Expecting
Faithfully listening
Seeking Father’s guidance
Immersed in His Word
Direction
Mentoring
Mercy transcending
Counseling with righteousness
Savior’s grace upon thee
Instruction
Surrounding
Peace forgiving
Promising Calvary’s light
Thorns of sin crushed
Redemption
From Psalm 130:7-8: “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is great power to redeem. It is He who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.”
Entering empty valley
Lifeless without form
Yet, ember of hope breathes
Escaping from every storm
Waiting to hear Father’s voice
In depths of despair
Hope filled with steadfast love
Praying for His divine care
Standing tall in His presence
Father’s promised grace
Tender morning rises
Redeeming hope to embrace
Fulfilling spirit of hope
Found in Father’s Son
His peace granted to man
Leaving all darkness, as One
Believing in risen Christ
Truth revealed at dawn
Resurrection breathes life
Sending hope, faith draws upon
From Romans 8:10-11: “But if Christ is in you, then the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in you.”
When the hand of faith opens to lay hold of Christ, it drops the sin it had grasped before.
From Isaiah 53:5: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the punishment that made us whole, and by His bruises we are healed.”
John Angell James (1785-1859) was an English pastor and Christian writer.
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.
From Galatians 6:14: “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.”
George Bennard (1873-1958) was an American pastor and hymn composer. The chosen lyrics were written in 1912 and became part of the popular hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross.”
From Psalm 23:1-3: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for His name’s sake.”
Faith’s redemptive journey
Along this wilderness route
Seeking salvation’s light
Removing seeds of doubt
Shepherd’s constant presence
Along tranquility’s stream
Leading to Savior’s light
Trusting hope’s rising beam
Darkness from long ago
Consumed with enemy’s flesh
Finding merciful light
Rising, peace shall refresh
Wholesome eyesight restored
No longer blind to thy sin
Embracing Savior’s love
Forgiving light within
Father’s Word crystal clear
Righteousness nurtures faith’s way
Leaving darkest shadows
Following light each day
From Ephesians 5:8-9: “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
From 1 John 4:9-10: “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Lost in darkest wilderness
Uncertain where to turn
Truth’s light marked with God’s love
Finding hope’s blessed return
Sky above filling with light
Destiny of Christ’s gift
Assurance of God’s love
Trusting, no longer adrift
Every breath of Spirit’s grace
Heaven’s light to behold
Radiance of God’s love
Removing sinner’s blindfold
Together at Calvary
Who can be against man?
Forgiveness through God’s love
Knowing from where light began
Every heart redirected
Strengthened from faithful light
Steadfast stream of God’s love
Redeeming on mercy’s flight
From Romans 5:3-5: “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
From the words of American Christian author, Kay Arthur: Your times are in His hands. He’s in charge of the timetable, so wait patiently.
Quiet morning descends
Finding hope in rising sun
Filling each breath with His love
Christ’s mission shall be done
Mercy strengthens each heart
Knowing His love offers peace
Walking toward Calvary
Christ’s light shall never cease
Patience found in spirit
Waiting for His perfect time
Drawing love from trusted well
Christ’s truth must always climb
Death to sinful nature
Leaving darkness, love sings out
Seeing salvation in heavens
Christ’s now commanding route
Joy’s eager voice shares praise
Accepting love’s gift of grace
Upholding redemption’s light
Christ’s forgiving embrace
From Lamentations 3:25-26: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
This world possessed me.
It tried to keep me from Your light.
And all the time, life seemed to rhyme.
Sometimes, it even turned out right.
Still, my life was dark as night!
Even then,
I felt You there.
I knew You always cared.
Your pow’r was greater,
than this world’s strongest hold on me.
You sent Your Son to be the One
to bleed and die on Calvary.
Now, new daylight sets me free.
Evermore,
my Savior lives.
His strength He always gives.
So . . .
Jesus, my Lord Jesus,
now, I can call You Lord.
By Your Holy Spirit’s pow’r,
and by Your precious love each hour,
I’ve giv’n my heart to You.
Jesus, my Lord Jesus,
Yes, I can call You Lord.
By You bearing all my shame,
and by Your precious, holy name,
I’ve put my trust in You.
Jesus, my Lord Jesus,
yes, I can call You Lord.
Jesus, my Lord Jesus,
yes, I will call You Lord!
Today’s Christian poem is one of several contained in BITS ‘N’ PIECES OF MY HEART. The proud author is my wife, Colleen Peterson.
From her own words:
BITS ‘N’ PIECES OF MY HEART contains stories, devotions and poetry for the adults, activities to do with your children, and fun little songs. The devotions and poetry will strongly open up your faith walk to more of God’s light. Doing the fun activities and singing little songs with your children will bring smiles to everyone’s heart.
Colleen appreciates the kind reception her book has received. It is available on your favorite online bookstore site.
From John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”
Witnessing distant light
Christ in Bethlehem born
Journey makes way toward cross
Thorns of man’s transgressions worn
Raising light, seeing grace
Father’s love bears His Son
Calvary moves from shadows
Hope’s fulfillment shall be done
Marking truth’s difference
Faith’s Messiah shows up
Destiny’s light serves pardons
Mercy flows from Heaven’s cup
Leaving days of darkness
God’s blueprint marks Christ’s way
Man’s sinful spirit transformed
Light nourishes peace each day
Exchanging world’s sorrows
Savior’s forgiving light
Every iniquity paid
Redemption’s dynamic flight
From John 3:19-21: “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
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.'”
Darkness, evil abound
Our Champion arrives
Freeing chained hearts with praise
Faith growing in our lives
Graced by shed blood of Christ
Facing every hour
Wisdom, courage unite
Strongest bonds of power
Standing as God’s people
Walking as peacemakers
Sowing seeds from His faith
Harvest Glory’s acres
Christ’s journey lights His way
Centered on His people
Calling us, step forward
Blessed Cross, our steeple
Jesus’ pierced hands of change
Steady feet meet life’s quest
Lasting voice for justice
Renewing lives, each test
Glory fills God’s Kingdom
From His Heaven above
Nothing stops living grace
Salvation’s gift, free love
You are invited to sing or follow the lyrics of this blessed hymn, “God of Grace and God of Glory.”
Originally published February, 2021.
Big Sky Buckeye 