26, 3-6 – SHOW NOTES & COPYRIGHTS – Revised 10/11/21
Here we are again, 4 poems from Living In God’s Rhyme whose common thread is God & Jesus & one other thing. I like the randomness of our discussions when I don’t set it up in the show notes. I’m sure there is a better word than randomness I could use. All 4 are from God Still Rhymes (©2017 by Tim Carter)
Our first poem is found on pg. 74
THE HEALING OF FORGIVENESS
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling
and slander, along with every form of malice.
Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Eph. 4:30,31
What needs to be said about this verse?
Though some words may sound terse,
They are covered in the blood
Jesus shed for those he loved.
He has loved
And still does.
Though we have sinned
He has sent a mighty wind
To lift his people up
As we drink from his cup.
We are hurt in so many ways,
Slander, malice, anger and rage.
We are left alone, left defeated.
That’s what we do to those God loves.
Sometimes we are they, the other one,
To whom the harm and hurt is done.
We all keep a running total, we tally the sum
Of each and every day they block out the Son.
We are told to forgive throughout God’s word,
Told enough that we should have heard,
If with God we live
We are called to forgive.
If God can forgive, so must we.
It is by his forgiving of our sin
That over death we do win.
Why is it so hard for us to see?
God loves so much that he died.
Died in the form of his Son
For the times we lied,
For all we have done.
A death we deserved,
A death we did earn,
But now as we turn
Our place is reserved.
Jesus died once for all,
For all who hear his call,
The call of God’s holy grace
That one day we may see his face.
We are but mere mortal man.
How can our sin against another
Be greater than our sin
Against he who created man?
We are commanded to forgive,
So then we must have the trust
To accept the word we have heard
That for God and his children we live.
God loves us
And if we love him,
We will follow his commands.
We will love our neighbor
And with them we will stand.
It is when were are one with God
And one with our fellow man,
Those who have scorned and hurt
That the healing can begin.
God healed us through the death of his Son.
His forgiving of our sins has healed our souls.
Though God is perfect, was he healed of a broken heart?
Does he smile more at each new day’s start?
Do We Forget?
It is often said, “I can forgive, but I will never forget.”
His word says, our sins forgiven, he will remember no more.
Forgiveness begins the healing, forgetting is the cure.
His ways are not our ways
And our ways are not his ways.
But though we may ask why,
We must always and forever try,
Try to understand
What he commands.
Reflection on The Healing of Forgiveness
The idea for this poem came to me on the afternoon of Day 29 of posting this books poems on Facebook. Mary Lou and I discussed it at an early dinner at the Atrium Café. After finding the verse I wanted and started walking toward the computer I had this thought; a word smith could spend more than an entire life time writing about God’s word, that is how great God is. He is endless. I’m sorry this is so long, but the words kept coming. I never know anymore what He will give me until His voice is quiet. The words He gave me are not the words I was thinking of before I sat down to write.
On pg. 125
THE GENTLENESS OF FAITH
Our faith is a reflection
That upon recollection
By those whose lives we passed.
Will see a love that lasts.
Our faith is not quarrelsome,
We speak in gentle tones
To those who do not know the Son
So they see the love he has shown.
His spirit may raise our voice,
Though never in anger, but in joyful song
Of a love that will make eyes moist
As the lost find that for which they do long.
Love is gentle in its forgiving
As shown by how we were living,
That as Christ redeemed us at the cross
So now we may live without the loss,
The loss of,
The love of his promise,
The gift of his grace,
That with Christ we will rise
When his call will end our race.
For God so loved us he gave his only Son
So we could join him and be the ones
To share,
To care,
To be there,
Anywhere
He calls,
Standing tall
So others hear
There is no fear
In God’s embrace
As the world we face.
Without love for others,
For our sisters and brothers,
Our faith is but mist in the air.
So how to the lost do we share?
Pray that our faith leaves no question
Of who God is and who we are in him.
May the gentle love of God
Be the gentleness of our faith.
Reflection on The Gentleness of Faith
I was led, or more likely I meandered, through four books before getting the inspiration for this poem. It came from 2 Timothy 2:24.
And the Lords servant must not be quarrelsome
But must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
On pg. 41
THE LOVE GOD GIVES
On his head thorns for a crown,
The thorns of my transgression.
Because he loved me I bow down
And profess to him my confession.
An all knowing God who created all we know,
Knowing the good and bad seeds we would sow
Still breathed into each one of us life,
Knowing that he one day pay would the price.
I wonder as I write these stanzas of words
Why, if he knew we would become a herd
Of wandering sheep,
His word he still keeps.
Though he knew our sin, our wandering ways
His love never wanders, the same it stays.
Yes, he is a just God who will punish
The unrepentant who refuse to believe.
But his love is always there
When we are ready to share,
To share in his reign,
That removes our shame.
He is a just God,
A righteous God,
He is a God of love,
He is a God of glory.
The Holy love of God
Forgives, it gives
Hope and blessing,
Joy in our sadness,
It lifts us up
As we share the cup,
The blood of his covenant
With the lost remnant.
From us he deserves
Our constant praise
As he preserves
Our living days.
And sometimes I wonder
Why he gave us free will
Knowing we would wander,
Knowing he would love us still.
His ways are not our ways.
Thankfully we should pray
A prayer of thanksgiving
That with him we are living.
Knowing all, who would hear his call,
He prepared for those who believe
That he alone is Holy in Glory,
A promise at the end of the story.
It is a story of his love,
The pain of his love,
The magnitude of his love,
The forgiveness of his love,
And the hope of his love.
He sent Jesus to deliver the message,
To pay the price to make us right,
To show the way, to open the door
That we may forever live in his sight.
Thank you, Lord
For your love for me,
Your love for my neighbor.
Thank you, Lord,
Thank you for eternity.
As I think about these poems one thought that comes to mind is, forgiveness is an everlasting gentle love.
If you give
Him the times
As you live
His word rhymes
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Tim and Dave
"If you give Him the times As you live His word rhymes "
"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."