Overwhelming
Darkness surrounds
Facing numbing trials
Jesus draws ever closer
Grace
Seeking
Life’s answers
Wayward miles traveled
Kneeling at Jesus’ feet
Forgiveness
Transforming
Light ahead
Resurrection’s eternal flame
Chains of transgressions broken
Redemption
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 Psalm 32:7: “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.”
With faces toward the rising sun
Lord, share your mercy and forgiveness
Coming to the Cross, with repentance
Humbly laying our transgressions there
On our knees, breaking bread together
In remembrance, Jesus truly cares
Coming to the Cross, seeking its hope
With reverence, looking to our Lord
On our knees, drinking wine together
Singing with praise to His perfect chord
Coming to the Cross, stained with red blood
Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior
On our knees, praising God together
Walking with transforming behavior
With faces toward the rising sun
Lord, share your mercy and forgiveness
Sower scattering any seed
Wildly without any foresight
God scatters His Word as planned
His aim, truthful in its flight
Called to sow His righteous seeds
Following a living light
Sharing of God’s Holy Word
Walking in Jesus’ delight
These efforts shall bear His fruit
Quenching the rich, fertile ground
God adds the living water
Patient, His trust to be found
Not every seed shall bloom now
Some will lie quiet and wait
Just as a pine cone pauses
Holds seeds for their proper fate
Spreading God’s Word to others
Using our freedom for good
Allowing Spirit to work
Sowing for Him as we should
Sharing love and forgiveness
Lord’s eternal Word aligned
Taking blessed, scattered seeds
Harvesting fruit of all kinds
From Isaiah 55:10-11: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Originally published July, 2020.
Alone
With Father
Emptying of self
Asking for His forgiveness
Transformation
Time
With Father
Filled with grace
Praying for others’ needs
Devotion
Comfortable
With Father
Accepting life’s burdens
Glory always to Him
Restoration
From John 7:37-38: “On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, He cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me, and let the one who believes in Me drink.’ As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.'”
Resurrection’s eternal light
Enemy’s darkness surrenders
Glory of Christ, forever bright
Holy Spirit’s peace, so tender
Precious river shall always flow
Savior’s grace offers faithful hope
Living water shall never slow
Forgiveness offers mercy’s rope
Come all to witness freedom’s tomb
Believe and each shall receive grace
Light forever shines from this room
Spirit unites this Holy place
From heavenly vision above
Safest harbor rises from dust
Infinite mercy bearing love
Eternity’s river of trust
From Revelation 22:1-3: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him.”
From Psalm 86:2-3: “Preserve my life, for I am devoted to You; save Your servant who trusts in You. You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord, for to You do I cry all day long.”
Devoted to Father
Hearing His endless thoughts
Witnessing heavenly goodness
Life’s lessons always taught
Filled with Father’s steadfast spirit
Trusting His timely grace
Lifting wayward heart from darkness
Love offers mercy’s place
Called to walk in Father’s vision
Turning away from sin
Answering each burden’s prayer
Faith’s glorious linchpin
Delivered light shines upon thee
Words filling confession
Lifting soul from forgotten place
Forgiving transgressions
Comforted with Father’s favor
Rising from empty tomb
Sowing with every seeded field
Peace gathered from each bloom
From Psalm 86:11-12: “Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere Your name. I give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify Your name forever.”
From Psalm 9:1-2: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”
Singing highest praises
Receiving daily gifts
Blessings from Savior’s breath
Steering man from sinful drift
Witnessing blood-stained cross
Declaring Christ, our Lord
Rising from darkened tomb
Crushing evil’s sinful sword
Suffering no longer
Driving fear from each heart
Warming to Heaven’s light
Forgiving sins, life’s fresh start
Trusting in God above
Giving thanks for His grace
Bringing faith renewed strength
Erasing sin’s dark embrace
Sending peace down to earth
Designing joy’s blueprint
Raising new hope through truth
Marking love’s lasting imprint
From Psalm 9:9-10: “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”
Calling
Upon Father
Hearing my voice
His righteousness nourishes faith
Energizing
Kneeling
Before Father
Accepting my repentance
His erasing sin’s scorecard
Forgiving
Trusting
Father’s promises
Transforming my wilderness
His steady compass navigates
Following
From 1 Timothy 6:6-8: “Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it, but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.”
Waking to another day
Spurning Father’s safety rope
This world demands perfection
Without Heaven’s faithful hope
Feeling pressure with each step
Witnessing ungodliness
Imperfect world falling apart
Father’s hope in godliness
Slowing down journey’s high speed
Pausing to count each blessing
Hope pursues His righteousness
Father’s truth now addressing
Discovering contentment
Filling hope with timely grace
Senseless desires abandoned
Father’s peace comes to embrace
Cherishing Oneness in hope
Sending trusted Light to bear
Forgiveness from divine Rock
Father’s Son shall truly care
From 1 Timothy 6:13-14: “ In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
From John 8:32: “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Blessed land stretching from ocean to ocean
Spacious skies wink at fields of abundant grain
Framed in by towering, majestic mountains
God’s Grace covering the land like fruitful rain
Lady Liberty extends her message of hope
Calling out, only demanding to breathe free
Ensuring freedom for the huddled masses
Keeping her torch lite, from sea to shining sea
Asking God to mend a nation’s ills and flaws
Lifting praises up to the Father above
His glory be forever praised here below
Liberty and freedom shall ring, filled with love
Forgiving our nation’s errors and transgressions
Healing hearts of discord, peace now safeguarded
Leading this nation out of its dark wilderness
Remembering an old path, long discarded
Nation founded from scratch, with lasting vision
“All men are created equal” crying out
Endowed from the Creator, come certain rights
Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness shout
“America the Beautiful” is a beloved song. You are invited to listen to this familiar song, as sung by Lee Greenwood.
Originally published July, 2020.
Big Sky Buckeye 