Pain

Andrea asked in an earlier post why a good God allows so much suffering.

The simple answer is that suffering seems required. When Jesus died for us, the confessions include that He suffered for us. Not just died, but suffered. When the Disciples are flogged for preaching the word, they rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer for Him,(Acts 6:41). This is not a simple topic.

First, some thoughts about pain. Pain should be our friend.

Pain, a Friend

Pain comes to you,
as a friend.
To warn you,
of danger.

A friend you,
don’t want.
A friend you’d,
like to leave.

When pain is silent,
not a good friend.
Awful disaster,
may overrun.

Like a good friend,
pain talks to us.
Warns us of danger,
keeps us from death.

©Presbypoet, March 21, 2001

So is pain a good thing? In the right place it clearly is good. When you break your arm, if it didn't hurt, you would try to do things that would do more damage if you didn't feel pain. Yet pain can come not as a friend, but as a jailer. Do we know what we suffer?

An important aspect of pain and suffering is how we respond. When the storms of life assail, what do we do? This next poem offers a suggestion.

In Your Suffering find Joy

I offer gift of suffering.
Gift of unending trials.
Wilderness journeys.
Pain, loss and sorrow.
Cup offered James & John.
Martyrdom’s blessing.
Sending you to valley
shadowed by death.

You think suffering evil.
You don’t understand.
You demand release.
Escape from torment.
You don’t trust Me
in your wilderness.
Like Peter you must
step into your storm.

See Me in your suffering.
Feel Me in your suffering.
Know Me in your suffering.
Understand My plan.
Know I came
to suffer for you.
Know I came
to die for you.

In your suffering
be transformed.
A grain of wheat must die.
Must die to produce life.
Learn to trust Me
in your suffering.
In your suffering
find My joyful life.
John 12:23-27)
©Presbypoet, September 8, 2002, revised May 25, 2003

I know this is a hard topic. Do these poems help you understand?

Hope

We live in a world where hope seems endangered. Banks don't want to lend. The market is crashing. Greed seems endemic. Why should we hope?

There are two kinds of hope. The one we inflict on others is the wishful thinking kind of hope. "I hope you will be OK." No promises, no grasp of real danger, just whistling past the graveyard.

What we need is the other. Best expressed by this:

Hope

Real hope.
Not anemic
pseudo stuff
we’d settle for.
Real hope
foundation sure
when waves
crash against the rock.

Spirit comes
to fill us.
angel unexpected
we see.
When we have
no needs
we need
no hope.

It’s found in wilderness
parched desert
in rod poised high
to strike the rock.
In suffering
pain & uncertainty
listen to hidden wings
icon of invisible strength.
(Exodus 17:5-7)
© Presbypoet February 11, 2001

Gift of Hope

Give the world the greatest gift.
Not of money but of hope.
Gift of joy- the knowledge
I have come to save those
trapped in swamp of despair.
Trapped by sin and guilt.

Offer gift of hope.
Like Peter at the temple
who told the beggar:
Silver and gold have I none.
Instead I offer healing.
Gift of hope.
(Acts 3:1-10)
© Presbypoet, November 4, 2001


May you be blessed with true hope this dark day.

No poem just paradox What we don't know

In addition to poetry, I enjoy paradox. We find the truth in paradox.
I collect paradoxes.
One important paradox:
Learn what you don't know.

The problem and paradox is; we don't know what we don't know. When we learn what we don't know, we think we know what we don't know, but still don't know what we don't know. So us finite mortals have been given an infinite task. To learn what we don't know.

This should keep us humble. Always open to learning what we don't know.

Suicide

My son recently went to a funeral for a 27 year old. He had commited suicide. It is hard to cope with. Painful. Difficult to understand. Here is a poem written earler on the subject. Still painful.

Suicide

It’s not your fault,
you know.
You couldn’t comprehend the pain,
of guilt & shame,
& dark depression,
force driving her to end too short life.

Pain she couldn’t share,
made life unbearable.
Pain unconfessed,
festered inside.
She couldn’t confess,
to be healed.

She saw no way out,
guilt & shame & pain held her tight.
Blackness & depression,
Churchill’s black dog,
closed around.
Suicide seemed only way out.

Storms of Life too strong to endure.
Like Peter with waves too tall,
she started to sink.
Like Peter she lost sight of Me,
but she didn’t/couldn’t reach out,
In waves too tall.

They claim suicide’s unforgivable sin.
So what.
There’s nothing I can’t forgive.
Its wrong to try to control your life,
by choice of when you die,
rather than God’s will.

It’s no worse,
than any other sin,
where you seek control.
You all wander off,
going your own,
disobedient way.

Judas after his betrayal,
in dark guilt and grief,
Death seemed only choice,
alone in his bleak fatal field.
Death only choice,
to end dark sharp pain.

Peter the lucky one,
with brother,
who walked with him,
in time of sorrow.
Held him close and showed him love,
helped him go on.

Walk with those in their dark hour,
when pain seems oh so dark.
You cannot stop the awful pain,
but you can be a light.
Light of hope.
Light of joy & peace.


Like Andrew stay so close to them.
Let them know My love.
Love that reaches out to them.
Love that offers peace.
Hope in fiery furnace.
Joy in time of grief.

Be My hands and feet.
Hands to hold them close.
Feet to walk beside them,
in their valley of despair,
when dark shadows loom.
Threaten to overtake.

Minister to those,
trapped in guilt and shame.
Show them My love,
Joy & forgiveness.
Offer them healing.
Offer them Me.

© Presbypoet, January 25, 2002

Presbytery

Saturday was Presbytery. No great issues discussed. No lines in the sand crossed. Just met with a hundred or so Presbyterian elders & ministers. No no votes. No one protested. You would think it would be boring for 6 hours. Yet time flashed past. We the people governing ourselves, inviting new ministers to join us.

One thing we do is have people pray during Presbytery. People volunteer to be a designated "pray-er" As a symbol, we have a stole we pass to the one praying. People just pray from where they are in the room, so it is truly prayer from the group, not someone outside. I got the chance to ask people to volunteer, then transfer the stole. A visible symbol of an invisible spiritual act. A "sacrament", even though we Presbyterians only have two official sacraments. I've thought we truly have more than two if we thought about it.

Marriage is one. You will find more long term marriages in the PCUSA than most places. 40, 50 years together. People for whom til death do us part is truly meant. Or death has not separated. The surviving spouse does not fear death, they know their beloved awaits. Marriage where God was part of the ceremony and the marriage. So even if we don't call it sacrament, it functions as one.

Today's poem was inspired by the question of what presbytery should be. What God intends it to be. What we fall far short of doing and being.

Presbytery

Are you a body
devoted to Me?
Serving together
rejoicing & grieving.

Or are you machine
chewing up people?
Concerned only with
process & rules.

Come together
in silence.
Hear Me - then
follow Me as one.
(inspired by...J)
© Presbypoet January 24, 2009

Expectations

Today a new President is sworn in. So many people have expressed great expectations of what they expect him to do. Are they right? No one knows. It doesn't change their expectations of what will happen.

Don't we do the same with God. We expect him to do things. We expect him to answer our prayers the way we want. The problem is that God likes to surprise us. To do the unexpected. To answer our prayers in ways we weren't expecting.

Today's poem is about our expectations, and God's response.

Expectations
or God has Other Plans

You plant wheat.
You expect wheat.
I plant mustard.
A great tree springs up.

When the brook dried up
I sent Elijah to Zarephath.
Where a widow waited
with her last cake of bread.

My ways are not
your ways.
Your feeble plans
don't constrain Me.

Don't be limited by
your expectations.
Expect divine appointments
in your life.

Be a mustard seed.
I will surprise you.
Be prepared for
strange & wonderful things.

(Luke 13:18-19, 1st Kings 17:5-24)
© Presbypoet, September 15, 2007

I'm Back

Or rather I finally went through the 5 hour headache of getting access back to the blog. There has been nothing wrong with either me, or the poems, just sloth, (or fear of Google).

To celebrate God's return, here is a poem from God, or in this case to God. For several years, I have been learning more about one of the most important stories in the Bible, Elijah at the brook of Kerith. As the brook dried up for Elijah, my work has dried up in the past year. So this poem comes from a perspective like his. I know I can trust you Lord, but what do I do? The brook has dried up. Has your brook dried up?

Journey to Zarephath

Lord I thirst
like Israelites at meribah.
Kerith has dried up.
The ravens no longer come.

You tell me go.
As you told Abram.
Go to a place
I've never been.

I hold to hope &
certainty of grace.
I know you love me
and you will provide.

I praise & thank You
as I journey to
Zarephath to eat
the widow's cake.

It is pure joy
to know Your love.
To know with absolute
certainty of Your hope.

In poverty with nothing
to rely on I feel
Your loving presence.
Thank you Lord.
(1st Kings 17:1-24)
© Presbypoet, February 24, 2008

Pentecost

What is pentecost? What does it mean? What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?


Pentecost
Fire burning bright
is offered you.
More than mere
enthusiasm of emotion.

God in person offers to
fill you with power.
Open yourself to
the Holy Spirit.

This is an awesome
encounter with divine.
More than simple
sappy spirituality.

Let the paraclete
permeate your soul.
The Holy Spirit will
empower your life.

Open your heart.
Go serve your Lord.
Be hands and feet
to bless the world.

Inspired by Dennis S. Homily
© Presbypoet, May 27, 2007

Finding Holy Space

You seek spiritual space.
Seek to find where I am.
A place I am present.
Where I answer prayer.
A place you offer sacrifice
to atone for your sin.
A place rules are followed
to serve a terrifying god.

Jesus came to rend the
veil that hid My presence.
I am not found only
in special places.
I am found wherever
you seek and ask Me.
Know Me intimately
and know I am.

(Matthew 27:51)
Inspired by Paul F sermon June 24, 2007
© Presbypoet, June 24, 2007

Piety & Purity.

It looks like Blogger 2 now works. I guess this was another pop quiz I failed on patience.

I've found truth is often, (always?) found in paradox. We get in trouble when we focus on half a paradox. One such are; piety and purity. One focuses on spirituality. The other on following rules (creeds). The sisters Mary & Martha were one such couple. Mary happy to sit at Jesus feet, unconcerned about helping her sister. While Martha in the kitchen, gets madder by the moment, because Mary is just sprawled at Jesus feet doing nothing useful.

This message from God reminds us we somehow must do both. Not just the one we like, but the other we try to ignore.


Piety & Purity

I demand both
piety and purity.
Not mere acquiescence
to some written creed.

Not wild passion
unconnected to wisdom
but passion deep
rooted in (My) holy soil.

Knowing Me truly.
Secure in My presence.
With both intellect
and wild passion.

© Presbypoet, March 1, 2007

Lots of poems to post. Several inspired by a Steve Fry conference coming soon.

New Blogger is useless, all I can post is in the title. So Google is stupid. They changed something that wasn't broke, and broke it.

New Blogger doesn't work

Invitational Love

Sin seems to be in our nature. Whether you believe in original sin, or simply are a student of history, sin seems imbedded in life. Even when we try to offer our best, our best is just filthy rags. We like Cain don't have anything that God could seem to admire.

This poem inspired by a sermon at a presbytery meeting may offer an answer, or at least some questions.

Invitational Love

You Sin.
You need rules
you can follow
to avoid sin.

But rules condemn.
There is no way
you can keep all
six hundred thirteen.

The answer is
so very simple.
Just love Me &
love the other.

I invite you
to love Me.
I invite you to
love the other.

Come join Me
on this path.
Walk in Love.
Learn Forgiveness.

Inspired by Chad R. sermon January 27, 2007
© Presbypoet January 27, 2007

Is this the answer, or is there more?
Do you love God?
Do you know He loves you?

Balance

This poem was inspired by a sermon at Presbytery. The next time someone says that nothing good comes from a presbytery meeting read them this poem from ...

Balance

Your life is
out of balance.

Your focus is
on wrong things.

You let money
rule your life.

You make an idol
of being busy.

Make Me center
of your life.

I bring your life
into balance.

Do you know
who I am?

Inspired by Chad R. sermon January 27, 2007
© Presbypoet, January 27, 2007

Depend On God

We tend to have it backward. We pray to God. "Provide for me, so I can trust You." God says: "Trust Me. I will provide." We want things so we can be in charge of our own life. We want to be able to provide for ourselves. If we have something we can trust in instead of Jesus, we think we don't need Him. If you have a boat in the midst of the flood, you rely on the boat to save.

A rich young ruler comes to Jesus. He asks if Jesus has any more rules for him to follow (Matt 19:16-25, Mark 10:17-30, Luke 18:18-30). Jesus simple demand: "Go sell all you have, and give it to the poor.", shakes this man. He can't do it. He loves money too much. He loves the power money gives him. He loves not having to depend on anyone else. That is why he likes the rules. All he has to do is follow the rules. He is in control. Jesus demand isn't a rule. It is personal. It directly addresses his individual addiction.

That is what makes it so hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom. They rely on their wealth. They don't think they need God. Perhaps this is why the poor are blessed, they know they can't rely on their power or wealth, all they can rely on is that God will provide, even though it seems impossible.

We all have things we rely on. What are yours? What do you depend on instead of Jesus?

This simple poem warns of what happens when we depend on the wrong thing.

Depend On God (Me)
Woe to you who
depend on your strength
depend on your wealth
depend on your beauty.

Blessed are you who
depend on Me no
matter circumstance
or condition.

Trust in Me like
Elijah at Zarephath.*
You are blessed with
peace in your sorrows.

Rely on Me.
Know I am real.
Know Me intimately.
Depend on Me.

Inspired by Mark R. February 11, 2007
*1st Kings 17:7-16,
Luke 6: 20-26, 1st Corinthians 15:12-20
© Presbypoet, February 11, 2007

Deep Roots

When you read about the escape from Egypt by Israel, one thing that stands out is a lack of gratitude. God has just freed them from years of slavery, and rescued them from an Egyptian army, yet at the first sign of trouble, they start complaining, like spoiled teenagers who can't get their every demand answered. "What have you done for me lately?" Seems to be their "prayer" to God. Softies who can't handle adversity.

To survive hard times, we need to look at plants in the desert. To survive hard times, they send roots deep into the soil to find distant water. When drought comes, plants with deep roots survive. Jeremiah chapter seven verses 5-9 inspired this poem. Do you have deep roots?


Deep Roots

Be planted with roots
deep in My Holy soil.
Depend on Me to
provide all your needs.

My water of life
will sustain you.
Through life's droughts
be not afraid.

Don't depend on the
world to sustain you.
Trust in Me.
I will provide.

(Inspired by Mark R. February 11, 2007)
(Jeremiah 7: 5-9)
© Presbypoet (February 11, 2005)

True Peace

If you want a mind expanding experience, read Job & Psalms at the same time. A true paradoxical experience. The psalms are all about how God will save me. Good triumphs. God is good. God rewards virtue. God saves us. Job is about how you can the most virtuous man on the face of the earth, and God for no apparent reason, can just decide to slam you & your family.

A strand of understanding comes with a realization; when we are in pain, we assume it is bad. We demand God get rid of pain. Perhaps we would benefit if we ask God not just why? Perhaps we need to be still and listen to God to hear what we should do. Read Roman's chapter five, and learn how we can be blessed with suffering.

Today's poem is an outflow of listening to a prayer for peace that demanded an end to war. It seems God's answer/question is: "Will you be at peace in the midst of Chaos?"
This poem came as the prayer demanded an end to war, so we could have peace. God's plan seems so much more difficult. Yet involves us much more in cocreation with Him.

True Peace

You seek an end
to war & terror
You pray for peace
that is absence of violence.

What I promise tis
much stranger gift.
I promise peace
in midst of chaos.

Learn to appreciate
this strange blessing,
True joy the world
will never understand.

Be united in the
Kingdom of God.
Be joined in My
Rule & Reign.

(Romans Ch. 5)
© Presbypoet, February 11, 2007

Are you AWOL?

God's Army

You joined God's Army.
Why are you AWOL?
Real evil threatens.
I call you to battle.
Put on My armor.
Be prepared to stand.
© Presbypoet. February 4, 2007

Prayer

Life has been tough. The following poem/prayer sums up my God relationship.


Help me Father

In deep pain
ache beyond enduring
please help me Lord.

Lord I lack strength.
Like the paralytic to
even reach out to you.

Like Peter walking thru
waves my power too
weak to succeed.

Life seems so overwhelming.
Waves of danger
obscure your face.

Lord come to me.
Be present here.
It's too much to endure.

I trust you will heal.
Fill me Lord with
your glorious strength.

In this time of trial
I embrace your hope
& invite you into my heart.

I know you will provide.
I rejoice knowing you
are present with me.

Thank you Lord for
this joyful hope.
I love you Lord.

© Presbypoet December 10, 2006

Yet walking this dark valley, I have true hope. I live both the 22nd and 23 psalms.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness may be the hardest concept to understand, let alone practice. The Lord's Prayer tells us to ask God to: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us, (or debts, or trespasses). How is this possible? It certainly isn't easy. Perhaps this poem will help develop understanding of what is meant.


Forgiveness

You cling to grudges.
You take offense.
You seek vengeance
and think it will satisfy.

You let the evil one
control your mind.
Learn to forgive to
escape his control.

Don't walk in unforgiveness.
Let…It…Go.
Don't let anger
seize your life.

Forgive them as I
forgive you.
On Golgotha I
forgave my killers.

As Judas left to betray
he was forgiven.
Nothing you do is
worse sin than his.

Accept My forgiveness.
Confess to be healed.
Let Me make you whole.
Become intimate with Me.

As I forgive you
forgive those who
wound* you.
Pass on My blessing.

You can't do it in
your own strength.
Let My healing come
so you can forgive.

(Matt 6:9-15, Luke 23:34, John 13:18-30)
Inspired by Dennis W., sermon January 21, 2007 (don't blame him for Judas, that is my interpretation)
© January 21, 2007, Presbypoet
*(debts, sins, or trespasses against you)

Warning from God?

After the election, (the next night), some people from our church met with a charismatic congregation who tried to "teach" us to be more wild and crazy, (we are Presbyterians, God's frozen people). In the midst of the wildness, I heard a poem that had nothing to do with what was going on, yet had everything to do with what was going on. Part one was heard in the service, part two comes later.

Warning (part one)
You stood at a crossroad,
Offered a choice like
Israelites in Paran's desert.
You turned away in fear.

You fled from battle against evil
abandoning duty, running in retreat.
Choosing to take the "easy" road.
A path you think leads to peace.

You imagine evil will ignore you
if you hide and do nothing to provoke.
You fools - evil only strengthens
devil's jihad will return to your home.

The path you trod leads to death.
Fire soon to fall on your cities.
Your only peace will be the grave.
Fear now holds you captive slave.

You pitiful people seduced by lying leaders
no longer will your lampstand burn.
No longer will you command respect.
Your power useless against your foes.

If you abandon those who support you
to death and dhimmihood by failing to pay the cost
soon you will stand alone - stripped naked.
Death or slavery your only choice.

© Presbypoet (heard November 8th, in the midst of chaos service)

Is this poem true? Or is this just me expressing fears that come from my mind. Who is speaking? Is it me? Is it God? What do you think?

The fear of the Lord

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Psalm 111:10.
"The fear of the Lord -- that is wisdom." Job 28:28.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Proverbs 1:7.
…"We know what it is to fear the Lord…" 2 Corinthians 5:11.
What does this mean… to fear the Lord? It seems a very important concept. It seems at the heart of serving God. Awe comes to mind as a related word to this phrase. When you fully encounter God, how can you do anything but fall at his feet and worship?

We constantly hear that God is love. Yet love is not God. Perhaps to understand this awesome God, you must also fear Him. He asks a simple question:

Do You Fear Me?

You claim to fear Me.
To know My awesome power.
Do you truly fear Me?
Do you stand in awe of Me?

You are mere speck of cosmic dust
Insignificant and powerless.
Nothing you can do
is of slightest worth.

Is it that you know My love
and think you can betray.
Is it that you think I must forgive
but do not know My mercy and grace?

Are you prodigal come back
for the rest of the loot?
If you truly know Me
you’d know My awesome power.

My sheep hear My voice.
Do you hear Me?
If you did
you’d fear My awesome power.
© Presbypoet, November 16, 2003


Do you fear the Lord? Do you know Him?