Living Water

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What dark depths dwell in our lives?

Sinful nature, lost like sheep

Hearts fill with lasting troubles

Seeing life’s well, much too deep

 

Returning without promise

Jacob’s well cannot quench thirst

Our parched lips, where’s our relief?

Sinful souls, ready to burst

 

God’s Grace, in living water

Blessing in truth and spirit

Gushing with eternal life

Drink deeply, never fear it

 

Who will bring us this water?

We look, but the well is deep

Jesus draws living water

Saving His lost, thirsty sheep

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From John 4:11-15:  “The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?  Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’  Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’  The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.'”

Taste His Goodness

David praises the greatness of God through Scripture found in Psalm 145, and these verses inspire this poem.

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Each day life seems too normal

Monotonous and mundane

Beautiful bundle arrives

Hallmarks of our Lord’s domain

 

Blessing us each precious day

Spontaneous surprises

Praising our Father’s great name

Goodness comes in all sizes

 

Reaching depths of every sea

Loving each generation

Eclipsing highest heavens

Honoring God’s creation

 

Awesome and vast deeds come forth

Witnessing God’s mighty acts

Glorious splendor singing

Filling what life truly lacks

 

God’s everlasting kingdom

Harvesting abundant gifts

Faithful words stir greatest feats

Balancing life’s slips and shifts

 

Singing of God’s righteousness

Showering with compassion

Tasting His Holy goodness

Remembering His passion

 

Blessing His name forever

Amen

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From Psalm 145:8:  “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

Hand in Hand

From Matthew 14:25:27:  “And early in the morning He [Jesus] came walking toward them on the sea.  But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’  And they cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.'”

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Dreaded Covid arrives, knocking at her door

Daughter takes refuge on a hospital floor

 

Fear challenges faith during this trying hour

Daughter and mother seek God’s love and power

 

Through their journey of faith, walking together

God steps forward, quieting stormy weather

 

Hand in hand with God, crossing scary tightrope

His love sustains their faith, resurrecting hope

 

Mother and daughter’s prayers, faithfully roam

This hellish scourge flees at last, sending her home

 

Singing praises of thanksgiving, with glad hearts

Walking hand in hand, their life journey restarts

 

Kneeling before a Holy, mighty Father

Feeling the Lord’s love, like a great grandfather

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From Psalm 92:1-2:  “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”

Charles L. Allen Quote

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When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God.

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!”

Suffering No More

Reading from Psalm 38, one finds David’s words as he asks for God’s healing.  This poem’s verses bring to the forefront an active voice with feeling, praying, finding, healing, praising, and seeing.

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Feeling darkness

Feeling unknown

Feeling empty

Feeling alone

 

Praying with faith

Praying this Psalm

Praying for hope

Praying for calm

 

Finding God’s love

Finding what’s heard

Finding new life

Finding His Word

 

Healing these wounds

Healing this soul

Healing my heart

Healing me whole

 

Praising Father

Praising accords

Praising heavens

Praising my Lord

 

Seeing the Cross

Seeing the light

Seeing Christ’s love

Seeing God’s might

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From Psalm 38:15:  “But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.”

Failing Once Again

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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?

 

selective focus photography of hour glass

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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

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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.

Choices Through Faith

From the words of American pastor and Christian evangelist, Vance Havner:  “Life is a series of choices between the bad, the good, and the best.  Everything depends on how we choose.”

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Our daily walk encounters many tests

Life’s decisions shall never be easy

Facing a series of heartfelt choices

Sometimes feeling so alone and uneasy

 

Quality decisions lead life forward

God’s Word and righteousness always shining

Making choices, pleasing to our Father

Our Lord’s love, His sacred silver lining

 

God chooses our Savior—His Holy Son

Jesus becomes our faithful source of life

Bringing lasting redemption to ourselves

Hope-filled Cross saving the foolish from strife

 

Our Father calls many, few are chosen

His chosen, precious cornerstone—Jesus

Believing in Him, never put to shame

Living by faith through our Lord, who frees us

 

Jesus chooses us in His Father’s name

Days ahead offer bounties of treasures

Following His love and wealth of teachings

Therefore, bear lasting fruit through His measures

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From 2 Corinthians 5:6-7:  “So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord–for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Never Alone

I keep a daily journal of “take-aways” from my devotional readings.  This poem was crafted from some of my February entries.

sea beach footprint steps

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Sitting alone and hopeless

Faith’s shadow, covered in rust

God awakens mind and soul

In His Spirit, words bring trust

 

Turning to God, always there

His footprints walking ahead

Through life’s hefty challenges

Our Lord brings our daily bread

 

Reading from His Holy Word

Always giving thanks and praise

Marvelous things, God has done

Our hope alive and ablaze

 

Growing in faith, from our woes

Therefore, pray . . . listen . . . follow

Righteous life following Christ

Savior’s hope, never hollow

 

Facing temptation each day

Alignment with Son of God

Blood and body shed for us

Boldly fleeing evil’s fraud

brown and silver cross table decor

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From Galatians 6:1-2:  “My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.  Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Billy Graham Quote

person holding a green plant

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Our faith becomes stronger as we express it; a growing faith is a sharing faith.

From 1 Timothy 2:7:  “For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

Haiku Series #77 (With God)

Following

God tells Joshua

Meditating on His Word—

Still crucial today

black and white cemetery christ church

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His Grace

Being born of God

Overcoming life’s trials—

By our faith alone

mountains sky sand clouds

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Eternal Hope

Tough times approaching

Trusting, now and forever—

Depending on God

crop sportswoman doing exercise with kettlebell in gym

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