Prayer and responsible action

“Our being Christian today will consist in only two things – in praying and in doing justice among people.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Are we ready to take on this responsibility
or do we allow government to be and do all
Do we just sit back and let the government
run our lives
Do we just complain about the government

OR

Do we take on Christian values
Do we live morally
Do we live responsibly
Are we ready for action
Do we pray
and meditate
seeking answers from The One
who is our answer
and follow through
obedient to His every command?

“Restore us O God
Cause Your face to shine
Restore us
Return, we beseech You
Revive us
Restore us O Lord God of hosts;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved!”  (from Psalm 80)

(c) November 11, 2012

I say I'll ...

I say I'll go to the doctor
I say I'll wait until later,
when the appropriate time is here
I say I'll ask about
this and that
and question whether tests
should be done

I say I'll ...
I will

But what about now
What about this moment
this time
God's presence is here
surrounding me

I say He is all sufficient
I say He gives comfort
and is compassionate
I say He guides me
along the way

I say ...
but

I missed
I failed
I didn't recognize

I say I'll go and do ...
but first
I must bow down ...

and pray.

(c) November 4, 2012 

Choose ... Believe ... His Love

failure to thrive
we die

failure to believe God's unfailing love
we die

death surrounds us
within and out

There is death
We don't know how to live!

it is sin
it is sickness
it is disturbing
we feel it
we think about it
yet we don't understand it
we don't recognize the problem
for what it truly is

we remain burdened
trapped within our bodies
and our minds
unable to break free
and get past
our hurts, our anxieties,
our unbelief

For God so loved the world
the world of you and me
the world of people burdened
and lost, roaming here
and there, seeking,
searching for love

It is there, here
in our midst

God has said it
We must turn away from all
that comes against us and
turn to The One who brings us
truth and hope and love

and believe.

The freshness of life
and goodness
cascading upon us

Christ overcame the darkness
to bring us to the light
because of God's love
given
today
tomorrow
and forevermore

Choose to accept
Choose to believe
Choose to be His child
Choose to be loved
Choose to know His love

or

Choose not
and remain shackled
in the chains
of unbelief.

(c) October 29, 2012 

God's love is patient

Love
God is love
We think we know love
We think we have it
and can give it away
But our love is simplistic,
only human.

Love
God is love
Love is more than
our passion
more than compassion
for our neighbor,
our family,
our homeland

Love
is of God
He demonstrates love to us,
for us at every turn
Have we missed it

Love is
patient
God is patient
He waits for us
to turn away
from evil
and to Him
He waits for our call
He waits for our listening ear
and the questions
only He can answer

Love is patient
God is patient
God is love

We think we have come so far
in our quest
for patience
We have barely touched
the hem of His undergarment

Patience is far more
than what we have achieved,
than what we surmise

Patience – to wait,
perhaps endless years
of holding on, waiting
for one to come home,
to say “I miss you,”
“I love you,” I’m sorry.”
God does not give up.
He never strays
He is ever patient,
ever loving

Patience has come through –
for one whose heart and soul
has been released
from the grip of hell
But love is not finished
God is not finished

One soul
one heart
Millions, billions, trillions more
God is waiting for you
to come

His patience endures
He waits to rejoice
with you in your new life
with Him

God is Love
Love is God
Love is patient
God is patient

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”   (John 3:16-17)

Patience and Love

God Is.

© October 24, 2012 

Do not stray

We receive
We hear
His Word pierces our heart

We contemplate
His Word prompts us
to seek Him
to follow Him
to stay a path
of right and righteousness
of endurance and patience

The devil too
entices us
tempts us
to take the path of many
before us and long after
to turn from
His Word
His Word we heard
His Word we received
His Word that pierced
our heart, our very soul
His Word that brings new life
to an old one of deceit and despair
and death.

The Lord Jesus came
to save you
He came in love
not hate
To build up
not  tear down
Eternal everlasting love
and joy and Life
can be yours

Remember
The Word
His Word
that set you free,
your soul on fire
Remember
The Love
His Love for you
Think of the love
you have for your child
Think of the discipline
given by you for that child

The Lord Jesus loves you
and disciplines you

Do not become sucked into
the ways of the world
Do not become distant,
forgetful of God’s precious gift
to you

Do not stray from your first love

Do not allow the vision …
of your eyes and ears, mind and heart
be so fogged over you miss
God’s holiness and grace.

Do not stray

Do not become so consumed
with your current day-to-day world
that you miss all God is

His hand reaches out
Did you remove your hand, your life
from His clasp
Are you at a loss
how to get back
to where you were
when?

Ask
Seek
Find
and stay focused
Study
Meditate
Pray
and seek again
His Word
The Word of the Lord
for you.

© October 22, 2012

Turn from … turn to The Holy One

God the Father – Jesus the Son – The Holy Spirit
In the beginning
Throughout
At the final hour
Here.

Chooses His followers
but some wander
upon paths thought
to be more promising

Ridiculed, Blasphemed
Brought down to a level
thought fitting for someone
who spat lies, professed falsehoods
and tales of who
He deemed to be

Disobeyed
He set the commandments
to be followed

He set the punishment
to be passed
But we look away,
refuse to be ruled
by a higher authority.

Only when what is given
is more than
we can withstand,
do we cry out
and make claims
of allegiance to
The Holy One,
but then again,
we withdraw
and say no more, no more.

Me is more important
than a Holy God.
Me!

My wants

My desires
My reasons
My point of view
My beliefs

He still stands
He is here
For all our pushing away
and condemning
He remains.

Death could not keep Him
Satan’s power is minuscule
next to our glorious Lord
whose power is immense
He is King
He is Ruler
He knows our final destiny
He knows you

Yes, even you who know not of Him

who claim no need, no desire

Your destiny
is in the hands of a strong
and powerful God
who wields judgments
and in finality,
condemns you to sentences
of no escape.

He is loving yes
He desires you to turn
from selfish ways
to Him
who truly sets us free.

But His love,
His grace, His mercy
will not be our reward IF
He is not to whom we live.

© October 18-19, 2012

If ... You

If my aim is not to be deceitful
and my sin is acknowledged before You

You forgive and surround me
with Your love

If the instructions and teachings of You
and Your Word

penetrate my entire being
and I allow Your guidance
to be my path to follow

You surround me
with love and mercy and joy.

If You o Lord, who is trustworthy,
find me too to be trusting in You,
You are pleased
and surround me
with gladness of heart
and joy of spirit.

O Lord
My Lord
You reign
in heaven above
and here
within my heart

All glory and honor
belong to You
You are robed in majesty
The glories surround us

You alone are the most powerful

There is none other to show otherwise
You reign over the waters,
the mountains, the forests,
all and everywhere.

Your voice
we hear it in the thunder
the rushing flood waters
the splintering trees
the leaping flames of fire

and too,
in the still of the night …

when the distresses
and distractions
of the day
do not hinder us
and
all is quiet
around us.

We are alone
with You
as our tears flow
and our hearts ache.
You are there.

You reign.

You are victorious

You seek us out
in our lostness
You keep us connected
You

You

You
Most Holy God
are more

than I will ever
see or understand

But if my aim
is not to be –

If the path I take
is not of deceit,
dishonesty,
disloyalty,
disobedience,
and if my sin
is ever acknowledged
before You
You forgive me
You surround me and
protect me
with Your great love and mercy.

You are King
You are my King
My Savior
My Lord
I want to forever be
Your faithful child.

Amen.

© October 16-17, 2012

All answers found

All my answers
are found
in God’s Holy Book
from the beginning of time
when God created
earth and mankind
and the animal kingdom
to the end of time
when the Lord Jesus
returns to earth
carries His own home
avenges His loved ones
judges against those
already condemned
for unbelief.

All my answers
to my every question
spoken and unspoken
are within
The Scriptures

The history of me
and how His Word
applies to me
is found in every word written,
every i dotted, every t crossed

My history
began the moment
The Lord Jesus
became my personal Savior
for without Him
what is me
is so very incomplete.

All my answers
are there … in His Word
ready to be gleaned
and wielded

All my answers
are found in Him
and His Almighty Word
My life is in Him.

Is yours? 

October 6, 2012

a dream of questions

It is night
I am asleep

I wake
yet it is in a distant land
within my mind
and nowhere beyond

I am driving
others too
travel around me
down the highway
My eyes
forced to look up,
yet struggling to retain control
of the wheel,
I see
a plane
alone in the sky
Gold flames of fire
erupting
and parts disintegrating,
hurtling downward

I want to escape
Stop the car!
Go faster!

But I cannot find the brake
and I cannot go faster
There is only one speed
It is constant
and before me
the flames

I travel on.
In the distance
in formation
jets
like birds heading south

Other planes
descending,
spiraling downward.

I wake.
It is morning.

But I question …
What does it mean?
Is it war?
Is it a premonition
of things to come?
Is God showing me
something I need to know?

 

October 1, 2012

I am ready, Lord

Coming home

Lord, I’m ready

Lord, why do I remain

For what purpose
do you not send
your angels
to carry me across the threshold
into Your inner sanctum.

Lord, I am so ready.

Day and night

Minute by minute

I wait

Lord, what more do You want me to do

Who is the one
or are there many
who need a touch from me
a word of encouragement

So many have come already
So young

So very young,
even my baby boy
rests in Your loving embrace
and I
I am here
on the other side of heaven
on earth, biding my time

Oh Lord,
when will it be my time
to come home

It is not for me to know
Only You Lord know the time for all things
In Your time we take our
first breath and also our last
In Your time
the pain that clings to our bodies
will drop away
and we will feel refreshed, rejuvenated.
In Your time
the helplessness of our loved ones
as they make every effort
to keep us alive
will wash away
and in its place
we’ll find joy.

Joy does come.
We weep for a while
We weep far into the night
endlessly.

We struggle to stop the pain
of remorse and deep despair
and sadness
from coming over us
again and again.
We mourn for what we had,
for what we lost
and for what might have been.

But joy does come in the morning.

The joy of the Lord --
our loved ones, all those who have died
and reside in the bosom of our
gracious Lord and King,
free from pain
and disablements,
free to sit at the feet of Jesus
or walk by His side.

Gladness in every step,
praises in every word spoken
and song sung.
There is no place for silence,
no place for tears.

Joy has come.
The mourning of the night
has given way to a new day,
a new light.

Memories do linger.

But mourning has gone
and Joy has taken its place.

My mourning has turned to dancing
My bleakness has turned to gladness
My silence has turned to praise

There is joy

Everlasting  joy

I am ready Lord.

I am ready – when You o Lord determine
it is my turn to go
and come
into Your holy presence.

Ready and waiting
and watching
anticipating a new day,
a new light.

I remain
for whatever purpose
You have determined.
I go when You say it is time.

I am indebted to You

Forever and ever.

You are my Savior.
I am Your child.

I thank You for my life. 

September 7, 2012

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