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.
You cannot continue doing things your way and accomplish God’s purposes. Your thinking cannot come close to God’s thoughts. For you to do the will of God, you must adjust your life to Him, His purposes, and His ways.
From Luke 22:39-42: “He came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When He reached the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’ Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me, yet not My will but Yours be done.”
Henry Blackaby (1935-2024) was a Canadian pastor and Christian author.
From Joel 2:1: “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near.”
Living in shadows of darkness
Lost in depths of hope’s despair
Looking upward to heavens
Light gathers from daily prayer
Hearing call of Zion’s trumpet
Trust found on wilderness road
Returning to walk with Christ
Heart gathers His grace to reload
Following hope-filled voice of Christ
Faith’s gathered army of One
Witnessing forgiving light
Darkness flees before Father’s Son
Gathering to witness mercy
Truth received from Christ’s own hands
Abounding with steadfast love
Peace nourishes each grain of sand
Raising hope’s breath of repentance
Calvary’s transforming night
Pouring from Spirit’s waters
Christ returning with gathered light
From Joel 2:13: “Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from punishment.”
Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.
From Ephesians 6:18: “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.”
William Cowper (1731-1800) was an English poet and hymn writer.
From 2 Timothy 2:3-4: “Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer.”
Born as blessed children of God
Learning the Bible’s sacred truth
Strong in grace of Savior Jesus
Worthy soldier matures from youth
Listening to God’s witnesses
Faithful, Godly people speaking
Maturing in Father’s Spirit
Daily blessings from Christ’s teachings
Humbly serving in God’s army
Following footsteps, walked by Christ
Bolstered by our own suffering
Clutching faith, never underpriced
Our Father’s way, rich truth to say
Bringing total understanding
His Holy Word comes without chains
Gospel, forever commanding
From 2 Timothy 2:11-13: “The saying is sure: If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself.”
Originally published January, 2021.
If the Lord be with us, we have no cause to fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer–His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable.
From Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
John Newton (1725-1807) was an English pastor who also was a writer of several hymns, including the beloved “Amazing Grace.” His early life is filled with contrasts, when compared to his later life. He served as a ship’s captain during the slave trade, but later renounced his work after his conversion to Christianity. He became an outspoken opponent of the slave trade later in his life.
From 1 John 1:5: “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.”
On way to Heaven
With each passing day
Envisioning New Earth
Jesus leads our way
Righteousness proceeds
Praises filled with joy
All marching to Zion
Jesus leads convoy
Blessed harvest waits
Feast upon light’s grace
Leaving sin’s darkened street
Jesus takes our place
Chains of bondage break
Freedom’s bells now ring
Reaching heavenly peace
Jesus always King
On way to Heaven
Mercy’s opened door
Forgiving voice of love
Jesus evermore!
You are invited to sing or follow along with Isaac Watts’ hymn, “We’re Marching to Zion.” Watts, an English pastor, wrote these lyrics in 1707.
The Christian gospel is a summons to peace, calling for justice beyond anger, mercy beyond justice, forgiveness beyond mercy, love beyond forgiveness.
From Colossians 1:13-14: “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Wendell Berry (born 1934) is an American novelist and poet. Much of his writing embraces the goodness of protecting our environment and preserving agriculture’s way of life.
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
I know that Jesus Christ did not come to teach only: He came to make me what He teaches I should be.
From Colossians 1:9-10: “For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”
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.
Big Sky Buckeye 