Saturday, April 12, 2008

Morning Sun

morning sun, streamed in the window
as I was washing the dishes
smiling on my day at its starting
calming my nerves, the jitters of the day
warming the morning, brightening
shining on my work, on me
the clouds haven’t parted
sky milky white; but the sun is there
staking a claim on the growing day
soon enough, it will hold sway

April 12, 2008

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Her Teaching

In her rejoinder, her insistence
teaching for the master
on the scope of his mission
his ministry of love
to heal the whole world,
all who would hear
who would come to his message
and believe in faith
as she did.
Knowing who he was
and bowing at his feet
Even the dogs deserve the crumbs
and the crumbs are enough
to be truly fed

April 9, 2008
Mark 7:24-30

Just the Hem of His Robe

She had faith, enough to heal herself
just the hem of his robe, a mere brush
of her hand on the hem of his robe
and she would be healed
such was her simple faith
not wanting to stop him,
to be the center of attention
take him from his mission
her fingers coursing over the fringe
of his robe was more than sufficient
She was healed by such faith

April 9, 2008
Matthew 9:20-22

All Our Days to Come

Carrying the hope, the message, the joy
knowing God, His grace, inside of us
Marked by the savior, the creator, the spirit within us
walking all of our days, from this weekend forward
with God, with our brothers, knowing, feeling
the warmth of the fire, the collection of embers
brighter when kept close together
living our walk each of
the rest of the days of our lives

April 9, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #15, Fourth Day

To Persevere

to strive, to grow, to fight
growing spiritually together,
living our faith in community
worshiping, studying,
changing the world together
bringing God’s message of love
as the body of Christ
out into the world

April 9, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #14, Perseverance

We Are the Body

not the walls, the things, the edifice
we are the body of Christ
the living, breathing, vital church
in covenant and always
focused outward on the world
model our faith, proclaim the good news
and go and be His hands and feet
together

April 9, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #13, Body of Christ

Sanctifying

growing in faith, in piety, in response
to the cleansing grace of conversion
living in grace, steps one at a time
perfecting us in love, as the creator longs for
wanted since the beginning of time
endlessly growing in grace
in our very hearts
living as Christ lived
trusting always in God

April 9, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #12, Sanctifying Grace

The World in Need of Change

How easy it is to see
the world in need of change
hope in tragedy, in injustice
only through our action,
our voices raised against them
our hands joining others
showing Christ’s love
for the whole world
working together
to the ends of the earth

April 9, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #11, Changing Our World

Discipleship

A journey, not an end, a way to walk in life
as disciples, faithful followers
of our risen lord
never alone, always with our brother,
“Follow me” he said
immediately, breathlessly, they followed
So are we called, to change our path
and follow him
on a journey of grace

April 9, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #10, Discipleship

We Are the Barriers

We are the barriers, the obstacles,
the impediments, stumbling blocks
to relationship with God
naked and confused we live
Our sin the broken glass we fear to tread
But God is there, ready for our confession,
our true repentance, out of love,
casting off all these chains
we carry in life
Ready to love us
even in our brokenness
healing us all
making us whole
again and again

April 9, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk # 9, Obstacles to Grace

Merely a Foretaste

In the breaking of the bread
the pouring forth of the wine
a mere foretaste, a faint inkling
A banquet beyond imagination awaits
all are fed, all are welcome
We are called to the table
for the heavenly feast



April 8, 2008 18:50
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #7, Means of Grace


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,840+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Grateful Response

Lord, I give you my hands, my feet, my voice
all I am is given by you
my saving is by your blood
your grace heaped on me beyond measure
so I give you my gifts, my all
to serve in your name
wherever you may send me

April 8, 2008 18:47
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #8, Christian Action

Our Minds

Our minds, given to God
Spending time in Your Word,
the holy mystery recorded
revealed in the life of a people
and the life and death of a son
A story of redemption
in the sacrifice of the savior,
willingly, lovingly given
The love of the father
Ageless stories of grace upon grace
revealed in our story,
for it is our story too
if we give our minds to God

April 8, 2008
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #6, Growth through Study

Piety - 2

Practices for a lifetime of faith
In our everyday life
Enjoying a true relationship with God
Take time to study, for worship and prayer
You will be amazed!

April 8, 2008 18:13
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #5, A Life of Piety

Opening Grace

Peel back the wrapping,
the bows and ribbon
open the box of grace
ready for each one of us
specially made and cared for
until we are ready
Open the gift of salvation
and feel His love in our hearts

April 8, 2008 18:07
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #4, Justifying Grace

Believers

Commissioned believers
called, each of us, to proclaim
to preach, to witness
a royal priesthood of the faithful
like those timid followers
transformed disciples on Pentecost
imbued by the Spirit and
charged by our savior
to be in the vanguard
and reach those who have not heard
To be Christ to all we meet

April 8, 2008 18:02
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #3, The Priesthood of All Believers

Ever Present

Prevenient grace
all around us
ever present God
A living thing, grace
moving with us
there, ready, waiting
calling us, stalking us
arms of the creator
the father’s arms open wide
ready to envelop us
if we but call His name

April 8, 2008 17:58
Ever Present
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #2, Prevenient Grace


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, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 38,320+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.



Our Free Will

By our free will
we can chart a course,
follow our guidestar
our mission, our priority
unlike the beasts, the plants,
the rocks of the earth or
the stars in the heavens
We alone, more than any other
tack to our own wind
and choose the path we take

April 8, 2008 17:55
Walk to Emmaus
Talk #1, Priority

A Moving Faith

By his faith he went
leaving all he had known
only the promise of God
to be with him always
A piety, a trust, that shook the world
Father of us all, teach us
by your wonderful example
going into the unknown,
setting out on a journey,
not knowing the end
going on his trust, his faith in God

April 8, 2008 17:52
Genesis 12:1-9
Genesis 12:1-4a and
sermon, “Peculiar Treasures II: Abraham on the Move”
by the Rev. Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, 2/17/08

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

He Breaks the Bread We Share

The risen Christ, there at supper with us
walking with him, dusty and tired
joining us at the table, sharing His story with us
there, breaking the bread with us
the cup of salvation, wine of the covenant
feed my weary soul; make me new
Spirit wash me clean, make me your disciple
Walk with me all the days of my life

April 8, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

Monday, April 07, 2008

Silently

Silently, in our own thoughts,
we waited, unsure, with a bit of trepidation
wondering what the day would hold
how the time would unfold
what was going to happen to us, for us
silently thinking, praying, wishing to begin
hoping for His presence with us
as we worked together, in ministry
as we served one another,
helping each other have the chance,
the opportunity to grow
to find Jesus on the road
and call him to join us
on all of our days to come

April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

Water Shaping Stone

His life changed, over time
like water shaping stone,
carving the rock with
the force of a torrent,
the crash of the waves,
the etching of the ice moving;
but shaping stone too,
with the droplets of waters
the summer rains,
the trickles down the mountainside
cutting into the stone,
in little cleft points,
places where faith can
gather a foothold
seeds can find a purchase,
scales can be flaked away
and change came, for him


April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,840+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

His Courage

Each talk, a risk, an opening of our own true self
before the congregation, the pilgrims
But his was different, at least by measure
His pain, shared with us, a bit more real
a bit more courageous, more raw
Sharing the lost of her, the tragic, senselessness
a moment, poignant and true, galvanized
stilling us in our tracks, there with him,
seeing ourselves, fleetingly, in our shoes
What if it was our child . . .
some other fathers thought
His story, the rest of the story, a victory
a climbing up from the pit of despair
brought into the loving arms of our father
coming home, like the prodigal son;
but going beyond, understanding the whole of the story
by his deep personal witness, shared with us

April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

Abide in the Vine

Live in the vine,
the whole of our lives long
drawing nourishment
from the living water,
the fertile soil,
from the stalk,
the growing branches
bearing fruit
worthy of the vine,
rich luscious,
life giving fruit,
for the world

April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

Living Anew

Rising from his knees, slowly
for he had been in prayer, heavy deep, honest prayer
petitioning the creator, for a lifetime gone
the weight of the years set down, cast off
shackles of guilt, of shame, long ago rusted, unlocked
callous, scars where they sat around his heart
softening in the sanctuary, melting away
Living anew, or so he would from that moment on
unburdened and reborn, in forgiveness and love

April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

A Priesthood

We are called to be set apart
to live in the world for a sacred purpose
a common mission to bring to the world
the good news of the grace of God
the saving grace of the creator
bringing us all to him
Preaching in our work, our witness
His role in our lives,
His work we continue
wherever we are placed
doing the tasks that are given to us
our part, using our gifts, our talents
for the glory of the kingdom
a joyful priesthood
responding to his loving grace

April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

Messengers of Christ

Witnesses in the world
being Christ to one another.
Showing His love, His grace
for those who do not know Him
Being His smiling face,
hands offering help
His voice against injustice
Each of us ministers,
priests to proclaim the good news
willing to go where we are called
to be channels of God’s love
making Christ real, to be the church
a mission of love to the world

April 4 & April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

Falling Silence

As the slow falling snow
the silence wrapped around us
spending time alone with God together
stilling ourselves, quieting our spirits
slowing our pace, our breath
hoping, praying, we will be open, ready
the message to come in fellowship
Letting the silence overtake us
go before us
hearing God’s small voice for me

April 4 & April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus

In His Tears

In his tears, I saw a glimpse of God
touching a heart He loves
deepening, enriching, filling his heart
with the warmth of His grace, His mercy, His care
wrapping His arms around his heaving shoulders
loving arms of our heavenly father
meeting him in the silence of his tears
etching down his rugged cheeks
A moment of grace in his life
tears of joy that Sunday ‘morn

April 7, 2008
Walk to Emmaus