Faith
Perishable, precious
Tested by fire
Rejoice with glorious joy
Indescribable
Love
Promises fulfilled
Born a Savior
Quenching world’s dry thirst
Salvation
Forever
Our Savior
Lights our way
His life, His truth
Jesus
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.
From Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
Busy with daily lives
Pausing now, do you hear?
As God listens, we should
Opening minds and ears
As God’s chosen, come close
Father waits with patience
Intently, carefully
Despite our impatience
Read His Word with earnest
Focus on, meditate
God’s living stone, breathing
Do you hear Him, so great?
His mercy chooses us
With never-ending love
Calling us from darkness
Finding God’s grace above
Face each hour with new hope
Follow with faithful steps
Lives chosen and precious
God waits at our doorstep
From 1 Peter 2:9-10: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
The bedrock of our Christian faith is the unmerited, fathomless marvel of the love of God exhibited on the Cross of Calvary, a love we never can and never shall merit.
From Romans 8:37-39: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
From Psalm 142:1-2: “With my voice I cry to the Lord; with my voice I make supplication to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before Him; I tell my trouble before Him.”
Roaming life’s wilderness
Old Man Trouble talking
No escape from his voice
Tougher times come knocking
Life’s rivers never rest
Turbulent waters wait
Walking through hottest fire
Faith in God shifts our fate
Bright days turning darkest
Where’s our protection gone?
Father’s love never fails
With us at day’s new dawn
Choosing life’s one clear choice
God’s love sending courage
Tackling intense troubles
Lord’s Word shall encourage
Facing Old Man Trouble
God renewing life’s hope
Eye to eye with our faith
Lord’s unbreakable rope
From Isaiah 43:1-2: “But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
A beautiful garden planted in the spring with great love
Flowers and vegetables blessed with peace from above
Every detail carefully planned and tenderly done
All this fertile soil needs now is water and sun
The first few weeks bring excitement and growth
Green buds and a bit of color are amazing both
One week goes by without any tender loving care
The young, immature plants now seem a bit scared
I am thirsty for a drink, can’t you see!
Why have you forgotten all about me?
Another week passes along without feeling a human hand
The fragile plants begin a slow march back to the land
I am thirsty for a drink, can’t you see!
Why have you forgotten all about me?
A third week arrives with unhappiness and despair
The once promising garden can’t surely be repaired
I am thirsty for a drink, can’t you see!
Why have you forgotten all about me?
From high above comes His promise to bring rain
Soon a gentle, nourishing mist reduces the pain
Humans need to be fed from above by Him
We must ask Him gently like singing a hymn
Without loving care, the garden and people will perish
The Lord adores all of His creation with love to cherish
Let us never, ever wonder and say . . .
I am thirsty for a drink, can’t you see!
Why have you forgotten all about me?
To have little faith isn’t part of our day!
Darkness comes by the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do as He likes with us–prepared to be separated from conscious blessings? Until Jesus Christ is Lord, we all have ends of our own to serve; our faith is real, but it is not permanent yet.
From John 16:32-33: “The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”
From John 3:14-17: “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”
Holy God of Abraham and Sarah
His Tree of Life blesses generations
Throughout Creation’s awesome certainty
Into Christ’s death, reborn as new nations
When rising with each new, precious morning
Blessed by our Father’s love, mercy, and grace
Witnessing His divine truth, now spoken
Passing on to each act and word we place
Walking as His body, the Son of Man
Sanctified through His sacrificial blood
Christ leads, encouraging all to follow
Life streaming to pristine sea, free of mud
Broken lives, breathing as imperfections
Life’s daily missteps, forever stumbling
Christ’s forgiveness showers each soul with love
Pardoning sinners, no longer tumbling
Grace-filled Holy Spirit moves within us
Offering necessary strength and hope
Fueling deep faith, God’s awesome certainty
Go forth, blessed and ready, walk life’s tightrope
Here is a special song, written by American composer, Marty Haugen, “Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery.” This short tune is filled with inspiring verses.
From Romans 13:11-12: “Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
Turning away from temptation’s path
Following God’s Holy, righteous road
Transforming self into Christ’s image
Experiencing His love, bestowed
Breathing, yet lost in evil’s darkness
Hiding in shame, past sinful landscape
Reaching for Salvation’s lasting grace
Wearing armor of light, faith reshapes
Sharing His Father’s Word, Christ teaches
Loving one another, sharing peace
Witnessing His greatest commandment
Living with openness, life’s new lease
Leaving His advocate, Christ assures
Coming Holy Spirit, lifts each life
Overcoming sin’s flesh-filled desires
Growing in submission, without strife
Offering path to new life, Christ comes
Forsaking life’s bold truth, darkness flees
Walking in faith, stepping into light
Remaining steadfast, in what He sees
From the words of American pastor and Christian teacher, Charles Stanley: “When we rely on Him [God] instead of ourselves, He produces godly desires within us, empowers obedience, and transforms our character into Christ’s likeness.”
Journey
Faith’s steps
Trusting in God
His love shall always
Sustain
Surrender
False notions
Accept Savior Jesus
True love frees us
Salvation
Jesus
With us
Sorrow lifted away
Reborn in our baptism
Messiah
Faith is the courage to face reality with hope.
From Lamentations 3:22-24: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.'”
