SHORT AND SWEET little poems of Gospel love and hope copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo, ON, 2017
New Eyes
Have you come to Wits End Corner? And you know you can't go back And you've tried all human remedies But you still are way off track. This is engineered by Heaven All the rules you can't abide And you're coming to the Book's end You need Jesus at your side. He has satisfied the Law in full He has bled the penalty He has bested death and come right back He has Grace to set you free. And you smile as revelation comes And you cling much tighter still And you sing the answer thankfully Things you saw from Calvary's Hill.
Life at the River
If I had the chance to show you If you'd sit still long enough I would take you to the River Lovely diamond in the rough I would have you hear the cardinals See the mallards skimming down And the Monarch, gossamer pilot At the outskirts of our town There the Angus cattle lowing And the hissing wind-swept corn There the sparkle on the millpond Hiding heron in the morn' And you'd sense Creator's passion And His new art brushed each day As the clouds sailed slowly over And you'd bend the knee and pray "Thank you Father for your power And your purpose in this art Long it captured all my senses But today you have my heart."
Hero
Every thought of Him An act of worship. Every look upon That unseen face A study of calm Compassion and courage.
The face marred more Than any man’s, Taking barbs And spittle in the streets. Pressing onward To Destiny’s Hill. Dreading it. Loving it. The Mission finished By noblest act of will. A Father pleased Though forced to look away That death might pay For every trespass Ever done. It’s dark, but Soon the rising Of the Son. My Hero.
The Broken Vessel
The broken vessel Strewn across the floor. Fragments scattered far. The pattern of original Gone forever. The shape, the symmetry Things of the past. One asks: "What the mishap? What the sudden, Shocking drop?" As if somehow Reversing the loss Of earlier glory. And what of that glory? Thing of men's fashion. Mis-spent resources. Calling for kisses Of praise. Pride of a pot. Others have not. So let it shatter. Life of convention. Painful pretention. Now search for beauty, Delightful duty, Living like Christ Pearl of great price.
Never Alone
Never alone They said at the starting You would be there Through thick and through thin Never a chance Your ever departing Happy to hear this I just walked right in. Heard of your shame And pain on the Hilltop Heard of the folk Who mocked you as King Heard how the tomb Went missing your body Good News to Israel That changed everything. Then came the cloud O'er faith's early gleaming Caused me to doubt How sure was your troth Then came your balm And all things redeeming Rescue, reunion I thrilled at them both!
Let Tears Begin
We weep at our incarnate frailty. We weep at confusion and sin. We weep at the selfish agenda. We weep at the tiger within. We weep at the child-life departing. We weep at the blush off the bloom. We weep for the ones we offended. We weep at the guile and the gloom. We weep knowing Holiness watches. We weep knowing better was planned. We wonder if Holiness offers The curative touch of His hand. We weep lately sensing His presence. We weep so unworthy of Grace. We weep at the startling discovery That Holiness died in our place!
Noon Hour Lesson
She pecked at the sidewalk so gently White cane all over the place And cars passed her by in a frenzy. Determined, the look on her face And smiling, though pacing through darkness And probably so all her days
And I fretting some little problem And feeding my small, selfish ways. Oh how I was urged to pull over Embrace those two shoulders so brave And tell her Light comes in the Morning With One oh so willing to save. And might He step out of the ether? And put His two hands on her eyes? Dear Christ come to this little Sister With glimpses of your Paradise.
Love of Christ
I can't contain this thing inside It grows with each new morn And helps me see the needs so real Of lonely and forlorn Of hurting and self-loathing In town, at work, next door Of all the ones in need of Christ I never saw before. It makes no sense to plead the case Of those I never knew But pray I do, and comfort too For truly Lord, it's You. You walk these streets and offer smiles And help the old to cope You hug a child and calm the wild And give the hungry hope. It's not a job; a life instead To serve the Man of Peace So use this clay, yes e'en today
In wondrous Love's release.
But Still... I have bottomed out. I have lost the day. I have pain within; I can scarcely pray. I have watched dreams pale In the time's harsh gale. I have few to help. I am gaunt and pale. But still I have the Lord...
But still I have the Lord, And He picks me up With the thought of Him. And He brings His light Where before 'twas dim. And He makes me see With new eyes of grace; As His Kingdom comes, And I find my place. So sufficed, I have all.
Last Crescent Moon
Hung o'er the rooftops And over the street
Cold-clear in the darkness Her profile so neat. She speaks of departure A waning regret Aware of her leanness But come-hither yet. And what holds her up there And Who beats the time? No engine or cable For this flight sublime. Once full and so festive Now nearing the void I scarce hold the memory Of bounty enjoyed But she hints at all Now adorned with a mist A light still of comfort A promise now kissed. Though black nights are coming The cycle is sure She'll shine in a brief while All gleaming and pure.
Again? It’s hard again And the loneliness Abrades the skin and soul I am yours With assurance I am whole But not today The saints seem All so far away And claiming victory
Even in the smallest things While I doubt much And fear the strokes That chastening brings. But Father this is just Denial of your love You feel and touch And timely send your Rescue from above Mine to wait and watch And speak those words Of timeless writ Til I see the joy of it.
Hillsong
Just the two of us Lord On this green country plot Raised a little bit high o’er the rest. And the breeze says you’re here To decipher my thoughts. Precious time that I treasure the best. And the wildflowers wave And the larks soar on high And the cattle just low, “All is good.” And the City’s rushed noise Is forgotten a while As I rest in your love, as I should.
Small Talk Yields Big Dividends
I have simply come out walking And our paths have crossed by chance And you offer up a smile As if to pass. And I volley with a comeback "Nice to see those robins 'round" Just as one trots cross the turf And stabs the grass. And discussion then flows freely You so wanted to engage But you simply had no fare To make it start. Seems your wife is resting bedside From a stroke that rocked your world I am listening Friend Yes...please unload your heart.
The Shepherd’s Call
A windswept grassy island. Sheep roaming free. Shepherd raises his hands to his mouth And calls the flock through the mists. They literally run to come near to him. They know by experience that he is trustworthy; That he truly loves them. And understands the fabric of their life. There is no need for butting or disorder. He also is the one who disciplines.
And delights with special treats. They happily submit and rejoice in unison. Their incoming bleatings are A song of delight to the Man of Mercy.
Shield Now every day Assurance comes Though forces rage and blow That you have pledged To be my shield You love me even though You know my Darkest faults and falls My rants of sorry doubt You take my hand A two-chord band We work the problem out. And never will I have to toil Or struggle, frail and weak My shield you are The Morning Star New glories yet to seek.
Psalm 28: 7
The Pursuit
To apprehend And gather all the holy gems Long touted The purity And peace of walk For weary years Long doubted And pressing forth The prize seen by these eyes So worth the contest Scarce knowing Christ Is apprehending me With His best. Philippians 3: 12-14
Gardener
I have little plots of this And some little plots of that And I break up ground And pour in rain And seed the place all flat. Every species known by name Every tenderness discerned Yes, the hurting, hoping, lonely Sadly judged, abused and spurned. But the hardiness will come With my love and pruning knife And the blooms and fruits a-plenty
From my own Abundant Life. Bringing Me delightful Glory Bringing Me the lips of song Soaking in the Gospel Story Fragrant children, ever strong.
The Hiss
God will simply whistle And help comes to the table Scans the far horizons For one that gets His heart Lands upon a village A home, a hearth, a hero Jars him with a vision That gives the job its start. Here we all perspire so As if to help Almighty All is well in motion So why the panic's push?
He may be at your doorstep Bright tomorrow's calling Just settle down, and hush.
John's Charge Told me to care for your Mother A sad will and testament this And she holding up like a champion No soft words, no counsel, no kiss. And I standing stunned like a youngster And you hanging naked and shamed And priests letting out foulest venom They blaspheme, they mock and defame. How could Gospel challenge evoke this? You spoke simple comfort and rest You healed all the sick and the lonely Your stories of Heaven the best. But something now strangely speaks victory And mercy for those with no light Yes Lord I will cherish your Mother God grant that I comfort her right. And memories we’ll share of the good times When you were the balm of the crowd When we held you forth as Messiah And missions of help made us proud. (At this point John still did not know that the greatest legacy they would share would be resurrection. He is risen...He is risen indeed. No cause for grieving then.)
Into Our Stuff
Just once in all our human flood
Perfection took on flesh and blood And left a Heavenly throne He came into a dusty land And clung unto a Hebrew band To make their plight His own. A precious, faithful lass His door As once the prophet said before Omitting sin’s seed sown. And He held title to our pain And sampled every mortal strain And for our sin atoned. Oh let the halls of worship ring This Carpenter our God and King And we no more alone. Ascended, where from whence He came Messiah then His hard-earned name And all of Love’s Plan shown.