The Living Guide

Too often we live as if Christ is still dead. But He's no longer dead, but alive, guiding us through the Holy Spirit into all truth.

The Living Guide

It’s time to stop the funeral,
It’s time we dried our tears of shame—
The grave is empty! He’s alive!
He once had died, but conquered death!

We’ve clogged our ears with our own rules,
Our faith is stalled by selfishness;
But Jesus wants us on the water,
His love has called us on today!

He’s present here to guide our steps
If we stop acting like He’s dead—
The true reality of Christ
We’ll find is fact as He’s our Head.

Benjamin Graber

What-Ifs

I wrote this poem for my sisters, both by blood and in Christ, who have given up the patterns of the world and chosen to walk by faith instead of by sight.

What-Ifs

The “what-ifs” fly like rifle bullets,
The victims fall like wounded soldiers;
The world is crying out to you,
The voices call you in their traps.

“You fool!” they scream when you hold back,
The same affront they threw at Esther—
They chase their dreams, and when they’re drowning
They grow offended ’cause you’re not.

Did Daniel ask himself “what-if”
Before he prayed illegal prayers?—
He did the task God set before him
And unafraid, he walked by faith.

The questions flew at David, too,
But could not penetrate his faith,
And he pursued Goliath’s challenge
With all the strength God gave to him.

You may be scorned and ridiculed,
You may be thrown in lions’ dens,
But life is born through faith alone,
And faith alone will lead you home.

Benjamin Graber

Hopeless

I would like some feedback on this poem. What I tried to do is write a "dark" poem that ends with a line that has double significance: on one side is the depths of despair, where the character thinks that the world is over, and the other side is hope, for those who know what happens next. The goal of the poem is to have anyone who is hopeless sympathize with the character in the poem, and then realize that even in the lowest depths of despair there is hope...
How well do you think I did?

Hopeless

The wailing wind is all I hear,
She tells the story of our doom:
The only truly righteous man
Is lying in a tomb.

I see it all so clearly—
How hope had used us like a toy
And, finished, tossed us to the side
Destroying all our joy.

It seems ironic now, that we
Called him “Messiah”—now he’s dead.
We hoped from liberty from Rome,
And got more tears instead.

The rising sun has smiled at me—
Sweet sunshine, don’t you see he’s gone?
The clouds should cover up your face,
And mask it with a frown—

I hope that death will take me in,
For life holds nothing but despair—
The earth is shaking! Is this it?
Is this the answer to my prayer?

Benjamin Graber

Question Marks

When we are expectantly waiting for God to reveal His plans, confident that whatever they are, they are for our good, we can actually learn to enjoy waiting. If we have faith we can come to relish the suspense of wondering what God has for us in our future.

Question Marks

You were a calligrapher
When it came to question marks,
I would wait for the response
But you’d leave me in the dark

As you lavishly would pen
Strokes with elegant design:
First you’d primly sweep a hook,
Then you’d dot a break in time—

Now I’ve come to do that, too,
Loving the elaborate curve;
Making art from question marks,
Leaving answers in reserve;

Though before I hated pauses,
I have learned to wait them through,
Knowing that the answer comes
When the chosen time is due.

Benjamin Graber

"Do Not Arouse or Awaken Love Until It So Desires"

We have no right to develop and nurture the emotion attraction that we call love until we make a life-long commitment to serve. The expression of this emotion before the time is right has given many people a broken heart.

“Do Not Arouse or Awaken Love until It So Desires”

The red felicities of love
Can launch your heart into the sky—
But caution is required above,
’Cause you need wings before you fly;

Don’t pluck the lovely, tempting flower
Until you hands are trained to serve—
When time is right, your heart will soar,
And reach the heights that love deserves.

(c) 2006 Benjamin Graber