Amazing Grace – A Cinquain

Great love
Calvary’s tree
blood was shed for you, me
peace, mercy in the midst of pain
Savior

Perseverance – A Poem

We must persevere
trials in this world
finding within each one
great blessings for the day

We must endure
losses in this world
recalling for each one
the blessing of knowing
that which was lost

We must persist
never give up
when the road is easy
or the road is tough
seeing the good blessings
of our God in Heaven

We must persevere
to the finish
Christ will see us through

God’s Work – A Triolet

The good work that God has begun
He will ensure is completed
In our heart, in our soul He’s won
The good work that God has begun

We are not yet finished, not done
In Christ we are not defeated
The good work that God has begun
He will ensure is completed

 

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV).

Rejoice – An Acrostic Poem

Rejoice in the Lord always
Everlasting joy from His heart
Joy even in the darkest times
Overflowing joy in my heart
In times of want and times of plenty
Carrying me through trials of this life to
Eternal life of rejoicing in the Lord

All Things Are Possible – A Poem

Sadness and joy
are hard to hold
at the same time

Mourning death
and celebrating life
in the same moment
is impossible for me

But with God
all things are possible

I’m still feeling sad over the death of my sister, but tomorrow is my son’s 18^th birthday. Talking to a good friend about this yesterday she made the comment that sadness and joy are hard to hold together. She’s right.

Blue – An Elfje

Blue
great sadness
but not despair
my hope in Jesus.
Death.

It’s been a long week full of sadness. One of my sisters passed away last night after a long battle with breast cancer. I am thankful that I was able to be with her, and hopeful that she is in God’s hands now, but still sad because I will miss her. I’m also thankful once again for the little elfje because it helped me keep up my daily poem for Lent.

The Race – A Poem

In this race I run
toward the finish line
I feel quite undone

Though my stride is fine
I fear I won’t win
victory isn’t mine

Weighed down by my sin
moving very slow
faith is running thin

Recall what I know
His victory won
faith starting to grow

The race justly done
all because of grace
my trust in the Son

A Triad of Elfje

I really love the elfje short form of poetry that I discovered last week. Today I want to share a triad of elfje based on the Gospel — a reminder that three is a wonderful number.

Disciples

Loyal
eleven disciples
unlike the betrayer
brought me the Gospel.
Peace!

©©©

Conversion

Brilliant
Heaven’s light
blinding apostle Paul
taught me the Gospel.
Grace!

©©©

The King

Purple
royal robes
adorn the King
source of the Gospel.
Love!

Knock at the Door – A Trireme Sonnet

Joy, where’s my joy, I’m always wanting more
Lord, bring me peace and comfort is my plea
I find only stress and fear in this place

Soft knocking, I hear knocking at the door
A sound so sweet, it’s beckoning to me
I peer through the window, see His sweet face

He enters, in awe I fall to the floor
He bids me arise, all my fear does flee
I find myself in His heartfelt embrace

I found my joy in the One I adore
From the shackles of sin He set me free
We dine in the miracle of His grace

Finally I trust I will win the race
My Savior is here with me in this place

Last Thursday Sam Peralta shared a lesson on the trireme sonnet for the dVerse Poets Pub FormForAll. I didn’t have time to write one before the link box for that post expired, but I had one on mind that included Sam’s extra challenge to make it an ekphrastic poem, meaning it is inspired by a picture or painting. I plan on sharing this for Open Linke Night at dVerse later today.

I’ve included here the painting that inspired this poem. It is an old painting on a burl of Jesus standing at a door knocking. This particular painting of this scene, which is based on Revelation 3:20, used to hang in my in-laws house, but they gave it to us last year so now it is in my living room.

Let Us Love – A Poem

Dear children, let us not love
with words or tongue
but with actions and in truth¹

Let us love with hands that heal
and feet that go
where we are needed most

Let us love with our gifts
of food and clothing
for those in poverty

Let us love with kind words
that offer compassion
and restore relationships

Let us love as Jesus loved
willing to give all
that others might know His love

 

¹1 John 3:18 (NIV)