We are the Dogs

We are the dogs, the unclean,
the animals, the outsiders
Not the children, the chosen ones
for whom he came.
We are the dogs,
unworthy of a seat at the table
crumbs for us, under the table
scraps to eat
But oh there is enough
even in the crumbs
a bountiful harvest
of living grace in the crumbs
endless sustenance
even in the crumbs

March 31, 2008
Mark 7:24-30

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 31,480+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Food Enough

Oh, there is food enough, for the children,
the dogs, the cats, the whole world
food enough for all to be fed, nourished
filled with the spirit, with the grace, with the hope
of the risen Christ, the love of the father
brought to earth in the son; saving us all
food enough, to eat, to drink, to be made whole
bread and wine, living water,
light for the nations
guiding our feet
food enough
bread from
heaven

March 31, 2008
Mark 7:24-30

The Children don’t know what they are missing

He came, first, to feed the children
to prove the scriptures, fulfill the prophets
to bring the chosen people, back to the fold
the greener pastures, the arms of the father
prodigal children coming home
But they turned their backs,
closed their minds, deaf ears, blind eyes
to the truth of his presence among them
some believed; but it was often the dogs
the ones who were not of the faith
who had faith in him, who believed
from his birth, traveling from far in the east
to his stable bed. Those not of the covenant
believed in the new covenant
The children don’t know what they are missing

March 31, 2008
Mark 7:24-30

Walk Humbly

Walk humbly, with our brothers, our sisters,
with our loving God, to fall to his will
to see ourselves in others, to wish harm
on no one on earth
Being Christ in this time, our place
to do the will of the father, our father
in all we say, all we think, all we do

March 30, 2008
Micah 6:8

Love Mercy

Love mercy, kindness, compassion
in the world, in the work of the pilgrims,
disciples to the nations, as we must be
serve those who are in need, offer a hand
offer hope, love, in the name of Christ
spread his message to the ends of the earth
for in his example we find our path
our humble savior, a lowly servant
He who would be king
a messiah on a donkey, on the cross
not on a flaming chariot,
a fire breathing stallion
He knew his power
but fell to the ground
and washed the disciples feet
fell to the ground in prayer
and did the father’s will
Showing mercy to us all
in the gift of his life

March 30, 2008
Micah 6:8

Do Justice

Work to do justice
to find placed where you can fight
to heal those who have been wronged
to feed the hungry, to stop the diseases
free the captives from their bonds
Seek the better way, for your community
our world each day

March 30, 2008
Micah 6:8

Do Not Judge

Be careful what you say, what you think
walk humbly, focusing on your own faults
your own growing edges are enough
Put yourself in your neighbor’s shoes,
walk in the servant’s sandals
show kindness to all whom you meet
for we all sin, all need God’s grace
his boundless mercy, to be saved

March 30, 2008
Micah 6:8
Matthew 7:1-2
John 8:7

Her Future

A new future, a sudden change
leaving the old, the comfortable behind
new promise, new hope
beyond the horizon line
her future, on another road
a different path, another vineyard
sowing in another field
reaping where others have sown, pruned
nurturing another’s children
culling the chaff, bringing the harvest
into the master’s granary
Planting anew, in its season
a new future in another place
May she reap a bountiful harvest there.

March 30, 2008

Blessed to Believe

How blessed to believe
in the unseen, the unproven
knowing, somewhere deep within
the true, unrevealed but indwelling
articles of faith. That which we share
convey to all who will hear,
to generations to come.
Carrying his story, their story,
our story, to the ends of the earth
Believing by faith,
seeing the signs of his grace
everywhere, all around us

March 30, 2008
John 20:19-31

Believing

Their story in those later days
more than while he lived,
those days after Easter morning
lessons on the nature of Christ,
on believing for all Christians
Walking, sharing, being with them
giving them what they needed
preparing them to believe
fulfillment of all scripture in Christ
their ability to go forth
faith to tell the world
to share his story, their belief
throughout the ages
to the present day

March 30, 2008
John 20:19-31
Luke 24:13-35

Doubting

Doubting disciples
servants not yet prepared
hiding in the shadows of the city
hoping, praying that he will return
cast off the shackles of death
bring heaven to the earth
Doubting disciples
needing his presence among them
to believe. His hands to touch
his side to pierce once more
Needing to touch to believe.

March 30, 2008
John 20:19-31

Touching

Touching his hands
placing our hand
into his side, the open gash
where the spear
thrust by the centurion
into our savior
dying, dead on the cross
Believing, instantly, immediately;
but only in touching
experiencing the living shepherd
through contact, empirical evidence
shackled to seeing
believing only what could be proven
How hard it is
cross that threshold
to believe by faith alone

March 30, 2008
John 20:19-31

Seeing

Seeing the risen Lord
in their midst
joining them in secret
in their locked room
revealing his resurrection
to the faithful together
meeting them as they were
timid and afraid, in hiding
giving them the spirit
equipping them directly
Showing them signs
making himself real to them
believing so that we can know
the true nature of Christ,
our living God

March 30, 2008
John 20:19-31

Breathing

It was his breath,
no tongues of fire,
giving the holy spirit
into their trembling hearts
breathing life into the scared followers
preparing them, us, to be witness
to proclaim the good news
Christ is the Messiah,
the Son of God, savior and redeemer
living in our very breath

March 30, 2008
John 20:19-31
Acts 2:1-12

The Crumbs are Enough

the food so rich, its taste sweet
beyond measure, beyond comparing
even the crumbs are enough
ample, sufficient to fill out hunger,
our longings, our needs
Here to feed the children, but the scraps
cast off and dropped for the dogs
able to nourish, to feed all the world
so was his gift, his lesson, his example
from him all are fed, the chosen ones
and all, to the ends of the earth

March 30, 2008
Mark 7:24-30

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/03/crumbs-are-enough.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 31,150+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Rose Petals

Dried and gathered,
pastel echoes of their blooms
baskets, bowls of rose petals
Beautiful memories
supple skin, fading fragrance
tokes of love shared, savored
gathered and save rose petals

Perhaps they will go as before
coating your path, our way
when we joined together
before our God

March 30, 2008

Shoots of Green

Daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths
green shorts up through
the peaty wet mulch,
the still-white snow of March;
the warming sun
drawing them out
up from their winter slumber
called from the earth;
they rise

March 30, 2008

Under the Melting Snow

Under the melting snow
bright wet white crystal of snow
dormant greens, bright colors
rising from the damp earth
yearning for the warming sun

Cast off the winter mantle
the frozen slumber
climb and bloom, bright colors
spring has come to the garden
rejoice in its return

March 30, 2008