Overflowing Kindness (Haiku Series #201)

Preparing

Sowing seeds of love

Reaping bountiful harvest–

Spirit plants kindness

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Transforming

Kindness breathing grace

Actions sweeter than honey—

Purging bitterness

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Benevolence

Words packed with kindness

Unlocking life’s path of peace–

Melting hardened hearts

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Heavens Open Up

From Jeremiah 14:20-21:  “We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord, the iniquity of our ancestors, for we have sinned against You.  Do not spurn us, for Your name’s sake; do not dishonor Your glorious throne; remember and do not break Your covenant with us.”

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Famine in spirit

Eroding landscape

Darkest days ahead

Hopelessness takes shape

 

False prophets at work

Preaching hollow words

Continuous gloom

Gospel never heard

 

Sin ravages lives

Seeking true healing

Spirit never waits

Always revealing

 

Christ’s redemption saves

Spurning evil ways

Ember of faith grows

Resurrection’s blaze

 

Heavens open up

Showering God’s love

Grace enriches trust

Hope shines from above

 

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From Jeremiah 14:22:  “Can any idols of the nations bring rain, or can the heavens give showers?  Is it not You, O Lord our God?  We set our hope on You, for it is You who do all this.”

Lifting Us Up

From Psalm 37:5:  “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.”

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Life’s stumbles and missteps

Seeing failure once more

Judging ourselves harshly

Father brings us ashore

 

Agony breathes again

Grabbing mercy’s lifeline

Lifting us up with grace

Anchored to Father’s vine

 

Evil tells us, stay down

Pushing through, comes His love

Pulling always forward

Father’s glory above

 

Faith feeds on righteousness

Taking up Savior’s cross

Believing in His Word

Father’s love comes across

 

Justice removes darkness

Marching to heaven’s beat

Singing hymns of praises

Joy sails with Father’s fleet

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From Psalm 37:23-24:  “Our steps are made firm by the Lord when He delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.”

Monday Memories: Forevermore

person holding opened book

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Standing and lifting eyes upward

Asking for help

But, from where will it come?

 

Reading from a cherished Bible

Finding the words

Of a patient and gracious Lord

 

Humbling images of God’s plan

Creating the heavens

As well as the earth

 

Feeling the grace of God

Providing shade

At one’s right hand

 

Sleeping is never His wish

Watching over

His people at every moment

 

Praying to a compassionate Lord

Listening now

His words bring comfort

 

Protecting us at all times

Witnessing Him

Forevermore

The background for this poem comes from the Bible; see Psalm 121.

Life’s Breakwater

From John 4:13-14:  “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.'”

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Haunting landscape of needs

Darkness, breathless with fear

Back streets can never hide

Overflowing with tears

 

Facing hunger-filled void

Shadows filled with man’s greed

Overburdened labors

Breathing amongst ragweed

 

Walking with heart of pain

Emptiness without dreams

Thirst waiting to be quenched

Beholding mercy’s stream

 

Hearing sorrowful cries

Clamorous, selfish strife

Voice speaking, Son of God

Rising above each life

 

Flowing freshness of grace

Well of Living Water

Each heart again restored

Forming life’s breakwater

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From John 14:1-2:  “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”

Hearing Angelic Cheers

From Romans 5:8-9:  “But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.  Much more surely, therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, will we be saved through Him from the wrath of God.”

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Trusting God, door opens

Divine plan sharing grace

Believing promises

Forsaking evil’s place

 

Breaking chains of darkness

Jesus taking man’s place

Dying on cruelest cross

Bringing freedom’s embrace

 

Stepping forward in Christ

Forgiveness emerges

Sending redemption’s gift

Quelling sinful urges

 

Restoring place with God

Cross proclaims, “Come to Me”

Erasing lifetime’s debts

Leaving sin, walking free

 

Delivering God’s peace

Eternity appears

Witnessing empty tomb

Hearing angelic cheers

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From John 14:27-28:  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.  You heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’  If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.”

Seeds of Mercy

From Romans 8:38-39:  “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.”

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Darkest valleys approach

Spirit walks within thee

Holding fast to one’s faith

Quieting stormy seas

 

God’s presence always breathes

Evil’s shadow will flee

Lighting path to follow

Building trust, setting free

 

Truth in Christ’s promises

In heaven and on earth

Hearing His divine Word

Bringing grace, life’s new birth

 

Righteousness dwells in heart

Never be left alone

Blessing seeds of mercy

Reaping what God has sown

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From Matthew 28:20:  “And teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

New Freedom

From Exodus 19:5:  “ Now, therefore, if you obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession out of all the peoples.  Indeed, the whole earth is Mine.”

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Obeying God’s law

All shall fall short

Darkness consumes

Flesh’s evil tort

 

Sowing falsehood’s seeds

Emptiness reigns

Corruption rules

Flesh’s sinful chains

 

Witnessing Jesus

Calvary’s death

Covenant breaks

Flesh’s final breath

 

Praising Risen Lord

New freedom’s call

Harvest ready

Grace building faith’s wall

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From Galatians 6:14-15:  “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to Me and I to the world.  For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a new creation is everything!”

Three in One (Elfchen Series #118)

Most High

Father

Calling out

“Here I am”

Words inviting, opening door

Chosen

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Bread of Life

Sharing

Divine goodness

Accepting His grace

Faithful steps in righteousness

Chosen

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Comforter

Advocate

Eternally present

Touching each believer

Quiet hands at work

Chosen

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Back on Course

From Luke 15:31-32:  “Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.  But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'”

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Marking calendar

Making this His day

Back on course with God

Kneeling now to pray

 

Forsaking darkness

Finding blessed light

Immersed in God’s Word

Hearing truth so bright

 

Growing in God’s grace

Worshipping with Him

Each precious moment

Walking in rhythm

 

Returning back home

Living in His peace

Promised Christ’s coming

Bringing life’s new lease

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From 2 Peter 3:17-18:  “You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.  Amen.”