Poetry

Good and Beautiful God

/ The Pastor

Holy God,
Good and Beautiful,
help me to know you better;
help me to see your holiness,
that I may strive to serve you better.

Holy God,
Good and Beautiful,
help me to love you more;
help me to see your children better,
that them I may adore.

Holy God,
Good and Beautiful,
help me draw closer to you;
help me to learn your holy law,
for to you glory and honor is due.

Holy God,
Good and Beautiful,
help me to savor your grace;
help me forgive my neighbor more,
that them I may embrace.

Holy God,
Good and Beautiful,
help me…
for it is you I want to please,
and You I want to see.

The Pastor -|—

God of Peace

/ The Pastor

God of peace,

Unpeace is something I do not desire.
Conflict is something that wears on me.
Discord is something the brings me down.

Oh God, bring me peace.

Waves batter against me.
Storms rage all about me.
Satan is working overtime around me.

Oh God, bring me peace.

People speak evil about me.
People plot against me.
People seek my demise.

Oh God, bring me peace.

Amidst the unrest it is tempting to take matters into my own hands.
Amidst the unrest it is tempting to lose the faith.
Amidst the unrest it is tempting to give up.

Oh God, bring me peace.

But then I remember that You have never promised peace
in this world.
You never promised that the road would be
easy.
You never promised to dismantle the storms
in my life.

You promised peace.
You gave Jesus.

So…

 Amidst the unpeace,
in this world.
Amidst the conflict,
in this world.
Amidst the discord,
in this world.

May I always know the peace of Jesus,
within.

God of peace,
I praise you.

The Pastor -|—

Oh God, You are…

/ The Pastor

Oh God,
You are the God of the past.
You are the God of the present.
You are the God of the future.
You are the God of my everything and for all time.

Oh God,
You hold me securely.
You hold me lovingly.
You hold me faithfully.
Therefore I shall never fear and tremble before this world.

Oh God,
You are present with me in the bad times.
You are present with me in the good times.
You are present with me in all times,
and therefore You are to be praised always and forever.

Oh God,
You reign over uncertainty.
You are faithful despite my anxiety.
You are calming in my anxiousness.
You are healing.

Oh God, You are many things,
and therefore,
all praise to You.

The Pastor -|—

Sweet Malachi

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Malachi, sweet Malachi,
today you are one;
growing up fast;
putting a smile on our face every single day,
and touching our hearts along the way.

Malachi, sweet Malachi,
it’s hard to believe, though,
that one year ago
we didn’t know you existed
but God did, and that’s what matters.

Malachi, sweet Malachi,
and even though we weren’t there when you were born,
God was there and that’s what matters,
and even though we weren’t the first to hold you,
God was the first to hold you and that’s what matters too.

Malachi, sweet Malachi,
you may not carry our DNA,
or look similar to us,
but you are our son, forever and ever,
but what matters even more is that you are a child of God.

Malachi, sweet Malachi,
one year ago you entered the world,
to make Mayah a big sister,
and mommy and daddy happy parents of two.
And we love you, sweet Malachi.

Malachi, sweet Malachi,
today we praise God for you,
for bringing you into our lives.
Today is your birthday and
so we shout “Happy birthday” and “God is great”.

Happy first birthday, our sweet Malachi.

The Pastor (Daddy) -|—

Prepare the Soil

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Prepare the soil of my heart,
Lord,
prepare the soil of my heart
as the seed of Your Word is sown.

Satan lurks,
as a bird waiting for the grain truck
in order to snatch away any stray seeds.
Satan lurks,
as a prowling lion waiting for prey
in order to devour an unsuspecting soul.
Satan lurks,
as a thief scoping out a house
in order to rob it of it’s treasure.

Prepare the soil of my heart,
Lord,
prepare the soil of my heart
as the seed of Your Word is sown.

The world entices,
as a forbidden lover
looking to steal away someone’s love.
The world entices,
as a wolf in sheep’s clothing
looking to deceive unto death.
The world entices,
as a desert mirage
only to provide sand to quench a dry mouth.

Prepare the soil of my heart,
Lord,
prepare the soil of my heart
as the seed of Your Word is sown.

For…

Jesus saves,
that’s it.
Jesus saves.

So…

Prepare the soil of my heart,
Lord,
prepare the soil of my heart
as the seed of Your Word is sown.

The Pastor -|—

The Future

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

The future lurks.
It lurks like that boogie man from childhood stories.
The future stalks.
It stalks like those scary Stephen King creatures.
The future waits.
It waits like a predator eyeing it’s prey.

The future is coming,
and all we can do is
wait and
wait and
wait…

And it’s scary,
the not knowing,
being out of control,
not being able to plan and
anticipate and
prepare.

But that’s how the future likes it.
It wants you scared so it can control
you.

But God says, “Fear not”
But I say, “The future is scary”
But God says, “I am your past, present and future“

“I love you, my child”
“I love you, more than you can imagine”
“I created you”
“I shaped you”
“I gave my Son for you”
“I love you, so do not fear“

[goose bumps, sigh, breath, smile]

Take that you lurking, stalking and waiting future.
My God is bigger.
My God is stronger.
My God is my refuge.

Oh God, I wait for YOU…

The Pastor -|—

Water Walker

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

I sit in the boat,
safe,
secure and
content.

I sit in the boat,
looking out,
waiting and
hoping.

I sit in the boat,
seeing Jesus
beckoning me,
and I shudder.

But…

we were not created to be boat sitters,
sight seers or
vacationers
in this dangerous cruise of life.
We we were created to be water walkers,
Faith seekers;
trusting Jesus.

Peter cried out to Jesus to walk on the water
and I sit by watching.
Beckon me to come,
Lord Jesus,
beckon me.
And may I keep my eyes on you, lest I sink.

Make me a water walker and not a boat sitter.
Make me a Jesus follower and not a Jesus spectator.

Oh Lord, Jesus,
I want to walk on the water with you.

The Pastor -|—

Lifeline

/ The Pastor

The ocean is wide and vast.
The ocean is deep and dangerous.
It is a scary place of desolation and death.

And there are people in the ocean

People are struggling to stay afloat.
People are gasping for breath.
People fighting for life.

Slowly drowning

And if you have a lifeline why not throw it?
Why not shout, “Here it is”?
Why not jump in and help people to the boat?

Why not?

Remember that you were once lost.
Remember that you were once drowning.
Remember that you were once dying.

But…

Jesus became your lifeline.
So I ask again,
if you have a lifeline why not throw it?
Why not shout, “Here it is”?
Why not jump in and help people to the boat?

People are drowning.
People are lost.

Toss the lifeline.

The Pastor -|—

Life

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

As I look out my window,
I see lifelessness.
I see naked trees
with fallen leaves;
that which had color now possesses
none.

As I look out my window,
I see lifelessness.
I see empty roads;
quiet streets.
Activity that once was bustling
has gone silent.

As I look out my window,
I see lifelessness
but
I am reminded of the beginning;
a beginning that was chaos and nothing;
nothing but Your Spirit, oh God,
hovering over the waters of the deep.
And so the lifelessness I see is really not lifeless.

You are hovering.

So as I look out my window,
I see Life.
I see beauty,
created by You.
That which I saw as lifeless
really is not.

As I look out my window…

🙂

The Pastor -|—

An Anniversary Prayer

/ The Pastor

Here’s another humble and feeble attempt to express myself through poetry as I give thanks to God for 11 years of marriage to my wonderful wife and 11 years of ordained ministry (yesterday). Let us pray…

Dear Lord,

You called me on this journey and promised to hold my hand.
You called us on this journey and promised to hold our hands.

You started something great but not because of me.
You started something great because You are holy.

You joined two people together as husband and wife.
You joined two people together because it was right.

So I give You thanks this day for this holy journey started.
I give you thanks this day that with us Your love never parted.

Through Jesus’ most holy and awesome name. Amen.

The Pastor -|—