Keep Those Eyes Down!

In our daily lives we are often so preoccupied with the busy-ness around us that we never take the time to "...be still, and know that I am God." Here's a good natured satirical look at our busy selves:

 

"Keep Those Eyes Down!"

 Wailing sirens.
 Honking horns.
 Angry shouts.
 Middle fingers.
 Pavement.

 Babelesque buildings reaching unto the heavens.
 Look at what Man has accomplished.
 We're so awesome!
 At night, a few fluorescent lights below...conceal an entire cosmos above.
 Keep those eyes looking down.

 Even the animals have lost their natural dread.
 Just about anyone can be St Francis if they've got a bag of bread crusts.
 Rats and Squirrels top The Chain.
 What noble beasts.

 People scurry a million directions.
 Always in a crowd.
 Always alone.
 Pop in the buds.
 Turn up the ole 'Pod.
 Download another app....you'd hate to talk to a human next to you in line.
 Keep those eyes down.

 Busy, busy, busy...enough to brag about....on Twitter.
 Trees...in pots... by the escalator in the mall!
 Abundance.
 Plenty.

 Anything and Everything to entice one's heart from their Maker.
 Down! Keep those eyes down here.

 The Creator declares His majesty each day when He rules the sky with sunlight.....
 and at night when He lights up the firmament.
 Even when we're not paying attention...or can't see it.

 Hate to distracted by all that weird nature stuff.
 Keep those eyes down!

Creation's Lament

In all of the Creation, man seems to be the least in tune to the voice of God. In the Old Testament, the prophets often made analogies like "I call heaven and earth to witness against you..."
This poem takes a look at how the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ might be viewed through the eyes of the Creation...

"Creation's Lament"

 Flee the Sky you Stars and Moon! Hide your face in shame, O Sun!

 For your Kindler has perished.

 Rage ye Seas, your Billows roll, be stayed not by Anyone!

 For your Master hath fallen.

 Tremble furiously, O Earth, and from your place, ye Heavn's, shake!

 For He Who stretched you out and laid your foundations hath gone down to the Pit.

 Awake ye Mountains, Hills, and Valleys! Ye Grass, and Trees, and Brooks, awake!

 And mourn for your Creator Who sleeps in the dust of the Earth.

 Now rise ye Stars, climb high ye Moon! Ye Sun, in fulness shine! For He is Risen!

 Calm you, Deep; Quiet, ye Waves, be still ye thrashing Brine...

 For He Who determined your bounds sits again upon His Throne.

 To your Great Dance, O Earth, return;

 Declare, O Heavn's your Maker's Name!

 For He that lit the Firmament hath led Captivity captive!

 Ye Rocks and Hills and Living Things, sound His everlasting fame!

 "For I AM He that liveth, Who was dead; and Behold, I AM alive forevermore."

 

The Dying God

A reminder of Christ's obedience to His Father's will. Though He "humbleth Himself to behold the things in heaven and in the earth", yet was He made in the likeness of sinful flesh for the suffering of death, "that He, by the grace of God should taste death for every man..."

"The Dying God"

The Diadem of Heaven, is cast upon the ground.
The Sacred Head it set upon would wear a crown of thorn anon;
and with foes be compassed round.

To the Cross He’s stretched, and upon the beam is nailed.
Men that hate Him stand about; their vic’try o’re him rail and shout;
He’s til He breathes His last assailed.

The Dying God expires Alone, with ne’re a one to comfort Him.
His wicked slayers exult his death, mocking every labored breath;
Knowing not He weeps for them.

The Sacred Head now hangeth low, and in death is bowed:
Below the cross and all around, His precious blood has soaked the ground.
Taunts and jeers rise from the crowd.

The noon time sky turned into darkness, the day to deepest night.
Fright gripped those upon the hill, knowing not God’s Blood must spill.
Here comes His greatest Might.

With a blinding light his Servants came, and beside the Tomb stood fast.
The slain Lamb, The Risen God, upon the Serpents head He trod.
Our wrong into the Sea He cast.

My former sin I fear no longer; and for me it holds no dread.
My sins were dragged up Calvary, Christ nailed them all upon His tree;
In Love He took my stead.

The Servant

 

This is nothing more than a paraphrase of Isaiah 52:13-Isaiah 53:12. I hope this causes you to reflect on the suffering of Christ as our sin-bearer...

"The Servant"

Behold, My Servant will deal wisely and be exalted very high.

Lookers on will gasp to see Him, He’ll suffering bear without a sigh.

He’ll be so viciously abused you’ll scarce a human see,

and sprinkle nations; bear thy sin; be nailed upon the tree.

Who hath our report believed? Who’s seen Jehovah’s might?

He’ll grow before Him tender, pure, within His Father’s sight.

No form He’ll have to be desired, no Kingly Majesty,

No comeliness to wish upon, no beauty we should see.

He is despised and spurned by men, upon Him sadness lay

a Man of sorrows, filled with grief, He took Him our dismay.

He’s stricken, smitten, by His Father, yet we esteemed Him not,

Our blame He took, though not His Own; He had no stain or spot.

For our transgressions was He wounded, and for our iniquity,

was crushed and bruised and punished thus, by this our souls to free.

All we, like sheep, have gone astray, we have turned to each his way,

but Christ, God punished in our stead; on Him our sin did lay.

He was oppressed, he was afflicted, yet not a word He said

and like a lamb, God’s Perfect Lamb unto His death was led.

He sat in prison, stood in judgment, no man cared that He, a King

would bear transgression for His people, their great sin to God he’d bring.

In between two thieves He died; in a rich man’s tomb He’s buried.

Since He’s done no evil thing, by only Him could sin be carried.

Yet the Lord was pleased to bruise Him, on Him bitter grief is placed;

He will offer up His soul for sin, and of death is made to taste.

God will see His suffering soul, and be contented for our sake;

many will God’s Servant save, for He their guilt will take.

Since all of this was laid u’pon Him, from this He did not shy away;

He shall be King o’er all Creation, from now through all eternal day.

The Resurrection

 

 

"...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and was buried and rose again the third day..." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

"The Resurrection"

It was late in the day when they pulled Him down;

and carried Him from the hill outside of town.

They wrapped Him in linen sprinkled with spice

Though a King, a rich man’s tomb would suffice.

With heavy hearts and many tears,

the One they’d hoped for all these years

lay cold and lifeless in the grave.

As they sealed the tomb, grief in a wave

swept over those that left the cave

for they thought it was the last farewell.

They didn’t know, or coulden’t tell

that when the Pure for the Guilty fell

that there is no pow’r in earth or hell

that could hold Him in the ground.

Then soldiers came to stand around

the tomb to guard the burial Place,

His friends now feared to show their face

and hid together in a room.

Some women went to see the tomb,

the stone rolled back, they did assume

some stole Him in the night.

Then standing there in brilliant white

glowing in celestial Light,

an Angel stood before their sight

and told them not to fear.

He said unto them “He’s not here!”

He’s Risen as He said He would

then he vanished ‘ere before they could

even ask his name.

Then to the gathered room they came

and told of what the angel said

and not to fear or fill with dread

for Christ has risen from the dead,

He soon in their midst appeared.

Those of them that first had feared

to dare to let themselves believe

that just a Ghost they did perceive

were awed when He ate fish and bread.

“Fear not”, He laughed,” have ye not read

how I must die and be as dead?

And now I live forevermore.”

He showed the place the nails had tore

and by them how their sin He bore

and for them all God’s wrath did pour

upon Him in our stead.

So having suffered, having bled

and having risen from the dead

He sits at God’s Right hand to plead

and for guilt to intercede

on our behalf ‘Fore Holy God.

And live eternally on High,

and sinners by His blood draw nigh

and reign as King of Kings. 

Man

This is a "rebuttal" to a poem called "Fur Theo Van Doesburg" by Hans Arp translated from German in which he verbalizes the utter hopelessness of the view that man is a cosmic accident of nature, a blight on an earth struggling to evolve; a view of man in which there is no acknowledgement of his Creator.
The view of man that I wrote about in this bit is man as he was designed to be in Eden, what he ought to be today, and one day because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross...what he will be.

"Man"

Head upward, eyes upward

Arms outstretched to the skies

He stands, worshiping his Creator

Who breathed life into the dust

he stands upon

He is crowned with glory and honor

Lovingly fashioned in the image of his God

He converses with his Maker as with a friend

he worships and adores Him

he sees, he hears, he speaks

communing with his Author

he lives, he laughs, he loves

possessing the attributes of the Most High

Fully fashioned after his God

In every way

To think God's thoughts after Him

And walk with Him hand in hand

Head upward, eyes upward

Arms outstretched to the skies

He stands, worshiping his Creator

Who breathed life into the dust

he stands upon

The Seed

"the seed is the Word of God..." Luke 8:11

"The Seed"
A patch of earth in early spring,
a morn that piques the soul to sing,
a hoe to till and seed to fling,
and fall into the ground.
Those seeds who in their graves lie bound
while Day and Night do pass them o’er
while from the sky the rain doth pour
and at last, alone, they die.
Yet now doth life anew draw nigh
for rising from their place to lie
push through dark til lustrous light
cascades enraptured down.
All this reminds when Heavn’s Crown
was lower than the Angels made;
when God did smite with Judgement’s blade
His Son, Who in the earth was laid
and how the power of Death He stayed
when He rose forevermore.

The Sky

"The Sky"

Obscuring heights of yawning blue

a dreary grey sky's vault doth guard;

then breaks at 'Eve in legion'd hue

an opus of Creation's Bard.

At dusk the firmament above

ignites, His Godhead to profess;

to herald all, who draw life's breath

His eternal Righteousness.

Until one marks He's 'Throne'd above

and o'er the universe doth reign;

one cannot see salvation's need

brought upon by Adam's Bane.

So "look to me and be ye saved,

all ye ends of earth;"

For by His blood thy life is gained

and ransom'd from Sin's Dearth.

"Safe with Thee"

 

"...in hope of eternal life, which God promised before the world began." Titus 1:2
The Bible is a story of, among others things, the great lengths that Someone went through to keep His Word.

“Safe With Thee”

My soul was like the troubled sea,
casting mire and dirt.

My mind was full of fearful doubts,
my heart with searing hurt.

What if cru’el Death did call
in eerie watches of the night?
Then down into the Pit I’d fall,

ever hidden from Thy sight.

Darkness creeped, and seeped, and settled;
my soul encompassed with despair.
Then to Thy Word I turned and saw
great words of Life were written there.

“I give to them Eternal Life”
Your Holy Word did say.
It said I’m safe within Your hands,
and none can pluck away.

I read that “by One offering”
He on the cross my sin did pay:
and since that I “believe on Him”
will surely raise upon that “Day.”

Now in Your promise’s I trust,
that I’ll Ever guarded be.
My tortured soul at last can rest;
for I am safe with Thee.

The Reminder

A friend shared Psalm 89:34-37 with me one day and it made me view the sun and moon in a new context. That they are reminders that He keeps His word, and that one day David's son the Christ will sit upon the Throne forever and ever...
 

"The Reminder"

A burning Orb lights noonday's sky.

Since the moment it was hung, has tread his path in the heavens.

Day's Monarch 'throned on high.

As darkness falls new Ruler's rise.

A Silvery Beauty begins her midnight waltz across the firmament

til daylight gently lifts Earth's guise.

As these Great Lights begin their climb,

and kindle empyreal fires above...they remain

celestial signs from ancient time.

Mankind's reminder of David's Seed:

Who's Throne will be established forever and ever,

after He for All doth bleed.

Like Sun and Moon He will remain;

whom He hath set for a memorial to His faithfulness in the heaven's...

For once enthroned He'll ever reign.

Thoughts from an Afternoon Drive

 

 

"Thoughts from an Afternoon Drive"

The winter sun:

Even this Great Light alters

Her celestial dance at the beckoning

Of her Ruler.

Clouds,

Preparing rain for the Earth

To make her bring forth and bud;

At the summons of her Maker.

Bare Oaken Branches,

Raising their hands in worship

Of their Creator.

Evergreen pines,

Lifting their voices in chorus

With the gentle breeze

To sing of the Great God.

Autumn leaves,

Lying In the dust, regenerating the earth

til He makes all things New.

All nature extolls their Master Craftsman, so I,

The crowning achievement of His handiwork

Must join in....

The Sailor

For context, please read the Book of Jonah in the Bible,  focusing on the first chapter. This poem is written through the eyes of a sailor on Jonah's fateful voyage...

"The Sailor"

The breeze excited;

snapping sails

and rustling hair.

The sky darkened,

heavy with storm clouds;

a chill in the air.

Tho' seasoned,

eyes surveyed above

as souls well'd up with dread.

Eerie fierceness

ne'er seen upon the sea

in an instant o'er us spread.

The sky

black as pitch, the wind lashed the rigging

with a scream.

Waves rose as phantoms

from the murky deep

like a terrifying dream.

We cried

to our gods of the wind, sky, and sea

and begged their anger to subside.

"What have we done?!"

"What can we offer?!"

All this, yet none replied.

All gathered

and threw lots to see

on whom the blame we'd cast.

To a Hebrew traveler they fell;

who's voice did roar

above the blast.

"The Lord

God Whom I fear

He made sea and land!"

We'd never heard of such a One

Who'd composed all of Nature

and did shape it with His hand.

He spoke not

of angry spirits fancied in the minds of men

which cannot make one awed;

but a Maker, Father,

Savior, Redeemer,

an Almighty, Eternal God.

"His direction

I've defied and now I flee before His face"

his voiced raised still above the din.

"Now to save yourselves

alive this night, take me up

and cast me in!"

We contended

him madly then rowed hard and cast off,

but could aught be done, alas.

We begged mercy from his God,

cast him oe'er, and in an blink

the sea was calm and smooth as glass.

Then in awe

we fell and knew that He is God;

Ruler of wind and wave.

The Creator of all,

Master of the sea

a King, mighty to save.

Now on we sail

to nearest land

the ship to fit and store.

From now I'll tell of Him

Who made all things, and

serve Him evermore.

Jonathan (Prayer for a Warrior)

I wrote this when my younger brother Jonathan went to Ranger School. I literally could not get him off my mind during the 61 days that he was at Ft. Benning Georgia. I prayed for him constantly...

"Jonathan (Prayer for a Warrior)"

When he's faint Lord, be his Strength

and when he's lost his way; his Guide.

Never leave him or forsake him;

may he in Your Shadow hide.

When he's famished, O Lord feed him,

strengthen him with Living Bread;

and when his soul doth faint within,

revive him by the Words You've said.

Make him fierce Lord as a lion,

unrelenting, bold inclined;

not from hate of who's in front

but for love of who's behind.

P.S. Jonathan graduated his Ranger School class on March 8, 2013 as one of 11 warriors (out of over 300) who made it through the course on their first try. He is currently stationed in Washington D.C. with the 3rd Infantry Regiment, famed for it guarding at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetary. He is currently training for Special Forces Selection...

P.P.S. As of December 2014, Jonathan is a platoon leader in the 3rd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning Georgia.

Rain

 

"As the rain cometh down...so shall my Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth." Isaiah 55:10-11

“Rain”

The rain comes down…

Bringing life;

regenerating a fallen earth.

…and the rain comes down…

Bringing beauty;

making it bring forth and bloom.

…and the the rain comes down…

Bringing hope;

that He’ll make all things new.

…and the rain comes down…

Hands

Wrote this one day during my time working in a Mercedes-Benz automotive plant.

"Hands"

A million hands. Hands everywhere!

Hands to lift, and pinch and prod,

And poke and cut and paint

and weld.

A million hands. Hands everywhere!

Conjured up in a multitude of brilliant minds

of folk at the top of their field.

A million hands. Hands everywhere!

Showering sparks; yet cold.

A flurry of activity; yet lifeless.

Two hands. Right in front of me.

Conjured in the mind of an Eternal God.

Precise. Full of feeling. Intelligent.

Warm.

I'll take these any day.

Reconciled

Reconciliation is one of the most beautiful things that the human mind can comprehend. Whether between races, families, colleagues, or belligerent nations...it is a thing of exquisite beauty. God Himself is the Author and Originator of it, for He "reconciled the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."

"Reconciled"

Two at Enmity.
A Gulf of Pride, Rebellion and Disdain.
Goodwill directed, to no avail.

One afflicted.
by Malady, Death, Decay.
Feeble, but Defiant.

The Other Longing.
Loving, overcome.
Began the quest to span the Gulf.

Bridged at last.
Now Weakness cloaked and shod
The Other; Who became Offense.

Now Life from Death.
Two Quickened corpses Raised.
One in Body; the other, Spirit.

The Bondage of corruption
lifted at last. For all time.
Where Enmity reigned
there is Peace.

Once Defiance, now Submission.
Worship. Adoration.
Before, Rebellion; now Assent.
Surrender. Adulation.

Now Two, are One.
Side by side.
Hand in hand.
At Peace, in love
Forever. 

The Gospel from Romans 5

"The Gospel from Romans 5"

In the the garden
an offense
by one who
came from clay;
would in a span
be set aright
by One Who’s of
eternal Day.

O’er all flesh
and creeping things,
o’er earth and heav’n
did slav’ry reign.
On all a bondage
of corruption weighed
until the Lamb of God
was slain.

The disobedience
of one
brought sin and death
upon us all;
but through submission
of Another
can one be rescued
from the Fall.

Now the gulf
of separation’s bridged;
all malice
made to cease.
For now we’re justified
by faith in Christ
and at last with God
have peace.

Stars

"The heavens declare the Glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto Day they utter speech, and night unto night they proclaim knowledge..." Psalm 19

“Stars”
Like royalty in jeweled robes
they promenade across the sky.
Capering, swirling
in exquisite unison.
They tread the firmament on high.

Sidereal lights of ancient time
from the moment they were hung.
Kindled, gleaming
silent witnesses.
A Testament in every tongue.

The Creator

This piece is simply a bunch of pieces of scripture snipped out of different places and glued, ransom note/Waffle House sign style onto paper. I love the imagery of a master craftsman meticulously plying his trade:

"The Creator"

In beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,

laid the beams of the earth thereof,

stretched a line across it,

set the foundation,

established the cornerstone,

measured the waters in His hand,

meted out heaven with a span,

comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure,

weighed the mountains in scales,

and the hills in a balance.

He made the sea, and His hands formed the dry land

He stretched out the heavens by His understanding,

They are the work of His fingers,

and He ordained the moon and stars,

He is the Maker of the Seven Stars and Orion

Who binds the Plaides

and brings forth Arcturus with his sons

and calls out the Mazzeroth in her season.

There is nothing too hard for You!

What is man that you would be mindul of him? And think upon him?

And be made in his likeness for the suffering of death?

 

Sullam

Sullam means a "ladder" or "staircase." When God appeared to Jacob in a dream long ago He was showing that He, Christ, was the way to have fellowship with God. This bit mulls that thought over a bit in light of Jesus' words that He was the "Way."

"Sullam"

A desert night,

a weary fugitive,

a headrest made of

stone.

A vivid dream

of ethereal Truth

revealed, projected,

shown.

Angels going up and down

on steps that led to heav'n;

and showed that God

indeed did ache

to mend the bond

of fellowship that long ago

was made to break

by His very First Creation.

To the fugitive

God then swore

to be his Stay, and tend

and keep His Word and do His Will,

and through him prepare

a Seed Whose flesh and bone He'd fill

with God's Fulness,

Who'd Restore

the League

'twixt the Almighty and His

One True Love.

Years did pass;

God kept His Word.

One spoke and said that "on the Son

shall up and down the angels tread."

He was the Way! The path to God!

Now His envoys faithful

do completely all He's said

to Reconcile Him to His Bride

the one He loves,

forever.

Thy Word

Lord thank You for Your Word which "liveth and abideth forever."

"Thy Word"

O God the word that Thou didst give

from which first I heard of Thee,

that You a King from Ancient Days

would come to earth and die for

Me.

It tells a man he's born in sin

and lost and hopeless on his own;

It tells how You, O Mighty God

descended low from off Your Throne

To turn Your enemies to Light

and many thus to seek and save.

You laid upon a cross to die

then rose again up from the grave.

I thank Thee for these Scriptures true

which tell of Your Great Majesty;

and how You came down to Redeem

all that would believe on Thee.

Refrain:

Living Word, free from sin

took on flesh to bleed for men.