Morning’s
Faithful sunrise
Gifted from Father
Love opens another window
Hope
Prayer’s
Comforting conversation
Father’s faithful presence
Nourishes another hungry heart
Hope
Evening’s
Glorious sunset
Created by Father
Faithful tomorrow always waiting
Hope
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 Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name Him Immanuel.”
Leading from Zion
Mercy taking flight
God shall be with us
Hope’s ember of light
Sprouting from his roots
Jesse’s stump alive
Faithful branches breathe
Hope’s spirit survives
Waiting in prayer
Prophesied birthplace
Prince shall bring His peace
Hope’s beacon of grace
Sheltering man’s faith
Bethlehem sleeping
Flock’s promised Shepherd
Hope’s heart now leaping
Believing in God
Life’s harshness turns bright
Virgin bears His Son
Hope’s fulfilling night
Advent Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we remember and reflect upon this Advent season, assist us in turning our hearts toward You as we approach the birth of Your blessed Son. Encourage us to celebrate the gifts received from that very first Christmas: hope, peace, joy, and love. Amen.
One of Advent’s most enduring hymns is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” The original text was composed in Latin during the 12th century. In 1861, English priest and scholar John Mason Neale translated the lyrics into what many Christians recognize and sing today.
From Psalm 139:1-2: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.”
Searching and knowing
Discerning each thought
Inescapable
God ties one more knot
Seeing tomorrow
Opening one’s eyes
Inescapable
God hears every cry
Leading each day forth
Holding darkness back
Inescapable
God’s light covers black
Sharing His good works
Teaching righteous truth
Inescapable
God matures one’s youth
Weaving from earth’s depths
Knitting with intent
Inescapable
God’s efforts well-meant
Navigating storms
Lifting each above
Inescapable
God brings grace-filled love
From Psalm 139:11-12: “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and night wraps itself around me,’ even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to You.”
Lost
Wayward sheep
Surrounded in darkness
Shepherd’s light finding each
Gathering
Questions
Empty answers
Life’s harsh wilderness
Shepherd’s light sharing grace
Illuminating
Forsaken
Coldest nights
Enemy’s false promises
Shepherd’s light warming hearts
Nurturing
Calling
From God
Following His righteousness
Running away from temptation
Living
Living
Through Christ
Calvary’s cross waits
Blessed salvation rises ahead
Fortifying
Fortifying
Against enemy
Darkness stirs doubt
Stand now, follow Jesus
Light
Scaling
Mountain’s challenges
Faith’s promised cornerstone
Light delivers trusted grace
Overcoming
Navigating
Stormy seas
Light from above
Counting on faith’s compass
Reassuring
Traversing
Enemy’s darkness
Faith leading forward
Righteous light strengthens faith
Illuminating
From Revelation 21:23: “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.”
Shrouded in darkness
Surrounded with gloom
World living with sin
Light beams from death’s tomb
Found in Father’s Word
Filled with His Good News
Enduring light shines
Life’s anchor, now choose
Blessed kingdom waits
Focused light brings more
Seeing faithful road
Jesus, faith’s mentor
Lighted lamp confirms
Revealed through His grace
Lamb bears every sin
Jesus takes our place
Harvested mercy
Completed, finished
Light forever leads
Love undiminished
From James 3:17: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.”
Predawn countdown
Night shift ending
Morning wakens
Sunrise pending
Tender blossoms
Open to light
Melody plays
New day takes flight
Harmony shines
Dew-covered grass
Nature reflects
Treasured stained glass
Quietness reigns
Early hour waits
Tiny breeze calls
Foreshadowed fate
Scene fills with love
Creation sings
Postcard painted
Blessed heartstrings
From Psalm 145:8: “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Blessing forever, God above
Kneeling, bending every knee
Praising His greatness, Amen!
Justice sown from righteous decrees
Breathing with hope’s newfound freedom
Witnessing God’s mighty moves
Praising daily in worship
Mercy arrives, His Son approves
Riding donkey, comes humble King
Tasting His merciful grace
Praising faith’s new covenant
Heaven’s goodness, let all embrace
Commanding nations, take notice
Setting every sinner free
Praising repeal of darkness
Throughout earth’s many lands and seas
Sounding faith’s endless trumpet
Protecting with blessed light
Praising God’s lasting greatness
Eternal daylight covers night
From Zechariah 9:16: “On that day the Lord their God will save them, for they are the flock of His people, for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on His land.”
Let’s just sit quietly and listen to the secrets the rain wants to tell us.
You are not the darkness you endured. You are the light that refused to surrender.
John Mark Green is an American poet.
Big Sky Buckeye 