Down Through the Conduit The best of poetry delivers His Love... copyright 2014, Doug Blair, Waterloo, ON
Lydia, at Philippi
He’s new to this district And found us in prayer All down by the river Our burdens to share. We women were needy We women were dry We women were hopeful That God would come by.
And fresh from the harbour There came this strange man Who, serving one Jesus, Extolled a new Plan Where wrongs were forgiven Where mercy held sway Where lives were transported From night into Day. We clung to his message Like bees to the bloom And Glory, his Saviour Had plenty of room For more in His Household For women like us Who hungered for right things Who longed just to trust. And trust, my reaction His stories, His Cross His leaving the grave shrouds His rising, Death’s loss. I own now this Jesus Relinquish my heart Perhaps now my household Could give Paul his start. For all Greece is needy And all Greece is lost I will serve this Gospel Whatever the cost. (Acts 16: 12-15)
Never Met Such a Judge
The seat’s for her Don’t say different. And those little ones Right beside. Let your faces Show a welcome. Dump your postures Dump your pride. No she missed The teaching series. Coming new here Without shine. And she needs some care That’s obvious. But she’s precious And she’s mine. The collection Will scarce miss her But she gives much more You see. She is needy And she knows it And she’s not ashamed of me. Much unlike The current fashion
Where the name of Christ Is hid. Talk of marriages And finance And the way to tame that kid. And the suppers Pot-luck pretty And the baseball when it’s hot. She is seeking out My City. And you trendy bunch Are NOT. So the lesson Sits among you And the litmus test is here. Come up forward Gracious daughter At my feet Where all is clear. Psalm 68: 5 – A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
Seamless Transition When I have slipped this shell And kissed each loving face once more And find strange buoyancy To float weightless To that distant shore. When pains have fled And duties suit a former time. And eyes new-sparkling Marvel at all joys now mine. I haven’t one, not one Investment come matured That I can thank
For this and bliss ‘Til now obscured. Oh Jesus, you are all I have to praise And walk with, laughing Through unending days. And being here, I sense All fear is gone And up ahead the saints To love and be loved Halcyon.
Belonging
To have a friend Who gently checks the pulse rate And shuts his mouth When I am prone to rant. To see his smile When all inside is ripped up And know he means it Even though I can’t.
To hear his word And know it’s steeped in Christ Hard come by Transcending all the pain. Yes, such a friend One diamond full Of scintillating comfort Is priceless gain.
Treasured
by james tissot (john 21: 9-13) Oh to walk by Galilee See the crowds and what they see Hear their laughter; feel their thrill Learning of the Father’s will. Hearing tales from where they live Learning how to pray, forgive How to walk the second mile How to make the outcast smile. Watching sickness turn and flee Watching sinners saved and free. This a pilgrim’s frequent wish Camp with Him, and share His fish. Then there was that other phase Shadows came in threatening days
Cold religion sought to snare Empire muscle everywhere Politics and schemes of men Shutting down the love again Making plans to catch the Son See His following over-run See Him shackled, whipped, defamed Brought to bar with no just claim. Bring Him to a horrid Hill All to serve His Father’s will. Treasured fare to feast upon Matthew, Mark And Luke and John. Take it to my quiet place Learn His love And seek His face. Take to heart the Gospel’s peace Tell a friend of faith’s release. Christ is risen Death’s great loss Christ within me Through the Cross.
Apollyon I am slipping it ever so gentle ‘Round men and their plans, you see. ‘Round projects so seemingly worthy Hah! The net that will draw them to me! I cut them some slack for endeavour, For good deeds at no paltry price. And men will speak well of the effort Of service that disregards Christ. Oh yes, I have serfs in the gutter Who roll in the mud and morass.
But happier am I at the praises These do-gooders hear as they pass. They think they are earning right-standing. Exactly with whom they’re not sure. And meanwhile my net has been tightening It will, when their motives aren’t pure. (Apollyon in the Greek means Destroyer)
Ready for the Call
Christ Calls Matthew by Caravaggio He calls you When there’s nothing left but pleading. When the grim resolve you birthed Has come and gone. When the stumbling past Re-visits with a vengeance. And the face betrays The force to carry on. He sees you When the days seem all so common. When the evening prayer is lost To clouded sleep.
When the Book of Life Is shut to new discovery, And the first-love fire Impossible to keep. He knows you As the shepherd knows his lambkin. And your stumblings and wanderings In the climb. But He promised through The season to sustain you, And His caring shoulders Bore you many a time. Christ loves you And this truth proves all-sufficient. And will clear the mists of doubt And dull despair. And will steel you for New purpose in His timing, With the force and fire To work His wonders there.
Right Standing Try as we might It eludes us; Too great and too grand For our frame. This mortal flesh Given to passions And sin, ill-befitting Your Name. But still it’s our hope To come closer. You’ve said that we might Through your Son.
For His is A perfect obedience What Law said “This do” Now is done. Yes, done By the Friend of all sinners, And “Father forgive” Was His plea. And blood was His ransom and rescue, Sufficient to save Even me. What confidence comes With the knowing, That all faults and foibles Are past. And prayer and performance Gain power In Christ’s righteousness. Now that lasts!
Mouth Organ
The porch now is cool And chores set aside And crickets move in for a chat. The moon o’er the lawn Awaits the pure tone Of reeds and my breath, fancy that. I give them a piece That must start out low Addressing the pain all around But upward its climb To regions sublime Embracing the Mercy I found. This little band dear With notes oh so clear Responds to my cadence and kiss. And night friends all pause Emotion the cause Drawn out by a wee song like this. So artless each chord Resounds to my Lord There must be His love in the tune Each breath and each thought By His kindness bought With heavenly choirs coming soon.