Category: Poetry

It is easy to rejoice and be glad
In God’s giving provisional ways.
But how much will we rejoice,
When His provision is to take away?

Trust is tested by circumstances
That drive us to question His love.
It is in these moments of confusion
That He tells us His grace is enough.

For without our pain and suffering,
Our fellowship in Him is incomplete.
For that is the price He paid for us.
To conquer death and be redeemed.

Faith can be a sweet and simple thing
When life goes as we expect and plan.
But when the rug is pulled out from us,
It is only then we come to understand.

That His promises as Savior and Lord
Become fulfilled and believably real.
Bridging the gap between His truth,
And the lies coming from how we feel.

This forces us to ask tough questions
That challenge our human perspectives.
Learning both His thoughts are not ours,
And His sovereign good will’s directives.

Despite our inadequacy and failures,
We are commanded to keep the faith.
We then learn it is not what we do,
But what He does in love and grace.

This is why when He tells us to walk,
Solely by faith and not by our sight.
For in our lonely and darkest times,
He’s revealed as our Friend and Light.

Therefore, I beseech you precious child
To trust in the command to not be afraid.
For God will always be your hope and rock
Out on the deep waters of real faith.

So many years ago
I confessed and prayed
The reality of my condition
And the errors of my ways.

I lifted my shameful head
And gazed into the sky.
Not knowing what to expect,
But the status quo must die.

Then the Father of Lights
Unveiled the Prince of Peace.
The Spirit cradled my soul
And made my blind eyes see.

He showed me a different love
Of undeserved forgiveness.
Undeniable proof at the cross -
A sacrificial and faithful witness.

He’s revealed His character -
Especially in suffering and pain.
Giving a peace and a hope
That’s impossible to explain.

Even after all these years
Of my rebellion and pride,
He’s been true to His promise
Of never leaving my side.

Forgive me for my selfishness,
And thank You for Your grace.
Help me to fully surrender
To the wisdom of Your ways.

May the world see that Your love
Is what they all truly need.
Your truth provides a foundation
We can stand on and believe.

So, my God, please put to use
That prayer made years ago.
May the changes You’ve made
Reveal a God who can be known.

Thank You for not giving up
On Your flawed adopted son.
I look forward to serving You
Until I come before Your Son. 

What’s behind the clouds in the sky
That makes them move and shift?
Causing them to gather and darken
Or upon the breezes float and drift.

The storms that come from clouds
Can make us fearful and nervous.
But they provide shade and water
Proving they serve a good purpose.

With the sun breaking through in rays,
Is that a sign of hope from above?
Causing us to think and wonder
That Someone is watching in love?

Non-believers will say it’s all science,
And cite the process and the way.
If they thought about that response,
Shouldn’t there be a Scientist in play?

Perhaps the clouds’ greatest design
Is to cause us to look to the skies.
Instead of casting our heads down,
Defeated by depression and lies.

For behind the clouds is the Designer
Who dreamt them up from nothing.
And created them as clear proof
That He’s a God of creative loving.

He sees the beauty in their variation,
And the provisional purpose they serve.
He looks at us in the same loving way
With adoration and supreme worth.

So, when you doubt His existence,
Or that you think you’re never enough,
The God who designed those clouds
Designed you for beauty and love.

Self-righteous gavels in one hand,
And Satan’s pitchfork in the other.
It never ceases to amaze me
What we will do to one another.

We point our crooked fingers
In judgment and condemnation.
With no knowledge of the pain
That unveils the explanation.

Of the behavior that is hurtful
From the wounds of our youth.
Festering in the absence of
God’s mercy, grace, and truth.

We rail against those who hate.
But isn’t that hate as well?
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Just two versions of earthly hell.

Yet God is sitting on His throne,
No doubt with tears in His eyes.
Watching us self-destruct
Ignoring His offer of new life.

Through His only begotten Son
Who proved His love for all.
When He looked at our worst,
He still chose to answer the call.

To make forgiveness possible
Was His objective at the cross.
Giving hope to the hopeless,
And a safe home to the lost.

Do you feel the conviction?
If you do, will you repent?
God prefers love and forgiveness.
As this is why Jesus was sent.

So, believer and non-believer,
What will you choose to do?
Bring judgment or offer love?
Remember what God chose for you.

Moments spiral into memories
Faster as life’s pace accelerates.
Then they vanish into the abyss
As our minds age and degenerate.

Why are we all in such a hurry
To get to the next breaking news?
The lessons and the wisdom
Of the present we miss and lose.

To stay current and relevant -
To follow where the winds blow.
Will cost missing the blessings
Our frail faith needs to grow.

Too much focus on tomorrow
Leads to the ignoring of today.
All our pain and suffering
Blind the goodness in the day.

For it is in the here and now
Where we find God’s presence.
Who has an eternal perspective
And a provisional true message.

A message of redemptive love
Proven by His blood on the cross.
Sacrificial pursuit from a desire
To save the lonely and the lost.

It is difficult to imagine and trust
What we can’t hear or even see.
Inspection of design in creation
Reveals a Designer we can believe.

But we must take the time,
And opt to slow down the pace.
To see the truth of His love,
And the evidence of His grace.

The question for each of us
Are we truly willing to try?
Or will we let His gift of life
Just keep passing us by?

When Jesus said, “It is finished,”
He unlocked salvation’s door.
To open it is to believe.
Nothing else. Nothing more.

All your work and efforts won’t
Make God love you anymore.
To please Him is to just believe.
Nothing else. Nothing more.

When the storms of this life,
Crash upon your heart’s shore.
He alone will be your peace.
Nothing else. Nothing more.

Or the chronic pain deepens
Making it impossible to ignore.
Healing will come through Him.
Nothing else. Nothing more.

Should you stumble and fall -
Succumbing to Satan’s roar.
For when sin is at its greatest,
His grace abounds all the more.

His love is deeper than the seas.
You are someone He adores.
By faith He will refresh you
Through His love to your core.

Forgiveness applies to every sin -
Today’s, the future’s and before.
His grace through faith redeems.
Nothing else. Nothing more.

So, be at rest, oh beloved one.
You’re His child whom He adores.
Life is fullest in His presence.
Nothing else. Nothing more.

Life is hard, and the
Pain keeps mounting.
All of the offenses
Are beyond counting.

Then the walls go up,
And bitterness sets in.
Bridges get burned,
So, no one can get in.

If you look in the mirror,
This life you’ve chosen -
Solitary confinement
Is this path’s conclusion.

But God never meant for
Life to be lived alone.
He proved this when He
Rolled away the stone.

Giving hope for the light
Like a rolled-away stone.
Believing His forgiveness.
He never leaves you alone.

Resurrection power gives us
Power to do the possible.
Like extending forgiveness
To the offenders plausible.

The power of His forgiveness
Leads you to a better place.
Walking with Him on a path
Paved with mercy and grace.

And the promises of His word
Make His love to be known.
He’s a God who can be trusted
And never leaving you alone.

Haunted by the dense fog of my past
Brings fear of the approaching night.
This is no way to live.
Something’s gotta give.
Am I just sentenced to a losing fight?

So, I went for a walk in the city park.
And found a bench empty and alone.
Sat down and gazed.
Then I started to pray
To whom or to what I didn’t know.

A disheveled man came upon me.
He could see the tears in my eyes.
He gently sat down
Without making a sound.
And asked me what was my plight?

I had never seen this man before,
But His eyes told me he truly cared.
Where do I begin
With what lies within
To a Man who came out of nowhere?

Before I could share a single word,
He moved closer and held my hand.
On His was a scar - 
Weathered and marred,
And He said to me, “I understand.”

Those words meant I wasn’t alone
And shook me to my soul’s foundation.
“Hope does exist
If you don’t resist
My offer of forgiveness and salvation.”

Something told me this hope was real.
The darkness gave way to a coming light.
The burdens of yore.
Once impossible to ignore.
Faded into the shadow of a coming light.

I asked the man what His name was.
He said, “The Way, the Truth, the Life.”
If you will follow Me
My love you’ll surely see,
By being born again with a new life.”


As I considered this amazing offer,
I thought what do I have to lose?
Keep living in the past,
Or accept a new path
His love for made it easy to choose.

What kind of look do you think
Would be on God’s face
Should you suddenly go before
Him in that heavenly place?

Would it be that of a professor?
Judging solely by your grades.
Ignoring the things done well -
Focusing only on your mistakes?

Or would it be that of a judge?
Slamming down a gavel of blame.
Cementing the guilt of the past.
Shackling you with future shame.

Are you willing to receive the truth
Of what the Bible has to say?
Noah found in the Lord’s eyes
Was a look of loving grace.

Do you not understand this?
You are His beloved creation.
Indifference is not in His heart.
Give the cross an examination.

He looked at your life of sin
And could of chose condemnation.
Yet from a place of devoted love,
He gave His life for your salvation.

If you choose to believe this truth,
You, too, will find the same grace.
Should you go before His throne
You will see a smile on His face.

Remember this as you walk -
Moving forward through the day.
He’s walking right beside you
Watching with the eyes of grace.

Who am I to ask for anything
Beyond Your abundant provision?
Beyond Your amazing grace
That allowed me to be forgiven

Of every sin I’ve committed,
And all the ones that are to come.
That were paid for on the cross
By Your only begotten Son.

Yet, You encourage me to ask,
So, I humbly approach Your throne.
The one thing I request, my Lord.
Is to make Yourself more known

To a heart that keeps wandering.
Like a sheep from its Shepherd.
Keep Your promise to hold on
And never let me go untethered.

Thanks be to Your Holy Spirit.
Who reminds me what is true.
My identity is no longer my past
But a free creation made new.

So, here am I, my beloved God.
To serve at Your good pleasure.
Let my life spent glorifying You
Be the only basis of my measure.

I don’t know what that looks like,
So, Jehovah Jireh lead the way
On Your path of righteousness
May I faithfully always stay.

Until You return on that great day,
Or choose to call me home,
May Your love flow through me
To make the truth of You known.