Poem | CreatorWorship

Posts Tagged ‘Poem’

Forever Raise

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Grace, Hymns, Joy, Poem, Praise, Work of Jesus, tagged God's person and works, Hymn, Poem, Praise, Worship on December 25, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Listen closely! The heavenly messengers melodically announcing ‘High praise for the weightiness of the freshly arrived sovereign.’

You know that as “Hark the herald angels sing. Glory to the Newborn King!” My interpretation of the excellent poetry of Charles Wesley is pedantic but also calls attention to the meaning of the phrase. This hymn of the season is my favorite. I like it so much because of its dense theology. There is nothing trivial or lightly thought out about it and it demands thought to understand which raises high praise for God’s work in Christ on our behalf.

It had been my intention to discuss the “dense theology” of this beloved hymn, which I will do at another time. This morning as I contemplated its meaning other praise came to my mind. It is not so dense in content but it is of some value I hope:

Oh, that more praise were lifted up
That more souls of salvation’s cup
Would drink and raise their voice in song
Harmonize with heavenly throng

For God is worthy of all praise
Loud shouts and quiet voice we raise
That more may know His holiness
And live for Him in righteousness

A God transcendent above all
Yet stoops to save us from the Fall
His Son in flesh to recue man
Christ’s death brought life, a gracious plan

Creating all was just a start
Sustaining it in every part
Reversing corruption of sin
Those who trust Him, He now calls kin

We see His goodness in this life
Not despite but in midst of strife
We by His Spirit overcome
Submit to His rule and kingdom

All things His power and beauty show
The heavens and all things that grow
Design complex and delicate
Ever studied, how intricate

His Word reveals all we must know
To serve Him well and in Him grow
His peace and joy will through us flow
The world His praise and glory show

All our worship to God should be
From a heart that has been set free
In spirit and truth ever praise
His name and works forever raise

Pointing to the One who made, saved, and sustains

Posts Tagged ‘Poem’

Knowing You better would be such joy Deep in my heart You would peace deploy Hope springing forth in the darkest hours Purity grow as the brightest flow’rs

But sinful passions too often rule Perverse* actions make of me a fool The Spirit is quenched by my poor choice I groan within and give grief a voice

I may God pursue with heart tender By His Spirit complete surrender Daily repent, always move toward Him Extra pursuits and wayward paths trim

Worship the Father with praise and praying Hear His Word through reading and preaching Devoted to the truth where’er it leads Truth more than life that for the lost pleads

By diligence know Him and find rest Even when I am put to the test Communing with my Father and Lord By His grace growing deeper and toward

Paisley and Plaid Complimentarily clad Two who became one Someone’s daughter and son

Opposites attract Differently act Conflicts not abstract Proceed with much tact

Love is a commitment A selfless deployment Not for the faint of heart Pray from the start

It is not all pain Nor expect constant strain There are many a joy Each other to enjoy

Loneliness at bay In your heart night and day Find the other’s delight In darkness be a light

Not good to be alone God made from Adam’s bone A helper and a friend Each other love, attend

A lifelong partnership On a common trip Where paisley and plaid A reason to be glad

This poem is quite simple

Similar to a pimple

Which has really a short life

Full of passion and much strife

It causes a stir and pain

May nearly drive you insane

But soon will come to a head

Then burst, forgotten and dead

But note how it leaves a scar

The complexion ever mar

Cover it to make it small

Or accept me warts and all

Best to never have begun

From quarrels and strife you run

Better bring kindness and truth

Than discord and be uncouth

The truth I see behind my verse comes from Proverbs:

17:14 “The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.”

3:3 “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

26:17 “Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.”

15:18 “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger calms a dispute.”

See also Proverbs 6:14,19; 10:12, 13:10, 16:28, 17:1,19; 18:6,18; 20:3, 22:10, 26:21, 28:25, 29:22, 30:33. Evidently, avoiding strife and those who promote it is a valuable consideration and pursuit.

Idellete be patient and kind Industrious and diligent Faithful and studious of mind For the Faith be vigilant

As your namesake be strong in faith Bearing up under trials and loss Trust always in what the Word saith Shunning worldly pursuits as dross

Be a Joy to all who know you For the Savior live all your life Point the many to life anew May you bring unity, not strife

May God give you joy in struggle Peace in sorrow, patience each day Responsibilities juggle With power unceasingly pray

With all these things may God bless you Lightness of heart to meet each day Toughness that will carry you through Desire always to God obey

On the wall of the classroom in bold, beautiful font were the empowering words:

“turn your cants into cans and your dreams into plans”

In this life and on this path There is strife and sometimes wrath Difficulties small and great But nothing ever left to fate

We have dreams and we make plans Some have even help and fans All of your ambitions dear Wait for God’s directions clear

Paying forward, looking back Outward viewing, keep on track In your life reflect on how Before His will you may bow

The when difficulties come More than an unhappy sum Of trials and loss and joys ban They are part of His good plan

Before this most recent seasonable cold snap we had a strangely warm period. The appearance and feel was of a different season.

Storm the beaches Drop from the sky Normandy’s far reaches Every angle try

Rain of bullets Take cover or die Blood is freedom’s droplets Shed in full supply

Wrench from tyrants All sorts of slaves All that conscience supplants Against reason raves

Surge forward now Pill boxes defeat Start liberation now Rescue not complete

Push over fields Free every town Freedom to no man yields Made them renown

Always has been Good and evil fight Freedom will at last win Wrong bow to right

I am not who I will become Or who I should be But I am not who I once was Jesus changes me

Each day I choose for right or wrong Reaping what you see By His grace I can do what’s right Jesus sets me free

Today I’m here, tomorrow there God knows where I’ll be Best not fret or scheme or worry Jesus directs me

I awoke this morning with a number of thoughts rolling around in my mind. Of the ones that rose to the top, I skimmed off the following in a poem that came fairly quickly:

Running fast was once a thing But now I have grown old Working ’til the break of dawn But now I early fold

Once I walked with heavy pack Many miles in a day Now I sit in rocking chair Recalling hard won play

Recovery was quick then Endurance that would last Injury slight problem when Healing would come so fast

Now there is strength in wisdom Knowing when best to stop Working smarter not harder No need to be on top

Much there is I’ve yet to learn New vistas I would see But lack of energy Means that I am not free

My good days are not done yet Though now I slow the pace My hope is not in sprinting But finishing the race

If it were in my own strength Long since I would have failed For God is my provision Or long since I’d have bailed

As life begins to wind down Vigor begins to wane Glimpses I see of heaven Through a dimly lit pane

One day before God I’ll dance I’ll sing and serve and praise In His strength forever there His glories I will raise

My short poem that resulted from these thoughts took a turn from my consideration of the project I did. I don’t know if they quite correlate, but I think the thoughts in the poem are worth considering.

Business on parade Corporate charade Self-importance stance Condescending glance

All dressed to impress Picture of success Lean and hungry look Sales castling rook

Off to war we go Corporate G.I. Joe Competition war Watch our profits soar

Take seriously Capitalist free Make a better place Of our world and race

Bosses all are we We work for a fee All cogs in the wheel We stagger and reel

Get on the bus That’s left even us Once to camp and play Now late at work stay

Thus we bid adieu Commitments renew Now hard on the track Taking business flak

My students were preparing to take their big semester test. Besides trying to calm some of their nerves and instill confidence, I also wanted to persuade them to not rush either for reasons of nerves or apathy. After my little speech, this poem began to come to me.

Take your time Please don’t hurry Do it right Don’t end in a flurry

Patience now ‘Tis a virtue Hand to plow Follow through

Carefully Wisely proceed Clearly see Then the deed

Measure twice Cut but once Planned it thrice Prevention’s ounce

Knowing You better would be such joy
Deep in my heart You would peace deploy
Hope springing forth in the darkest hours
Purity grow as the brightest flow’rs

But sinful passions too often rule
Perverse* actions make of me a fool
The Spirit is quenched by my poor choice
I groan within and give grief a voice

I may God pursue with heart tender
By His Spirit complete surrender
Daily repent, always move toward Him
Extra pursuits and wayward paths trim

Worship the Father with praise and praying
Hear His Word through reading and preaching
Devoted to the truth where’er it leads
Truth more than life that for the lost pleads

By diligence know Him and find rest
Even when I am put to the test
Communing with my Father and Lord
By His grace growing deeper and toward

Paisley and Plaid
Complimentarily clad
Two who became one
Someone’s daughter and son

Opposites attract
Differently act
Conflicts not abstract
Proceed with much tact

Love is a commitment
A selfless deployment
Not for the faint of heart
Pray from the start

It is not all pain
Nor expect constant strain
There are many a joy
Each other to enjoy

Loneliness at bay
In your heart night and day
Find the other’s delight
In darkness be a light

Not good to be alone
God made from Adam’s bone
A helper and a friend
Each other love, attend

A lifelong partnership
On a common trip
Where paisley and plaid
A reason to be glad

Idellete be patient and kind
Industrious and diligent
Faithful and studious of mind
For the Faith be vigilant

As your namesake be strong in faith
Bearing up under trials and loss
Trust always in what the Word saith
Shunning worldly pursuits as dross

Be a Joy to all who know you
For the Savior live all your life
Point the many to life anew
May you bring unity, not strife

May God give you joy in struggle
Peace in sorrow, patience each day
Responsibilities juggle
With power unceasingly pray

With all these things may God bless you
Lightness of heart to meet each day
Toughness that will carry you through
Desire always to God obey

In this life and on this path
There is strife and sometimes wrath
Difficulties small and great
But nothing ever left to fate

We have dreams and we make plans
Some have even help and fans
All of your ambitions dear
Wait for God’s directions clear

Paying forward, looking back
Outward viewing, keep on track
In your life reflect on how
Before His will you may bow

The when difficulties come
More than an unhappy sum
Of trials and loss and joys ban
They are part of His good plan

Storm the beaches
Drop from the sky
Normandy’s far reaches
Every angle try

Rain of bullets
Take cover or die
Blood is freedom’s droplets
Shed in full supply

Wrench from tyrants
All sorts of slaves
All that conscience supplants
Against reason raves

Surge forward now
Pill boxes defeat
Start liberation now
Rescue not complete

Push over fields
Free every town
Freedom to no man yields
Made them renown

Always has been
Good and evil fight
Freedom will at last win
Wrong bow to right

I am not who I will become
Or who I should be
But I am not who I once was
Jesus changes me

Each day I choose for right or wrong
Reaping what you see
By His grace I can do what’s right
Jesus sets me free

Today I’m here, tomorrow there
God knows where I’ll be
Best not fret or scheme or worry
Jesus directs me

Running fast was once a thing
But now I have grown old
Working ’til the break of dawn
But now I early fold

Once I walked with heavy pack
Many miles in a day
Now I sit in rocking chair
Recalling hard won play

Recovery was quick then
Endurance that would last
Injury slight problem when
Healing would come so fast

Now there is strength in wisdom
Knowing when best to stop
Working smarter not harder
No need to be on top

Much there is I’ve yet to learn
New vistas I would see
But lack of energy
Means that I am not free

My good days are not done yet
Though now I slow the pace
My hope is not in sprinting
But finishing the race

If it were in my own strength
Long since I would have failed
For God is my provision
Or long since I’d have bailed

As life begins to wind down
Vigor begins to wane
Glimpses I see of heaven
Through a dimly lit pane

One day before God I’ll dance
I’ll sing and serve and praise
In His strength forever there
His glories I will raise

Business on parade
Corporate charade
Self-importance stance
Condescending glance

All dressed to impress
Picture of success
Lean and hungry look
Sales castling rook

Off to war we go
Corporate G.I. Joe
Competition war
Watch our profits soar

Take seriously
Capitalist free
Make a better place
Of our world and race

Bosses all are we
We work for a fee
All cogs in the wheel
We stagger and reel

Get on the bus
That’s left even us
Once to camp and play
Now late at work stay

Thus we bid adieu
Commitments renew
Now hard on the track
Taking business flak

Take your time
Please don’t hurry
Do it right
Don’t end in a flurry

Patience now
‘Tis a virtue
Hand to plow
Follow through

Carefully
Wisely proceed
Clearly see
Then the deed

Measure twice
Cut but once
Planned it thrice
Prevention’s ounce

When you’re done
As you should
Quite the run
It was good

The first advent we celebrate
As babe in flesh we can relate
Without a sin He lived His life
Through all temptation, pain, and strife

Miracles He performed with ease
Controlling nature as He please
To His deity these pointed
And with the Spirit anointed

Taught us of the Father’s kindness
Of religious leader’s blindness
God’s kingdom come in hearts of men
Of wrath to come, the cost of sin

His most amazing, gracious toil
His death that sin and death did foil
For those who believe and submit
Eternal life He will commit

He rose from the grave on day three
From sin’s power He set us free
Now we serve Him with joy and peace
Seeking for others sweet release

He returns that glorious day
His mighty power on display
The dead are raised to life anew
Trailing the Master in full view

So with Him forever to reign
His was the price, ours is the gain
With joyful hearts we’ll worship Him
The saints singing eternal hymn

In His life and death is our hope
Eternal in extent and scope
What assurance it is to know
The One from Whom all blessings flow