Eternity Bides

Where hearts and souls meet
Whence the world would see us part –
Eternity bides

written in response to this week’s Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge #318 “Meet” and “Part”

‘No Longer Slaves’ – Bethel worship

‘You split the sea
So I could walk right through it
My fears were drowned in perfect love

You rescued me
And I will stand and sing
I am a child of God.’

Let us Stop Passing Judgment

Loving each other,
Let us stop passing judgment –
Instead, encourage

written in response to this week’s prompt at Haiku Horizons, drawing inspiration from the text of Romans 14:13

‘What a Beautiful Name’ – Hillsong Worship

‘Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You
You silenced the boast, of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring, the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again

You have no rival, You have no equal
Now and forever, Our God reigns
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the glory
Yours is the Name, above all names

What a powerful Name it is
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a powerful Name it is
Nothing can stand against
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus’

The Master Gardener

Like shimmering heat
in sunshine’s streams,
like a cloud of dew
in harvest’s heat;

From His dwelling place,
the Lord observes;
Quietly resting,,
His eyes see all.

Then, before harvest,
as blossoms fall:
Flowers slow turn to
ripening grapes –

The Master Gard’ner
prunes ev’ry vine:
Training their branches
to bear good fruit.

written in response to today’s prompt at The Daily Post, and inspired by the words (although not the original message) of the bible’s book of Isaiah, Chapter 18, verses 4-5

The Nature of Man and God

Again and again
We return to sin
It is our nature
As men

Again and again
God points to the cross
It’s in his nature
To love

The challenge for the final day of Na/GloPoWriMo2017 was to write a poem about something that happens again and again.

Manna and Quail

Manna falls like dew
Quails drift to blanket the ground
The Lord God provides

written in response to The Daily Post prompt – “blanket”, inspired by Exodus 16

Be Blessed #NaPoWriMo2017 #GloPoWriMo2017

Upon the mountainside
I listened to the Teacher
. . .
“Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth”
I’m meek as meek as they come, me
I could do with inheriting the earth
. . .
“Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy”
I show mercy when it’s deserved
I certainly deserve some myself
. . .
“Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God”
There’s no question, I’m a man of peace
(I dare anyone to say I’m not)
. . .
Whoever has ears let him hear
so to receive the truth
Whoever has eyes let him see
through the lens of his heart
Then blessed are your eyes because they see
and your ears because they hear

“Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.”

The NapOwriMo.net challenge for Day 21 of Na/GloPoWriMo2017 was to write a poem that incorporates overheard speech.

Futurama Wisdom from Philip J. Fry

When you do things right
Grace makes love seem effortless
People won’t be sure
You’ve done anything at all-
Second nature takes first place

written in response to today’s prompt at The Daily Post, drawing inspiration from the ‘Godfellas’ episode of Futurama

“You can’t lose hope when it’s hopeless. You gotta hope more, then put your fingers in your ears and go, “Blah! Blah! Blah! Blah!… “
– Philip J. Fry

Never Marduk’s Slaves #NaPoWriMo2017 #GloPoWriMo2017

Stolen away from their Promised Land
Yoked in captivity
Israel struggles to keep its faith
In Babylon’s tyranny

Enuma Elish raises up
Marduk: high creator
Their narrative, though, portrays no love:
Just poor mankind’s enslaver

Israel seeks comfort Heaven-sent
God to reveal His face
A designed and ordered universe
Hope for His human race

Hope in His pow’r and sovereignty
Care for every detail
Adoption as God’s family
A love which can never fail

No legion ‘gods’ in skies above –
But Light created at His Word
No ‘spirits’ in the earth below
But nature, with Yahweh as Lord

The Genesis account stands to affirm
Our origin as God said
Never created Marduk’s slaves
Always free men instead

The NapoWriMo.net prompt for day 19 of Na/GloPoWriMo is to write a poem that recounts a creation myth.

The Enûma Eliš is the Babylonian creation myth (named after its opening words). It was recovered by Austen Henry Layard in 1849 (in fragmentary form) in the ruined Library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh (Mosul, Iraq), and published by George Smith in 1876. The Enûma Eliš is one of the most important sources for understanding the Babylonian worldview, centered on the supremacy of Marduk and the creation of humankind for the service of the gods.