Here is another square “poem” (maybe more prose).
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,
to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”
John 14:15-17
Today read about a “square poem”. I loved it and tried it myself
Made me think about my theology. I felt like playing Sudoku with Jesus!
Here it goes … (it doesn’t quite rhyme … will work on that)
You can read it line by line. The columns repeat the lines.
In the beginning Jesus created- with God.
The surrendered faith is what Christ holds.
Beginning faith draws the grace inside all.
Jesus is the Center within all Creation!
Created- what grace within draws hearts together.
With Christ inside, all hearts draw in.
God holds all Creation together in Jesus.
Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the first and the last,
the beginning and the end.
I know that none, not one, would come
To God, without belief
In Jesus Christ, His only Son.
But yet, I rarely grieve.
I know that no sincerity
In faulty spun ideas
Will bring lost souls prosperity
But yet, I will not speak.
It’s funny how my mouth will move
To talk about the vain,
But when it comes to Gospel-proof
My tongue is mute – in pain.
Not to share God’s Gift to man –
So set His love aside,
Must surely be an evil plan
A peculiar kind of pride.
Oh God, please free me from this sin!
Keep me from Satan’s bate,
That feeds my fearful heart within;
Expel this kind of hate!
“Father, teach my heart to live in the power of the Holy Spirit
and speak with boldness of your truths and Jesus Christ,
who rescues us out of darkness!”
~
“Go therefore and make disciples …”
Matthew 28:19
Awake the grace that you have shown –
Though all my sins from birth you’ve known –
The grace that showed my dire need
For heart and soul to be set free.
Awake the grace that knows the law,
Looks to myself to find the flaw,
That knows the price for sin is death –
Knows grace cost Jesus His last breath.
Awake the grace that brings the peace
That makes the selfish quarrels cease.
For grace is pay for what’s not earned.
It’s love despite – it’s undeserved.
Awake the grace that moves my feet,
That goes into the city street,
That prays with vigor and with might
For Light to break through desperate nights.
Awake the grace that knows by faith,
That not by might but by your grace
The world will change and soon will sing
“Amazing Grace” to Christ the King.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith.
And this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God,
not a result of works,
so that no one may boast.
This morning the rising sun was leaving shadows of my Christmas tree on the wall of my living room. I was reminded that this Christmas, like all the other ones which came before, will soon be a memory.
BUT GOD … Has loved us so much, that the very first Christmas would not just be a fading memory, but would provide an opportunity for the HOPE OF HEAVEN, Jesus Christ, to take up permanent residence in our hearts. Unlike our Christmas memories, He will never leave nor forsake us.
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,”
Hebrews 12:28
I had lined up the Christmas packages on the postoffice counter so the clerk could process them. While he weighed them and added my postage, I stuck stamps onto individual envelopes in a stack of Christmas cards. People behind me filed into lines. I felt an invisible push to hurry.
I was proud that I had gotten my gifts and cards out early this year – until a few days later.
It occurred to me, days after I had left the postoffice, that one particular Christmas letter in that stack, one I handwritten with care and much thought, would never make it to its destination. With an overseas address it needed much more postage than just a regular stamp. In my hurry I had forgotten to pull it out of the stack and pay for it separately. The postage stamp I had used was not sufficient to get the letter all the way to my friend’s house. My heart sank.
I am reminded of our many futile efforts to communicate with God. We try to manipulate God’s ear to our cries and use our own ways to try to break through the silence that pours down from Heaven. But like my letter, our intentions often appear futile and our words seem to be wrapped up in insufficient means which never reach the heart of God.
There is a way that assures our communication with the Father. This Way is Jesus. In Jesus Christ, God came close, into our world, to dwell among us and to show first hand how much He loves us. Jesus shed His blood on a cross to pay for our sins, so they would no longer stand in the way between us and the Father. In a way Jesus sheds His blood to pour it all over our letters to God as sufficient payment. When we place our faith in Jesus and His provisions, our laments never leave our hearts with insufficient means to reach the destination.
This Christmas, put your faith in the provision your Maker has made for an intimate relationship with Him. Trust in Jesus Christ. He has come to make a sure way to the Father.
“Lord, I pray You revive us! Draw us toward Yourself.
Help us understand that our dire need is for Your sufficient Provision
– Jesus Christ.”
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Hebrews 10:19-25
As children of God we cannot be possessed by demons. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit. However, we can still hear and believe many lies from our adversary.
There are times it seems as if I invite the enemy’s lies in, right through the front door of my mind. Other times his deceptions sneakily come through the unguarded back-door.
The following poem came to me recently while I was thinking about the authority given to me by Jesus Christ when I employ the greatest weapon, the Sword of the Word of God.
How did you end up in my place?
I thought the door was locked.
But here you sit – are in my face.
You blame and shame and mock.
You take what’s mine. Leave me a mess.
You tell me lies all day.
You make me sick. I must confess
I want you gone – away.
This place is mine. The mortgage paid.
I hate your being here!
I’m cleaning up. It’s time to pray.
It’s you who should now fear.
I do admit, it took too long
To take my lawful stand.
For my Authority is strong!
His Strength is at my hand!
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4
~
Lord, show us how to identify and fight the lies of the enemy with your Truth, the Word.
(Poetry and pictures by Heidi Viars, 2017 –
The first picture is the front door of my childhood home in Germany, where my parents still live. I took it this summer during my visit with them.)
