He who becomes a brother to the bruised, a doctor to the despairing, and a comforter to the crushed may not actually say much. What he has to offer is often beyond the power of speech to convey. But, the weary sense it, and it is a balm of Gilead to their souls.
From 1 Peter 3:8: “Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”
From 1 Corinthians 2:4-5: “My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.”
World full of deception
Most lack understanding
Man lives with blind spirit
God’s Word seeks soft landing
Father’s knowledge revealed
Prepared with divine love
Shared through Holy Spirit
From heaven’s depths above
Man’s spirit lacks vision
Missing truth of God’s Word
Pride hinders man’s access
Spirit’s teachings transferred
Filling man’s hungry mind
Scripture’s truth, Spirit brings
Living in mind of Christ
God’s wisdom always clings
From 1 Corinthians 2:12-13: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.”
From 1 Peter 2:2-3: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
Believers searching
Seeking Father’s plan
Bible revealing
Spirit touches man
God’s blessed children
Salvation growing
Tasting His goodness
Spirit’s gifts showing
Breathing righteousness
Man’s actions molded
In likeness of Christ
Spirit’s tasks unfolded
Holy and treasured
Chosen cornerstone
Glorifying God
Spirit in Christ sown
Long ago searching
Heeding sovereign will
Now finding God’s plan
Spirit flows downhill
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.”
Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the Risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to dampen you.
From 2 Corinthians 6:3-4: “We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities.”
From Psalm 31:3-5: “You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.”
When daily life tumbles
Love and kindness arrive
Helping hand reaching out
Spirit bringing high fives
When little steps tumble
Curious toddler falls
Mother offers sweet hugs
Spirit’s love never stalls
When career takes tumble
One avenue closes
Another path opens
Spirit turns up roses
Healthy life takes tumble
Caring neighbors help out
Lending love’s blissful hands
Spirit waters our drought
Shame stings with sin’s tumble
Darkness changes to light
Jesus calls out with love
Spirit’s grace glowing bright
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.”
Nature lives forever
By her Creator’s hand
Nourishing spirit guides
Sunrise greeting each day
Life revolves ‘round her grace
Lighting earthly journey
Gentle winds bring comfort
Music from nature’s band
Breathing with its rhythm
Grassy plains stretching far
Lofty mountains border
Sharing abounding life
Beauty arrives by air
Birds of many colors
Singing nature’s chorus
Majestic trees arise
Redwoods reaching heavens
Scaling fate’s boldest heights
Creator’s view from clouds
Seeing creatures below
Serving nature’s purpose
Rivers ever flowing
Dogged spirit guiding
Reaching each shining sea
God’s time always endures
Creation spawns nature
Breathing, living, endless
Reading the Bible
Discover truth and wisdom—
God’s shadow lengthens
Walking with the Lord
Spirit enters heart and soul—
Tasting Bread of Life
Sinful nature breathes
Separates us from our God—
Jesus builds a bridge
Angry, stormy seas
Nature’s spirit at its worst
Fear of tomorrow
Across the horizon comes
Peace and love in a new light
Darker and darker
Harshest words shouting through clouds
Louder and louder
Sunshine opening these skies
God’s rainbow showing His peace
Nature’s harmony
Unbalanced and falling down
Lightning splitting peace
Sudden calmness comes to all
Rebuilding broken pieces
A Tanka is a Japanese form of poetry, which is related to its cousin Haiku. The poem uses 31 syllables covering five lines (with syllable counts following a 7, 5, 5, 7 and 7 sequence). An effective Tanka uses personification, metaphors, and similes in its construction, and it performs well in expressing a mood, a thought, or a feeling.
Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com
Cleansing from sin is to the very heights and depths of our spirit if we will keep in the light as God is in the light, and the very Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirits.
From 1 Thessalonians 5:23: “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
From Psalm 139:11-12: “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; and the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.”
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