Come ... Follow the Light

It’s dark outside
and too within  your heart
bleakness extends
fearful of what lies beyond

You have given yourself to the one
who died in your place
You profess to be His
a follower of Christ

Yet you struggle
The path you trod seems
to be all uphill
and the concerns of life
cause you to stumble

The darkness comes
The darkness goes
and in it and through it
we are afraid
We have lost our way
and don’t know the way to go

But God knows
He knows every step taken,
every thought,
every word spoken
He sees our every need,
our every struggle

He extends His hand
and says,
Come…

Return to Me my child.
Your burden is heavy.
Walk with Me,
Talk with Me.

The Light you seek
is Me. Follow Me.
Your burden is heavy.
But with Me, the burden is light.
My Word will guide you.

Come. Follow the Light.

September 1, 2012

God came in love, not hate

Christ did not come
to destroy life

God did not send
His Son to live among us
to promote evil and hatred

Christ did come to destroy sin

God did send His Son
to live among us
to become the means
through which the living being
can and would be saved
from eternal condemnation
to eternal life

Christ came in love.

We, as His followers

align ourselves with Him

We receive instructions
for daily living
through His word.

We strive to live and walk
in love toward all, as Christ

We do not promote sin

Since God’s Holy Word says
the unrighteous will not inherit
the Kingdom of God,
we , His followers
strive to show another the error
of pursuing that which comes against
your body.

Not because of hate.
But out of love.

Love for every one
Hate for the sin

Hate for the action taken

The act,  The sin

 of 

pride

of self-centeredness

of malice

of extortion

of idolatry

of drunkenness

of envy

of lustful pleasure

of adultery

of homosexuality

of temptation
of jealousy
of impure thoughts
of hostility
of continuous outbursts of anger
of participation in demonic activities
are but a few.

Following the desires of your sinful nature
is a guarantee you will not inherit the
Kingdom of God.

However,

If
we have turned away from these things
and turned to God
If
we have been called to live in freedom -
freedom to serve one another in love
If

we live according to our new life in Him
to The Holy Spirit’s leading
in every part of our lives

  

we will produce
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control.

Only one wrong,
one unrighteous person
is enough to infect
all the others
and come against
one who stands with Christ

If we, who abide in Christ,
 stand together united,
perhaps it will be evident
and you will see
God’s plan for you
in how we live and walk.

© August  23 / 25, 2012

Poetry Book printed

Front and back cover of
"The Still Small Voice of God"

"The Still Small Voice of God," a book of devotional poetry by Cathy Orrick Luders has been printed and is ready for purchase. Cost is $6.00 plus an additional $2.29 if you would like it shipped.

Please send name, address, number of books you'd like to purchase and total cost to Window To Christian Ministries, 1453 Golfview Dr. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.

If you live in the Cedar Rapids area and would like to pick up your book (s) or have them delivered, please email me at windowtochristianministries@gmail.com
 
Thank you.

Anxious to please

We are anxious – not for perceptions
 of having to do this or that
but for want, desire
Free to be open to the needs
of our every neighbor
Free to see beyond ourselves
Free to see beyond
shades of gray
and into the light
where Christ,
in whom we seek completeness,
dwells.

We seek, yet we refuse
Christ is The One
yet we fail to recognize Him
we fail to recognize
needs all around us
we fail to recognize,
fail to comprehend,
fail to understand

He is the one who gives us
strength and endurance
to go on
He is the one who embraces
us, calms our inner fears,
is loving and merciful,
filled with compassion
in our distress

He is the one who protects us,
guides us, instructs us
as we travel the roads of life,
endless steps that often
seem to go nowhere.
He is the one who judges
and punishes us
to return us to Him
when we have sinned,
when we have come against

Him, who knows far better
than us what  we ourselves need.

He is The One.

To Him we owe our love
and obedience and trust
Not because we have to,
but because we want to,
we desire to
We are anxious to please Him.
We belong to Him.

He is My Savior
I am His child.

© August 22, 2012   

Be awake, alive ... or be dead

Being awake, alive,

Living

Seeing ,  Watching
Hearing,  Listening
Loving His world
yet compassionate
of those suffering
the spoken and
unspoken
petitions made

Not living in a world
of illusions
that all is fine
all will be better
when…
if …

It is
God’s world
inhabited by
sinners
lost … on a widely-traveled road to nowhere specific
and
found … on a narrow path to grace

Awake
not as from a restful sleep
or on one of constant turning
but as being
fully aware
of whose world it is
who lives in the world
what evolves in the world

Awake
to the inner calling
of God
upon us
searching
beseeching  us to answer
yay
or
nay

Come or don’t come
But I AM
My preference
My Child
is for you to come
Come and rest
Come and be refreshed,
renewed
Come and see
all I have
blessings untold
Or
be damned

Don’t come

Follow the paths you are currently on
Ignore the signs
Receive blow upon blow
The judgment will be delivered
and your demise
will not be upon Me.

Be awake
Be alive
Be living

or
Be dead

Give God the glory!

© August 16, 2012

It doesn't depend on me, except

It doesn’t depend on me
except to do the will
of my Father
to be obedient
to His command
to trust in His
very word
His every promise
to believe He is
who He says
by what He has done
and what He is doing
and what He will continue to do

It doesn’t depend on me
beyond this –
for it depends on another
The Lord Himself

It is He
who will fire us up
to extend a welcoming
hand or embrace

He will enable us
to be as Him,
showing us the way
when He lived among us
when He became one of us.

To be as Him,
but not Him

He is The One
There is One Truth -- He is The Son of God
There is One Savior -- Jesus is The Only Way
to salvation, to eternal life

There is One Basic Reason – Sin,
and that makes us guilty of judgment
There is One Solution – To die,
but Jesus took our place

He went to the cross,
He gave His life for ours

He loved us and loves us still so much
He died for us

He is The One
It does depend.

But I owe Him
my obedience
my trust
my faith
my life
my love

© August 15, 2012

I remember the eyes

I remember the eyes

So piercing

So quiet

So painful

So tired

So hopeful
So filled with love

I  remember how little of his life I really knew
But his eyes said all I needed to know

For this time
and this place

I remember the eyes

His eyes

No longer present,
but gone

We no longer see
the piercing look
the quietness
the pain and tiredness
But it is there

He is not here
but the eyes
they remain

Forever etched in our memory

© August 13, 2012 

Do you know ... all human life is valued

All human life is valued
and is valuable

The problem lies
with those
who determine
value belongs
only to a select few
Value is in the mind
and you think of reasons
-- made without reason --
to end a life
perhaps an unwanted pregnancy
or incurable disease
a mental illness
the destitute and lonely
the color of our skin
religious affiliations
our beliefs
the very old
You determine
who should live
and who should die
who is valuable
who is useless

Who are you?
You have determined
you are of value
because of who
you think you are
who you believe
you are
and you stand tall and proud
with bias and demeaning words
to another
you are the ruler

Are you?

You are not
any more
or any less
than another

You are valued
but not because of what you do
or what you can do
But because of
God.

All human life is valued
has value
God created
He continues to create
and in His time
life ends

God sustains
He gives us food to eat
water to drink
vehicles to travel about
lodging to keep us warm and dry
and in His time
all is removed

God redeems
He sent His Son
to live among us
to show us the way
to eternal life
His Son - Jesus Christ
sent to die
in our place
in your place
for our sins
because of love

Yes, you are highly valued
you were created
in His image
all were created
in God's image
and in His time,
the opportunity
to turn your live
around and over to Him
is gone.

Do you know
you are a sinner ... that you have messed up?

(Romans 3:23 NLT -- "For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.")

Do you know
as a result of your sinning ways, you deserve to be punished?

(Romans 6:23 -- "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.")

Do you know
sin not only results in physical death, but also eternal separation from God?

Do you know
The Good News ... that God sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins?

(Romans 5:8 -- "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.")

Do you know
you can receive the gift of eternal life? Believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Turn from your sinning ways and Trust in Jesus.

(Romans 10: 9-10, 13 -- "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. For anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.")

Do you know
the gift is free

The road traveled requires trust, faith, belief.

All human life is valued

(c) August 12-13, 2012

You Are The Mighty One

You are the mighty One
We think we are
We think we know
what is best
for us and for all

But you do know
You see all there is to see
and beyond,
within our hearts
to the very core

We know nothing
in comparison to You
who IS

Even those who believe
in You
falter
at the gate

We search
but our fear of the unknown
of what might happen
overwhelms us so
and we struggle
to remember Your promises
we struggle
to keep You at the center
of our being

We see the pain
given and received
We see others
being swallowed up
in misery
The tears come
only You may see them
Silent tears
flow
and our "little" world
collapses

Our hope is less
Our doubt is more
We cry out in despair
We don't like where we are
nor where another is
We want out
We want to be whole again
We want

What do you want Lord
What are your desires Lord
Have we sunken so low
that You do not care?

No!

You have always cared
You are the almighty
You are The One
whose love brought us to You.
Your son
My Lord
My Savior
Jesus Christ
He came to live among us
to teach us
to show us the way
to abide with Him
to bring us hope
to enable our faith and trust in Him
so we can withstand all that comes our way
to believe in His promises
to shower us with blessings
to remind us of His love
to renew us again and again
to love and be loved
to give and give again
to forgive
and yet again,
to stay rooted in Your word,
to study and meditate
and to pray.

(c) August 10, 2012

He still loves us

The pain follows us

Wherever

And everywhere

We cringe under the load

Yet we feel obliged to carry it

Such stupidity

We argue

Husband and wife

Brother and brother

Sister and sister

Parents and children

We don’t listen

We say we listen

We hear what we imagine

We hear what we think we’re supposed to hear

We hear what our feelings tell us to hear

We don’t stop and pay attention

Communication gone out the window

I wonder if we ever truly learned it

Miscommunication is the way --
we’ve learned that well

Perhaps that too goes back
to the very beginning
when God created man
and woman
Everything was fine
until one quiet day
all fury burst forth
Satan strode in on his
black horse, all proud,

filled with hate for Him
who he couldn’t be

Bound and determined
to undermine Him at
every possible turn
He’d get even, he’d show
God how big he was,
how important he was,
how he could destroy
humanity with the power
of negative thinking
and undergird it with
selfish thinking.

And we would fall prey
to him.

Oh yes, Satan had it
all figured out
and us,
what do we do?

We allow him.

Such stupidity

If we could go back
back to the beginning
back to freedom
If we could just say NO
to Satan
NO to self
NO to negative thoughts
that dash our hopes
and bring us back to that
disgusting place we don’t want to be.

God gave us life

Not once, but twice
He offers us joy

And we have the gall to say no?

We refuse His love
He allowed His Son to go to the cross
for us,
for our sins

Jesus, who had no sin
He died for me

He died for you

And we say NO to Him?!

Such stupidity

Such pain and grief
our Father feels

Yet He still loves us.

(c) July 24, 2012

Are we deadened .. or are we alive

Are we deadened
to the sounds
around us
Silently they speak
Harsh too
Withdrawn into self
Fearful of stepping beyond
the perimeter of our individual circle
Small and alone
we are
We don't hear
We think no one hears us,
no one cares
and we don't care
No one steps up,
No one steps beyond
their safety net
Not even you or me
We are afraid, as they

Who will answer
Ed Ames asked
in decades gone by
No one, we think
No one, we believe
No one will answer
No one has

But we are wrong

The Lord answers
But do we hear
in the stillness
before a raging
storm brewing
within
or beyond

or do we hear
the harshness of Satan
You're right, you're right
No one cares
You'd be better off
alone
without them
You're right, they're wrong
they don't love you,
find another
they don't care
find someone who does

find another
find someone

The answer is not found
outside
The answer is not found
in Another person
Another life
More money
Bigger house
Nicer car
Nicer clothes
Better job
Better health

None of this fulfills us

The Lord
provides
what we need
when we need it
But we have to look to Him

The Lord
shows us the way
Are we paying attention
Are we listening
Are we following
Are we obeying

The Lord
seeks you
not to pull you down
not to destroy you
but to build you up
to create in you
a sense of belonging,
an aliveness

The Lord loves you
Does Satan

The Lord wants your best always
Does Satan

The Lord Jesus died for you
Did Satan
What did Satan do for you
What does Satan really do for you

Are you deadened
to the sounds

or are you alive?

(c) July 24, 2012 

What do you desire?

Anger stirred
Voices raised
The Lord dismayed

Satan gleeful
thinks he has won
thinks he has the upper hand
thinks we are doomed
to go the way he desires --
away from The Holy One

But we are not
doomed
The Lord intervenes
The Lord guides
We listen,
we desire,
yet we fear

The Lord asks,
Where is your trust
Where is your faith
Why do you hang on
to baggage
that serves no useful good
that causes you to stumble
Why do you allow
your past to remain in your present
and worse, into your future

To remember is one thing,
to keep it constant before you
another
You became a new creation
when you professed faith in Me

Why have you fallen
Why have you listened to another

I AM
I know why

I have said and say again,
Let your yes be YES
and your no NO
Not wishy-washy
Not in-be-tween
Not whatever

Either you are with Me
or you are against Me
Either you follow Me
or you follow another
Either you love Me
or you love another

You cannot have and not have
You cannot love, yet hate
the same
You are or you're not
Don't be lukewarm.

The apologies owed
belong to Me

It is Me
you ultimately
come against

You want my forgiveness?!
You must seek it
to receive it

I desire a loving relationship

with you … what do you desire? 

(c) July 23, 2012

Where is God? Where are you?

A morning read
gives pause to think,
reflect
:
“Technology is
the power
with which the earth
reaches
for human beings
and
controls them.”
Wow…

We are being ruled
The world rules us
We do not have
a one-on-one relationship
with The One
with the Lord Jesus

We do not see
the world as God’s creation,
but as something we created.

We are the controllers.
But we are not
We merely think we are
and we do our utmost
to get
what we believe
is ours, belongs to us,
at every turn

without seeking guidance
from the Lord above
without following
His instruction for our living

We die – inwardly
We are lost
and afraid
We want what once
we shared.
It is fading
Why?!

What is important
What do you do
to bring what matters more,
what matters most
back
What can you do
Where do you look
How can you feel different
How can you be
what you want to be
What are you willing to change
What are you willing to do
for  yourself
for each other
for your children
for all your loved ones
How do you respond
when you are worn out
both
working long hours
at home
or away from home
for each other
for the family
for a better life

Do you know God
Do you have an ongoing relationship
with Him
Yes, but no

Bring yourself back
Ask His forgiveness
Remember when
you accepted Him as your Lord,
your Savior
Remember when
He was your first love
Remember when
you would do anything for Him
Have you lost that
Have other things crowded Him out

He needs to remain
He is the grounding wire
He is our foundation
Our lives
past present future
depend on Him

He is our All in All
All the Time

Not when
it might appeal to us

He waits
He wants you back
He desires the relationship
He misses the relationship He once shared
with you

Where are you
You can do all things
through Him who gives
you strength

Your strength wanes
Your tiredness escalates
You say things
spout off words that bring pain
You no longer care
You want it all to end
You want peace

At what price
will you pay
to have it your way
and will it be enough
will you have the peace you crave

Where oh where
have we come
where are we going
where is God
where are you?

(c) July 17, 2012

 

The call - the answer?

God calls

In the midst of where we are
God’s messenger
The Holy Spirit
is calling us
to life
within the Christian community
of Jesus Christ
A life of
trust and faith
and obedience
A life of patience, forgiveness
and kindness
A life of hope
A life of love

We answer

Our response
may be “Yes, Lord?”
or it
may be “What now!
Be gone
I have no time for you
My life is not yours
Be gone I say
I’m doing things my way!”

The call
goes forth
God does the choosing
He has picked us personally
for a specific work
His work

And we have answered

The call
goes forth
again
and again
until
one day
He stops
He no longer calls

And although
we may now be
ready
It is too late

The call
into your heart and soul
comes

We answer

Is
a new life
begun

A Beginning

or
is
the old life
 preferred
The old well-worn path
of sin  to
The End.

 (c) July 12, 2012

Tiredness explosion ... Will you forgive me Lord?

Tiredness
explodes
within me

Through the night
I slept
awake briefly
when a phone
I heard ring
answered
but nothing more

Sleep on
to awaken
to morning light

Eyes
like dust
and glue
mingled

Achiness
swells at every
slight movement

It is
a tiredness
explosion

Can it be better?
Surely the tiredness
cannot retain
its pounding grip
on me
Surely
God will not allow it

But, alas,
He does allow
The tiredness
sinks in
and down
and I am
swallowed up
in  physical,
emotional
and even
mental pain
that worms its way
through every crevice
to be found
in and through
the day.

It was a new day
God created it
and I had places to go
and things to do
and people to see
I had to be about
my Father’s business

But,
Satan had to trip me up
and
what was bad
got worse
and dismal
and sad
and through it all
I remained oh so
very tired.

Back where I
started
this day
I am

I’m sorry Lord
I messed up
Will you forgive me?
Please help me
do better
tomorrow
and the
many morrows
after too.

 (c) July 11, 2012

There are always some ...

There are always some
who do not believe
Their unbelief
does not make God
any less faithful
does not make God’s
call of judgment
any less righteous

He is the great
I AM
Not like Houdini
who could work magic

God is no magician
He is True
He is Faithful
He is Patient
He is All-Powerful
He is Our Creator

He is Our Redeemer
He is The Alpha and The Omega

You who do not believe
in Him
and His Son
are damned

You live your life
and you die

It’s final …. But

Believers and unbelievers alike
will face the
final judgment seat,

will hear

His  response.

We cry,
“Yes, but …”

But His answer
is adamant
Depart from Me!
I never knew you!

“Depart you cursed ones
into the everlasting fire
prepared for the Devil
and his demons”  (Matthew 25:41)

I was hungry and thirsty,
lonely and naked
I was sick
and where were you?
You didn’t provide me food
or drink
You didn’t invite me in
to fellowship
You didn’t provide me
with clothes to wear
You didn’t care for me

You denied Him

You went your own way

Eternal punishment
is your reward.

That is The End.

Believers,
deemed righteous
through the shed blood of the Lamb,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the Father,
will too stand before their maker.

“Well done thy good and faithful servant”
(Matthew 25:21)
is the Lord’s response

Eternal Life
Is your reward

And that is only The Beginning 

(c) July 9, 2012

Doubts

Doubts come

Sometimes we just pass through them 

They are fleeting

Gone within moments

Other times 

doubts come

and bring us down 

down 

down 

We clamor to get out

but the walls of 

useless

unusable

unnecessary 

keep us closed in 

No one reaches out

No one says
"Come" 

No one says
"Join the group" 

"We need you" 

And our doubts

become fears

And our fears 

lead us down a path

we don't want to follow 

yet we go 

Won't someone please! 
Lord, help me
I don't like this place 
I don't like 
these insecurities
battling within 

Where is the Light?!

And Jesus answers,
I am here, my child
I am always with you
The walls 
do not have to cave in 
and smother you 

Take my hand child, 
grasp hold
I will not let you go 
You are indispensable to me
You are mine
I love you. 

(c) July 8, 2012

Our differences can unite us

God’s image

The image of love
different in each individual

We are similar, yes
yet vastly different

It is our differences
that can unite us
or
divide us
if in word or deed
it is not in the name of Jesus
to whom we give thanksgiving and praise

Our differences
separate us
not always to destroy
not always to build up

We are created
in the image of God
the image of love

 Love
is
tender
compassionate
kind
humble
gentle
patient
forgiving
uplifting

All are created in this image

But not all follow,
not all obey
The Master

Our differences --
they do separate us
not always to destroy
not always to build up

God’s wrath strikes
when our differences
become our destruction
and our personal, unique
likes and dislikes
become the only way to live

God’s image
is not perverted
is not impure
is not greedy
is not evil
is not hateful
is not divided

Our differences
the color of our skin
the shape of our body
the social or economic conditions of our land
age
housing conditions
work climate
health

These differences can separate us
or
bring us together

Jesus came
in the midst of differences
because of love
for us all

He came to show
True Love
True Compassion
True Gentleness
True Patience
True Forgiveness

He came to offer you
Salvation
Eternal Security
Hope forevermore

He died for you
He gave His life
He paid the price

Yet He lives!

and so can you

In the Image of God

Love.

July 7, 2012

Unity brings peace

Only through Jesus are we bound to each other
do we find unity
togetherness
a life of loving and serving
as one

Without Him
we are tripped up
stuck in our personal egos
becoming despondent;
we are deceived,
wary, uncertain
of the true way to go.

We need each other -
Christian brother
Christian sister
speaking the word of God
acting upon God's command
in love, with love
so there will be no discord
only peace.

(c) July 4, 2012

To you, with love

He loves you

He chose you
for your beauty
He sees
your fears and insecurities
your longings
your desires and dreams
your agonies
  past mistakes
 present heartbreak
future ones to come
Yet
He loves you
He cherishes you
He brings you to him
united forever

He soothes your brow
enfolds you with loving embrace
shields you from painful word and action
that come against

He surrounds you
with Truth
goodness
love and joy
and peace

He begs you to turn away
from the evil one
who seeks to destroy
your life
yourself
your husband
your family
your unit
your love for each other

He loves you
He doesn’t waiver.
Isn’t it enough?
He loves you
He chose you
He united you
He is with you
He is waiting
for you
for you and he
to come,
to realize
there is much to be and do
much to hold on it
much to build up together
He desires
a relationship
not separate from each other
but a union with Him
a Oneness. 

(c) July 2, 2012