Waiting

We wait
God waits
We for His promises
said to fulfill
He to renew our motivation,
our inspiration,
our trust
in Him.

He patiently teaches
obedience
We learn
from the wrongs
we do,
the discipline
He doles out,
Father to child.

God waits for us
test after test comes
He will know
when
in all of our waiting,
we are ready
to receive
His blessings.

Our gain
His glory.

(c) July 22-23, 2017

He has all authority

You are the son, the daughter
He is the Father
For the wrongs you've done
you receive discipline
you learn obedience
as you learn
when you think on He who is,
your obedience becomes a given
your attitude changes

You are the son, the daughter
He is the Father
You owe Him your respect
your allegiance
your obedience
because of who He is
not because of who you are
or think you are

God, our most holy Father
in heaven
has all authority
yet He doesn't push it,
doesn't demand it,
doesn't tell us to do this and that
 ... or else

He gives us freedom

Will we choose wisely
and follow the path
directed by our Father

or will be choose foolishly
following a path of
self-destruction

God's blessings are the best
in all of life,
no matter what circumstances
we find ourselves drawn into.

(c) July 19, 2017

the spoken word can be cruel

It made me sad
and unwanted

cruel words
spoken
I wanted to go away
be somewhere else
For what did it matter
...
Words said
Was the meaning understood?
...
maybe not

I read
love is natural
hate is learned
I read
you never know
what impact
you'll have
on another
by what you do
or don't do.
I remember
cruel words
yelled
(when) as a teenager
(I yelled in anger)
at my mother.
I'm sure
looking back
she was sad,
disappointed.

No matter
what our age
in all of life
words spoken
to another
build up
tear down.

Sometimes
building ourselves up
is the way,
discovering
when you want to hide
there is no place
Have to keep going
Keep showing
Keep doing
Keep helping
Keep loving

Just like Jesus
hearing cruel words
bearing the brunt of every cruel deed
for what
for me
for you
because of his great love for us
he died
for us
It made His Father
sad
But He kept on
The greater good
far more important
than our own
feeling of self-worth.

(c) October 14, 2015
updated February 10, 2016

I am but His messenger

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

~ I Corinthians 2:1-5

Listen!
No so much to me
but to God
I step aside
It is He who speaks
I am but His messenger
to present, to share The Gospel
of His Son, Jesus

Listen!
Not singular words spoken
But God's word through me

I am but His messenger
It is not
my style of dress
nor how I preach
as you contemplate the message
God has given
It is not about me
I am but the messenger

There is nothing
absolute zilch about me
that opens the door of your heart
to Jesus

Only the Holy Spirit prompts you
to ask and seek
to hear and understand
to pray and believe
to trust
to come
to follow

I am but the messenger

He who loves you so much more
than life itself
He who gave His very life for your soul

Come to Him.
Trust Him.
Follow Him.
Be True to Him.
Him and Him alone.

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

July 17, 2017