faith’s scope

 

Light born in stable

Proclaiming Good News

Father’s righteousness

Faith calls us to choose

 

Assurance in Christ

Believing in Him

Justified by faith

Salvation’s true hymn

 

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From 1 John 5:13:  “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Father’s Love (Elfchen Series #164)

Connected

Assurance

Blessed relationship

Faith’s solid rock

Secure in Father’s love

Confidence

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Devoted

Confidence

Blessed actions

Grace at work

Goodness from Father’s love

Hope

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Valued

Hope

Blessed Word

Wisdom dwells within

Framed by Father’s love

Assurance

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Oswald Chambers Quote

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The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality.  If I love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament; I have to feed His sheep.

From John 21:17:  “He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love Me?’  Peter felt hurt because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’  And he said to Him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love You.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.'”

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher.  Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons.  Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST.  I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.

Children of God (Elfchen Series #159)

Fulfilling

Hungering

For Father

Whole heart prays

Finding Him always near

Faith

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Witnessing

Coming

To Father

Focusing on Light

Following His trusted wisdom

Peace

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Assuring

Gathering

With Father

Restoring tomorrow’s hope

Climbing up mercy’s steps

Love

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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.