Voices
Too many
Communing with Scripture
Listening to just one
God
Darkness
Surrounding thee
Sin’s guilt heckling
Now hearing mercy’s voice
God
Alone
Competing thoughts
Who truly cares?
One voice offers grace
God
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 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.”
Seeking lasting peace
Reverent morning prayer—
Kinship with our Lord
Take each perfect gift
Coming from our Creator—
Transformed by His grace
Respond to His call
Loving hearts serving neighbors—
God of Mercy leads
When Jesus asks His followers to be like salt, He is reminding us that we are valuable and necessary in bringing out the best–in one another as well as the world–through ordinary acts of service, mercy, love, and humility.
From Mark 9:49-50: “For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
From Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
Busy with daily lives
Pausing now, do you hear?
As God listens, we should
Opening minds and ears
As God’s chosen, come close
Father waits with patience
Intently, carefully
Despite our impatience
Read His Word with earnest
Focus on, meditate
God’s living stone, breathing
Do you hear Him, so great?
His mercy chooses us
With never-ending love
Calling us from darkness
Finding God’s grace above
Face each hour with new hope
Follow with faithful steps
Lives chosen and precious
God waits at our doorstep
From 1 Peter 2:9-10: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
From Isaiah 6:3: “And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.'”
Expecting our best
God shall never rest
God’s future glory
Becomes our story
Adopting each child
Life now reconciled
What’s lying ahead?
God’s plan weaves its thread
Life fosters trials
Coming with each mile
His Word, guidance, love
Shining from above
God’s sacred fitness
Our constant witness
Daring to dream now
God’s mercy allows
Caring, righteous Lord
Trusting His accord
Patience encouraged
Waiting with courage
Together working
Blessed networking
Humbleness fills life
Removing all strife
Sowing fertile seeds
Harvest’s bread now feeds
Called by Jesus Christ
His blood sacrificed
Glory fills God’s name
Building each life’s frame
From 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.”
From Psalm 146:1-2: “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.”
Bless the Lord’s name forever
Sing praises for Holy deeds
His greatness stands infinite
Loving us like tender reeds
Witness our Lord’s mighty acts
Share with each generation
His greatness lauds His goodness
Building our firm foundation
Recall love works from His hands
Fueled by Grace’s steadfast love
His greatness flows with mercy
Protecting us from above
Call on the Father this day
Pray to Him on humble knees
His greatness lighting the way
Watching over all He sees
From Psalm 145:17-18: “The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
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
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Our compassionate Lord shows His mercy upon me, a sinner not worthy of His love, through the Cross.
From Titus 3:4-7: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Photo by Jonathan Petersson on Pexels.com
Two works of mercy set a man free: forgive and you will be forgiven, and give and you shall receive.
From Matthew 5:43-45: “You have heard it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”
Big Sky Buckeye 