Spirit of Life

The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. Romans 8:2

It’s His love that sets me free,
Christ’s rich mercy will abound,
With a splendor most profound,
Binding to eternity.

I once was blind, now I see,
Calming peace of Comfort’s sound,
It’s His love that sets me free,
Christ’s rich mercy will abound.

Spirit of Life flow through me,
Slave to Truth now glory bound.
Softened heart is fertile ground,
Fruitful blessed trinity,
It’s His love that sets me free.

Poetry Type: Rondel

Thank you for the graphic Heartlight.

 

Precious Even In Death

The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die. (Psalm 116:15)

O merciful God, so full of mercy,
Comfort is found in remembering Your love!

So precious in Your sight,
The departed are now held peacefully in Your arms.
After a long, full life and a fierce battle till the end,
This one has now seen Jesus face to face!
Delivered from the burden of the flesh…
Once and for all.

O merciful God, so full of mercy,
Comfort is found in remembering Your love!

Taken too soon, or so it seems
yet we know God’s timing is perfect.
We long for the one who was always there,
this loving, non-judgmental soul,
who was always there.
Living the life of a free spirit,
a fun-loving soul, a peacemaker.
A spirit who is truly now free.

O merciful God, so full of mercy,
Comfort is found in remembering Your love!

Lord God, you bless the dying and sooth the suffering;
Somehow, we are dear to You, even in death.
I continue to be amazed by Your Love and Mercy,
Even in death.

Poetry Type: Free Verse, Ode

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Look to Jesus

Jesus then said, “I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die.” John 11:25

The song of the ruthless is silenced,
But righteousness gives voice.
Look to Jesus and live,
With all your heart rejoice!

Christ came to do His Father’s will;
He redeems and forgives.
With all your heart rejoice!
Look to Jesus and live.

So patient in His sacrifice,
Offering His life by choice.
Look to Jesus and live,
With all your heart rejoice!

Not rushing His moment of glory,
He gave all He had to give.
With all your heart rejoice!
Look to Jesus and live.

Poetry Type:  Mirrored Refrain

Graphic Source: Heartlight.org

 

No More Tears (Revised)

I am posting a revised version of the poem  ‘No More Tears’ as a dedication to my Aunt Linda who passed away last Thursday evening after a horrible battle with lung cancer that had spread to her brain.  The burden of the flesh is no longer hers and she feels no pain or suffering only unimaginable joy.  As we continue to shed our tears because we miss her, we have great comfort in knowing she is now in a much better place!

Calm and secure, safe open gates,
Brilliant beauty for us awaits.
Glory of God, You will endure,
Safe open gates, calm and secure

Most Holy place, all things made new,
Shining city, come into view
We enter through Your throne of Grace,
All things made new, most Holy place.

No more death and no more sorrow.
No more questions for tomorrow!
Enjoying everlasting breath,
No more sorrow, no more death!

The former things are passed away,
No more chaos or disarray!
A myriad of angels sing,
All passed away, those former things.

No aching tears, nor any pain.
A constant Light, You will sustain.
Remember not forgotten years,
Not any pain, or aching tears.

O Prince of Peace, in grace You reign.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!
O Coming One and great High Priest,
In grace You reign, our Prince of Peace.

You go before – You are the Way.
We’re longing for that hopeful day,
To finally walk through open door.
You are the Way, You’ve gone before.

Eternal thirst You satisfy,
Upon the cross, You chose to die.
Jesus, our King - the Last, the First,
You satisfy eternal thirst!

(Linda and Scotti in 1996)

Mercy For Our Land

Forsake us not, O Lord
Rescue all who despair
Forsake us not, O Lord.

Our weak faith gasps for air
Pain has taken its toll
Rescue all who despair.

Please say unto the soul
“I am your Salvation”
Pain has taken its toll.

In our desperation
You bring to remembrance
Your name IS Salvation!

Rescued by second chance
Held in Your mighty hand
You bring to remembrance,

Your mercy for our land.
Forsake us not, O Lord
Hold us in Your right hand
Forsake us not, O Lord.

Poetry type: Terzanelle

  

Graphic courtesy of Heartlight.org

Marks of Love

See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.   Isaiah 49:16a

Our names inscribed on His pierced hands,
Christ died to make a way.
His precious blood our only plea,
Tomorrow and today.

His marks of passion show His love,
With proof from history.
Our living God, today He reins,
Not just a memory.

It is finished, our debts are paid,
let go of sin He bore.
Come see the place where our Lord lay,
He’s risen evermore!

There is no life except in Christ,
a new and living way.
To put our thoughts on things above,
we honor Him today.

The blood of Jesus washed us clean,
and made us white as snow.
Eternal life with God above -
What price?  We’ll never know.

Awaiting all who come to Him,
and turn away from sin,
This revolution for the soul,
renews us from within.

Raised to glory, our Savior lives
and heaven’s song resounds.
No greater love than at the cross,
where His rich grace abounds.

Poetry Type:  Hymn in common meter

The Heavens Declare

The sun at noon was dressed in black that day,
Each ray of light was quenched by God’s own tears,
The sight of sin, His eyes could not endure,
The mystery of God’s plan was underway.

What caused the universe such disarray?
A Father mourning His beloved Son?
God’s poetry was hidden in plain sight,
The sun at noon was dressed in black that day.

As though the sky itself was in dismay,
A blood moon rose, a bloodied corpse set down,
While Innocence took suffering in my stead,
The mystery of God’s plan was underway. 

The sun at noon was dressed in black that day,
An unknown torment pierced my Savior’s soul,
The mystery of God’s grace was underway.

Poetry Type:  Villonnet

Inspired By: The Star of Bethlehem Movie

Graphic Source: Heartlight

Time is Short

There is no man who has power over the spirit to retain the breath of life, neither has he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in battle [against death], neither will wickedness deliver those who are its possessors and given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8:8

Memento mori, as they say,
Is future’s folly here to stay?
Knowing not what tomorrow brings,
The hope of yesterday still clings.

Life’s youth and beauty fade away
Memento mori, as they say.
The grass withers, the flower falls
Where is Pride when the Reaper calls?

Fragile lives, merely a breath,
Who has the power over death?
Memento mori, as they say,
Never too late to live God’s Way.

Eternal life, yours to embrace;
Repent, believe, receive His grace!
Now live for God and sieze the day.
Memento mori, as they say.

 

2 Timothy 1:9-10 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.  And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

 

Graphic:  Heartlight

Poetry Type: Quatern

Things Not Seen

Now
faith
is the
assurance
of things we hope for,
the evidence of things not seen;
blessed are those who have not seen and yet still believe.
So stand firm in the faith, dear saints, and break free from the world’s grip;
stay rooted in His love, praising Him with every breath.
Keep watch that none among you faints - take heed so as not to slip,
clinging to and trusting in the One who conquered death.
Proof is found in the love He has poured into our hearts!
With confidence in things to come,
we rejoice always
in the peace
we have
in
Christ.

Romans 3:21-26  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for  all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Source: Heartlight

He First Loved Us

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Love
will
wrap you
in His arms
with power and grace;
such an indescribable peace
this antidote for your troubled heart
will embrace you in His perfect care
with love that cannot be torn apart;
a lasting friendship beyond compare
and peace beyond understanding;
yet He waits for you
to choose Him
solely
by
faith.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39 (NLT)

Graphic Source: Heartlight

Poetry Type: Fiboquatro (variation)

I was inspired to try this form of poetry by an article at The Sound of Poetry Review.