On Wings like Eagles

We hate to wait,
Frustrated at the merest waste
Of time; forgetting that a second
Of mere appreciation is worth
A thousand spent in frantic haste…

We hate to wait,
And seek fulfillment of our dreams
This very moment, naming “love”
The zenith of our selfishness,
Not fathoming what patience means…

But we must wait—
To rush into the plans we’ve made
Is often to abandon Christ
As He is forging greater dreams
We would have seen if we had stayed…

Yes, we must wait,
Accepting patience’s delays—
We must not leap into the dark
Or even take a step ahead
Unless it’s love that shows the way…

And if we wait
The Spirit shows us what to do,
Illuminates the path for us,
Revealing His amazing plans:
His dreams, now ours, are coming true…

We’ll mount on wings like eagles
And soar like condors in the sky—
What more could we desire on earth?
We rise in heights of love and joy;
’Tis God’s own hand that makes us fly…

Content in the Dark

Being content when it seems that God has forsaken you is very difficult. But God is faithful, even when we can't see His faithfulness. If we can learn to believe this no matter where God has placed us, then we can be content even in the dark...

Content in the Dark

The darkness came and covered promises,
And all I see are chains of agony—
It seems your faithfulness is dying…
Oh Father, why have you forsaken me?

The earth is shaking; life is at an end,
“It is finished”—Father, hear my cry!—
Remembering that love will never fail,
In you I am content—to even die…

Barricades

At times when we are walking by faith we will encounter walls that are impossible to mount alone. Thankfully, we are not alone, however, and with the Holy Spirit driving us on, nothing can get in our way as we grow towards our Father in Heaven.

Barricades

I walked by faith to find the sea,
But had to stop when in my path
A wall appeared in front of me,
Then hope was swapped for bleak despair—

God, why have you forsaken me?
It was your voice that called me here;
It is no selfish race I run,
I made the choice to follow you—

But still your voice is calling me;
You’ve not forsaken me this day;
You ask me now to close my eyes
And then to take a step in faith—

If I had walked this path alone,
Then I must turn back at this wall,
But it’s the Spirit driving me,
And so I spurn the barricade—

I am a river in your hands;
No dam can hold me from the sea—
You push me over every wall
Your plans unfold and show your might—

God, here I come, for nothing can
Divide me from your endless love…

Jars of Clay

God wants to work through normal people instead of a class of the elite. Each person is important, a jar of clay filled with the valuable treasures of the Holy Spirit.

Jars of Clay

The best are never worthy—
To be elite is not enough;
They sat in honored places
Yet they were filled with only fluff—

The lowest class was honored
To show the preciousness of each;
It was not earned, but was a gift
Received when for the Truth they reached—

And every member plays a role
As God reveals a newer way:
He pours the treasure of His Spirit
In fragile jars of clay…

In the Garden

In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus knew that He was going to be dying the next day. Though He did not want to have to go through the pain, and begged his Father to take away the cup, He still resolved to do His Father’s will, and in His love for us He went to die for us.

In the Garden

You know what lies before your feet,
You see the cross that you must bear;
Your spirit cries for some release,
Your heart is tossed on waves of grief…

You’re covered by a fog of doubts:
The thick despair of loneliness;
Your bitter sigh speaks of your pain,
You hold the cares of all the world…

You’re sweating blood as you cry out
That God might take the cup away—
Where is the crowd you fed and healed?
They have forsaken you tonight,

And when you die tomorrow
The crowds will scorn you to your face;
They won’t know why you walk with peace
With a crown of thorns pressed on your head…

You’re covered by a fog of doubts:
The thick despair of loneliness;
But you would die to save our souls,
Will dare to bear the sins of all,

And in the garden you’ve resolved
The joy we’ll share is worth it all;
You’ll win a pardon for your sheep,
For love you’ll dare the grave itself…

For Leslie

“Once, long ago, I dreamed of love—and I thought it must be beautiful—and now—it’s like this.” —Leslie Moore in Anne’s House of Dreams

Anne’s House of Dreams, by L.M. Montgomery, is probably one of my five favorite novels. This poem was inspired by the story of Leslie Moore, one of the people Anne and Gilbert get to know when they live in their house of dreams.
I won’t give any of the story away, but encourage you to read it yourself...

For Leslie

When I was young, I dreamed of roses,
The crimson witnesses of love;
The songs I’ve sung all told a tale
Of flames once lit that burned forever;

But now I hold a rose unlike
The roses I was dreaming of;
No story told the pain I feel,
The tears I cry were not described—

The petals faded—joy was lost—
The thorns have grown, and pierce my heart
My smiles were traded for the cross
And now I know its scalding fire;

This love hurts more than anything,
But still I could not wish it gone—

...For through the door of love there’s life,
God will work good from this someday…

Important Moments

This poem is in response to the question "what is the most important part of your day?"

Important Moments

To balance scales is natural,
In an attempt to find the weight
Of moments most important,
All fused together in a day…

But God calls me to live each breath
With love, a living sacrifice,
Until each moment is defined
By doing right in Jesus’ eyes…

And as I live this way each day
I find each moment is a gift,
And when the measurement is made,
What’s most important? All of it!