Archives

When is Your Moment?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Esther through marriage became a Queen to King Xerxes.
She too was an Israelite, a Jew, like many in the land.
Haman had planned all the Jews alienation.
It had been decided there was no question,
She could lose her life by her intervention,
Or lose her life, by keeping silent,
While others too died by this extermination decree.

Her cousin Mordecai reminded her perhaps this was,
Why she was there, for such a time as this,
God spoke and Esther answered many lives were saved.

The woman caught in adultery,
Was gleefully brought to Jesus to be judged,
In the pious presence of those who plied the Law,
Jesus knew what her accusers claimed they saw,
Telling them that the one among them,
Without sin could throw the first stone,
One by one stones fell unthrown to the ground.

The adulterous woman met Jesus,
She had her moment with Jesus to choose change,
An experience of truth in love meant she was a new creation.

The woman came mid-day to the well,
She met Jesus there at the siesta hour,
He knew before she arrived of her deepest shame,
And she was never again the same,
For in the mirror shared in Holy love with her,
She faced only His and her own truth,
And forgiveness unexpected flowed in.

This woman who avoided the company of society,
Met Jesus and stepped into the light,
She immediately shared her experience and changed.

Judas met Jesus and was trusted,
From Jesus he was never treated different,
Although his underlying nature rose,
Judas put God's best aside to dose.
Although the Lord knew all along,
He was the one to betray Him,
Judas's decision was his own.

This disciple was with Jesus nearly everyday,
Never believing enough to change,
Never able in his moment to open his heart to love.

Mary Magdalene to Jesus's tomb came,
To finish preparing the body of Christ,
Found the stone that covered the tomb,
Stood open to reveal an empty womb,
When she ran she saw Jesus in the garden
Mary's faith was rewarded and unconfused,
Jesus was the victor over death.

She had her faithful witness moment,
And she hurried off to tell,
Jesus gave her the joy to share He was alive.

Each of the apostles were specifically called,
From life as they had known it until then,
They came of their own free wills,
Their hearts to God's service were sealed.
Though they were persecuted, imprisoned, stoned, beheaded,
After Jesus's resurrection these men held to Jesus true,
Eleven who in their moment still chose Jesus.

These ordinary men took a leap of faith,
And carried the Word to the world,
Faithful to the ends of earthly life and beyond.

Saul began becoming Paul,
On the road to Damascus,
He temporarily lost his sight
Jesus spoke to him outright,
He followed Jesus' instructions,
Regained his sight, and in his moment,
He now accepted Jesus as the truth.

In such a dramatic and unusual way,
Saul became Paul as he changed,
Becoming one who he once sought to kill.

What moment are you waiting for?
What call do you still need?
What keeps you hardened within yourself?
What chains does evil have left?
Is this perhaps the moment?
The change you were meant to make?
You and you alone must choose.

What stands between you and Jesus?
If you choose Jesus you will never again be the same.
Were you born for such a time as this?

----dfav
4/10/21, 6/7/21

From the Cottage-by-the-Sea, #6, 5/24/2021

Art & photo by dfav.
Aiming to go to our prayer cottage,
Our place by the sea
It is hard to reach today
The four a.m. moon faint,
Barely visible reflected in the sea.
The journey feels like forever
I wheel wounded body and soul
Both giving up on me.

I cannot wheel myself further,
No closer to where I want to be,
I call out to You Jesus
Do You see how much I need You?
Will You rescue me?
Even as I think to call out
The thought awakens in my mind,
"Try again to reach me."

In amazement I am here
Outside the Cottage-by-the-Sea,
Wheeling closer, down to the shore
While physical exhaustion drips away
The breeze from the sea fills me.
The tide is high and crashing in,
Sweeping away and sweeping in,
The shoreline by the sea.

The cares of this earthly life
Recede in my heart You've given me.
Your voice speaks in my ears,
Reminding me of what's vital
Of what really needs to be.
My eyes close so I can listen,
Truly hear what You are saying
Here by the Cottage-by-the-Sea.

Hands clasp onto mine.
Pulling me to run beside You free,
I feel Your scars from the nails
O this moment of the sweet-by-and-by
For Jesus' hands have me.
Time slips by as He walks
And I follow without fright
Along the beach by the sea.

He speaks to me in earnest
Waves pouncing at our feet by the sea
I can feel sand between my toes
The toes of both feet as it
Gently occurs to me,
There is only one leg
On this wounded body of mine
Even here by the Cottage-by-the-Sea.

Laughter, joy, amazement erupts
I hear Jesus' laughter next to me
One day, like now, in His presence,
I will walk, rejoice, even dance
Beside Heaven's crystal sea.
Regardless of all of Earth's troubles,
Its miseries and darkness
In this moment I am free
Walking with Jesus
As we laugh by the sea.

---dfav
5/24/21

Running to You

Seems like the world is closing in,

Not sure what or who is wrong this time,

Not sure of who should win,

Or if there’s a winning side at all.

I will be running, running to You.

But, this I am confident is true,

When Jesus splits the eastern sky,

This daughter will be running to You,

I will run to You, I will run to You.

I will be the one running to You.

After years of wondering what I should do,

Every second it takes me to get there,

Is one less to spend with You,

I will be the one running with a smile on my face.

I will be the one running, running to You.

There will be skid marks where I slide,

When I reach the point before Your throne,

Throwing my arms up, my heart open wide,

Holy tears will flow down my cheeks,

I will have been running, running to You.

To worship, adore You and praise You too.

Yes, I will be the one running fast as I can,

How long I have hungered for this time You are due,

I will be running to You despite one leg being gone.

Yes, I will be running, running to You.

—dfav

5/10/2021

Holy Water

Photo by Transformation Films on Pexels.com
Sprinkle me with the purest water
Until the dust evaporates
Until my soul believes it participates
So I feel better for a while.

But, afterwards the sin remains
More vivid are my scarlet stains.

Submerge me in water pure and fresh
Until I am surface soaked
Until it seems my soul is cleansed
So I feel better for a longer while.

But, in all too short a time
My sin stains lay claim as mine.

Plunge me under the running water
Until the agitation washes deeper
Until my soul appears to be a keeper
So I feel sure for a even longer while.

But, as times passes by and on
My heart knows it is a con.

Wash me in Your Holy Water
Until Your blood from Calvary flows
Until the water runs high and low
So I can convince myself an even longer while.

But, this time do not let me intervene
For Believer's Baptism is not routine.

Saturate me thoroughly in Your Holy Water
Until no part of me is remotely still dry
Until my soul knows it responded to Your cry
So this is real Believer's Baptism, those real smiles.

No buts, no ifs or pretenses this time
Steel like assurance as a Savior You are mine.

Flood my entire being in Your Holy Spirit
Until every wrong I have ever done
Until every unrighteousness is gone
So I continue as a new creation in You.

But this time I really understand
Faith proceeds instead of routines hand.

---dfav
5/6/2021

First Breath

Photo by Nita on Pexels.com
You breathed air into Adam's lungs
And he drew his first breath,
His lungs filled up with Your essence
Not only created but alive because of Your Holiness 
Living, breathing designed by the Creator no less.

From those few moments in time
With an exchange of essential, priceless air,
Adam became the start of all mankind
We're all tied to Adam's beginning,
A truth we're all now forgetting.

When the world's population grew wicked
Only Noah and family would be saved
By way of an ark never heard of before
Along with duos of every creature created
So that breath You shared with Adam survived.

Countless wars and ongoing disputes
Stiff-necked people, the faithful, all in part wrong,
Oh, the blood runs deep into the ground
Man's foolishness masquerades as wisdom
Your breath continued though men sought division.

Swirling through humanity's history
Living in disobedience Adam's breath survived,
While it appears man gambled with each breath,
As a baby's cry signals their first lung of air,
You've kept us breathing proving You still care.

Even when Jesus drew His last breath
On that cross raised high at Calvary,
Our breathing didn't cease to come and go,
Three days later when Jesus rose from the dead,
You were still proving Adam's breath was real.

According to prophecies and what I see
We're all drawing in that last borrowed air
As it escapes to join Heaven's winds
But as long as Earth and man exist
Adam's breath will survive finer than mist.

How can we have lost this ancient truth?
To God and only God we owe our very breath
Skin color, gender, family situation
Nor wealth or need, free or bound, it comes to be
The breath shared first with Adam breathes on in me.

----dfav
4/19/2021  

In Your Presence

Photo by K Brower 2021
There is sweetness in Your presence,
Rejoicing in Your grace and mercy,
As we come to worship this morning,
We are filled with Your glory,
As we hear anew the old, old story,
Resting in its perfect truth.

There is awareness in Your presence,
Unexplainable richness in our souls,
Though we see evil choosing evil,
We are overwhelmed by Your hope,
Assured You will be how we cope,
Though we don't know when, how or why.

There is assurance in Your presence,
In the Holy Spirit's calming touch,
The awakening of our sleeping souls,
Though the future isn't known,
Our lives in Yours has grown,
It's almost time Lord, almost.

----dfav
4/19/21

Keys to the Father’s House

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite on Pexels.com
The Father's son, Jesus Christ
Held it out to me, from atop His scar,
A beautiful but select old fashioned key,
Openly displayed not hidden in a jar.
His eyes seeing me as only He can
How do I fail to know all we can be?

With trembling fingers I gently touch
Unsure of what doors it unlocked,
My finger tip glazed His scar
All I thought I knew just disappeared,
My knowledge sank in my simple mind
As His wisdom briefly in its place appeared.

How precious this key He gives,
Surely I must protect it regardless of the cost?
It comes from the One who overcame death,
Affording us every protection, every security post?
This is the eternal key to the Father's house
How can it be used to reach the lost?

Do I hide it, guard it, silence it
Even in times of greatest need?
Do I keep its presence a secret
Let rumor and legend grow their seed?
Is this the best to keep thieves away
Make silence my lifelong creed?

Should I refuse it after all
Though I asked Jesus into my heart?
For I am not worthy of His trust
Could I really complete my part?
Do I not have doubt in myself
Down to a dark type of art?

Then almost as I backed away
I heard Jesus whisper in my ear,
"At Judgment when asked the question
You were offered the key so dear,
The key to Our Father's house,
How did you use it year after year?"

Did you accept all the possibilities
Of what the Father could open for you,
If you took the Father's house key
Perhaps opened a door or two?
Invited people in to meet the Father?
What did you do, who did you woo?

How will you answer this question
"What did you do with the Father's key?"
What will be your honest answer?
Will Jesus receive the truth of what you believe?
What will Jesus oh, so clearly see?
Did you use it so the lost receives?

---dfav
4/12/2021

Grace Gives Birth to Joy

Art, quote and photo by dfav.
Joy!  Joy is still a peace that all of us can claim we've found,
In unceasing waves of calm to wrap life around.
Joy highlights hope.

Hope!  Hope is still very much alive and well,
Countless occurrences of praises to tell.
Hope gives way to prayer.

Prayer!  Prayer is still flowing heavenward from our lips,
It is possible to just touch Your hem with fingertips.
Prayer breaths love.

Love!  Love is still within most human hearts,
Even of those determined to keep us apart.
Love provides forgiveness.

Forgiveness!  Forgiveness is still what we all seek,
For our deepest wounds and anger make us weak.
Forgiveness flows to grace.

Grace!  Grace is still that which we are in great need,
There are unknown harvests from Your gospel seed.
Grace gives birth to joy.

Joy links hope causing prayer where love reveals forgiveness,
Forgiveness gives way to grace and joy returns selfless.
All joined by God. 

----dfav
4/9/21 

Free Souls

Emerging from the depths of soil
Of what was but days ago
Frozen,
Cold,
Still.
Now life bursts forth in glee
Proof that somehow life
Finds a way,
Continues on,
Has a will.
Beneath us one and all
In a cycle of continuing
Miracles happen,
Time marks passage,
Birth occurs.
From depths of human hearts
Acknowledgement as Spring arrives
Despite COVID,
Shutdowns
Separation.
Resolutions, determinations unfurl
The hibernating hope in us
To reawaken,
Feel the Sonshine,
Unfurl our wings.
Seeds opening in prepared soil
Buds bursting beneath nests
Babies soar,
On newly found wings,
Free souls.

----dfav
4/8/2021

Somehow

Waking in the wee hours of this morning
There is a thirst in my soul
And I pray and read Your word
Aware
How my innermost core
Longs for a drink from
The everlasting Living Water.
How I long to sink my roots
Deeply into the earth
Beside the rivers mighty flow.
Somehow You see,
Somehow You know,
Grant me what I need.

Breathing in the Sonrise as dew dissolves
Knowledge warms my wounded heart
And I pray and devour Your word
Aware
How my soul aches deeply
For You in my hearts
You shaped missing puzzle piece.
How everything in me responds
To Your urging self-examination
Of me in Your Word.
Somehow You know,
Somehow You have heard
Grant me now Your wisdom.

Warming as the Son warms the earth
Stretching to see what God fulfills
And I pray and feast on Your word
Aware
How perfectly You respond 
To my specific needs right here
Right where I am.
How blessed I am O Holy One
That You love me
Completely as Your own.
Somehow now my eyes are opened
Somehow Your knowledge to me is known,
You are the the Great I Am.

----dfav
4/7/2021