Drifting
Compass forsaken
Man’s stubbornness reigns
Hope’s light reaches out
Jesus
Facing
World’s infections
Physical, social, spiritual
Will Hope pursue Christ?
Faith
Community
Faithfully building
Using Hope’s hands
For God’s lasting goodness
Welcoming
From Psalm 31:23-24: “Love the Lord, all you his saints. The Lord preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.”
Every life thirsts
For eternal love
Some find it, some won’t
Shared from God above
Life writes its story
Father values each
Treasured Book of Life
Gospel lessons teach
Chapter lengths vary
Some long and filling
Others short and brief
All earn top billing
No favorites here
Tranquility’s peace
Resting as equals
Memories won’t cease
Walking among saints
Honoring each one
Final resting place
Blessed setting sun
From Psalm 23:6: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Dreaming of fresh dough
To grocery store for yeast—
Bread shall rise again
Eighty-two years young
Earning high school diploma—
Ageless dreams blossom
Golden harvest waits
Farmer’s efforts rewarded—
Blessed field of dreams
In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.
Find the good, and praise it.
Finding life’s goodness
Whether great or small
Always filled with praise
Tasting its windfall
Finding lasting strength
Wherever it lies
Courage raining down
Silencing our cries
Finding peace and hope
Never stop sharing
Everyday people
Witnessing caring
Finding clear focus
Love shall overcome
With gentle actions
Blessing life’s outcome
Finding better ways
Around life’s gridlock
Perseverance wins
Changing up our walk
Finding new vision
With every song
Voices lifting up
Singing “come along”
Inspiration for this poem comes from the words of American writer, Alex Haley: “Find the good, and praise it.”
There is within human nature an amazing potential for goodness.
A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for which is true.
Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life, meet every rising sun with such sentiments of God’s goodness, as if you had seen it, and all things new–created upon your account.
From Ezekiel 36:24-27: “I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.”
From 2 Peter 1:5-7: “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
Our Father’s goodness
Glory, God and King
Bless and praise His name
Mighty greatness sings
Through generations
Honor His great deeds
Infinite goodness
God’s faithful Word leads
Glorious splendor
Kingdom never ends
Eternal, Holy
Wondrous works, God sends
From Psalm 145:8-9: The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and His compassion is over all that He has made.”
His greatness declares
Lord everlasting
Praising righteousness
Mercies broadcasting
Cries, our Father hears
From darkness, redeemed
He stands, always near
God’s goodness, esteemed
Truth, call upon God
Grace, freely given
Love, witness a Cross
Sins, now forgiven
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Charles Swindoll: “There are four words I wish we would never forget, and they are ‘God keeps His word.'”
David praises the greatness of God through Scripture found in Psalm 145, and these verses inspire this poem.
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
From Psalm 145:8: “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
