Peace
Composes harmony
Grace fills joy
Binds us all together
Relationships
Grace
Divine presence
Love’s unselfish gift
Placing trust in God
Faithfulness
Faith
Gospel feeds
Believing in Jesus
Gift of Eternal Life
Salvation
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 62:1-2: “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”
World’s foundations often shake
Failure crashes upon lives
Fragile planet in distress
How will we ever survive?
Earthly alliances break
Financial systems crater
Globe overwhelmed in turmoil
Where is our navigator?
Life’s storms never-ending
Future stands on wobbly ground
Weakest foundations crumbling
Who can help us to rebound?
Sharing His love, comes Jesus
Delivering freedom’s grace
Gathering in God’s fortress
Accepting Christ, let’s embrace
Rising from dark, empty tomb
Sitting at Father’s right hand
Saving us, Christ carries us
Life’s firm foundation shall stand
From Psalm 62:11-12: “Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work.”
Works
Never enough
Come to Jesus
Accept His unearned grace
Salvation
Underwater
Sin’s soaring balance
Witness Calvary’s cross
Jesus pays our debts
Salvation
Sin
Evil’s tattoo
Life’s red stain
Jesus transforms to white
Salvation
From Romans 5:5: “Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
Holy Spirit leading
Life takes Father’s high road
His love pours into us
Following divine code
Holy Spirit shaping
Jesus shares Father’s grace
Character’s makeover
Transforming life’s dark place
Holy Spirit aiming
Righteous hand reaches out
Christ ties our sin in knots
Replenishing life’s drought
Holy Spirit forging
God’s desires take over
Feet now follow Jesus
Tasting sweetest clover
Holy Spirit guiding
Actions change journey’s road
Grace strengthens faith and hope
Producing life’s new code
From Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
From John 6:35: “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Gathering in community
Preparing for His Hungry Feast
Coming to Heavenly Father
Worshipping Christ, our Holy Priest
Traveling life’s difficult road
Hungering for peace in our hearts
Tasting fellowship with Jesus
Targeting us with grace-filled darts
Fulfilling hope from Father’s love
Joining at His holy table
Seeking lasting, peaceful comfort
Witnessing Bethlehem’s stable
Rejecting evil’s dark presence
Praising and worshipping our Lord
Filling our hunger from His feast
Riding Gospel’s train . . . all aboard!
From Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
The hymn “We Come to the Hungry Feast” inspired the writing of this poem. Some churches also use this tune as a communion hymn.
God
Always present
Hearing heartfelt prayers
Every mountain and valley
Unwavering
Father’s
Forgiving grace
Opens up hearts
Reshaping darkness into light
Love
Fellowship
With believers
Sharing mutual burdens
Strengthened through the Gospel
Faith
The greatest way to witness is by walking that straight and narrow and also realizing that you’re going to mess up. That’s what grace is for.
In those places of doubt and even darkness I’ve realized that who I am has nothing to do with wins or loses, applause, or negative criticism. It has to do with whose I am.
Facing life’s problems
Alone in harsh wilderness—
Hearing Father’s voice
Lord’s steady hand cares
Removes life’s withered, dark past—
Prunes with love and grace
Every morning
Faithfulness and righteousness—
God’s channel broadcasts
From Psalm 85:8: “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, to His faithful, to those who turn to Him in their hearts.”
Another morning arrives
God’s open channel broadcasts
Peaceful encouragement speaks
Always accurate forecasts
Uploading His Holy Word
God’s message brings much to say
Faithfulness with righteousness
Quiet moments praise each day
Grace-filled gifts from Father’s heart
Neither big or small, just right
Peace, joy, and eternal life
Faithfully shining so bright
Bursting with His precious truth
God’s lessons fill the airwaves
Life’s daily restoration
Jesus Christ arrives to save
From Psalm 85:10-11: “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.”
Facing disappointment for many months and more
Feeling frustration and despair starting to soar
Realizing that this journey needs a mid-course correction
Pointing an unsteady compass in a totally new direction
Tiring from how many others have treated thee in the past
Looking forward to a future that brings happiness at last
Beating up thyself for any past, painful mistakes
Needing renewed courage for a new life to make
Knowing that this life needs a helping hand
Wanting to scan for a nurturing place to land
Reaching out comes the helping hand of thy God
Sending forth His grace to be thy staff and rod
Shielding eyes from brightest sun at a new dawn
Walking forward with energy that’s never gone
Republishing this poem from February, 2019, brings out a theme many of us have experienced in our past. Take a moment today and look back at your life’s progress going forward from past challenges.
Big Sky Buckeye 