A Prophetic Voice

A prophetic voice
a witness, to the light, to the coming
known before he was born
the coming of the Messiah
a voice, crying out, at the top of his lungs
repent, turn from your ways,
prepare the way of the Lord
his time is come, he is here already
the prophesy to be fulfilled
while we yet live
Christ is here, he is come

December 13, 2008
John 1:19-28
John 1:23
Isaiah 40:1-11
Isaiah 40:3-5
Isaiah 40:3

He is Already Here

His answer, the prophetic, the voice
calling out in the wilderness
He is already here, among you,
living, the one who is to come,
already here, in this place
living with us, in this generation
growing, a man, God with us
already here, to bring his message
in a time known to God
already here, to bring us salvation
Repent, for the days of the Lord
are coming soon

December 13, 2008
John 1:19-28
John 1:23
Isaiah 40:1-11
Isaiah 40:3-5
Isaiah 40:3

He is Among You

Already here, among them,
living, growing, becoming a man, ready
ready to begin his ministry, he coming
foretold, heralded, one crying in the wilderness
coming to save his people, to save the whole world
living then, an infant, the babe, a child, the man
the son, growing, soon
the word, the light,
come into the world
Here among you

December 13, 2008
John 1:19-28
John 1:23
Isaiah 40:1-11
Isaiah 40:3-5
Isaiah 40:3

Omnipotent, Vulnerable

The omnipotent, vulnerable
divine, incarnate
creator, clay
eternal, infant
the father, a son
Prince of Peace, the humble lamb
the king, a servant
Come to earth, heaven bound
the babe in the manger
He will return, oh so differently

December 12 and 13, 2008
John 1:1-5
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/12/omnipotent-vulnerable.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 30,890+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Return to Bethlehem

We must return, to Nazareth, to Bethlehem
to the river, the Jordan
to the time of the Christ, with us
before his birth, hopeful, waiting
wondering when the Messiah will come
when the prophecy of old will be fulfilled

Each year, Adventide
journeying with Mary, with Joseph
following His star, traveling far
leaving our fields, listening to the angels

Returning to Bethlehem
to fall to our knees
at his manger bed

December 12 and 13, 2008

Testify to the Light

Testify to the light, the light of God
the father, the light of Christ
the son, the light of the Spirit
holy, living, growing,
within each believer
Testify to its warmth,
to its healing, to the love
glowing within the light
testify to the repentance
being ready, awake
for the coming of the light

December 10, 2008
John 1:6-8

Witness to Light

We, like John,
standing in the wilderness
up to our waist in water
weighed down with the world
Like him, witness to Light
to the light of Christ, that wondrous gift
the saving grace of our risen Lord
be like him,
witness to the unseen light
the living light,
dancing in the hearts of the saints
a light to change the world

December 10, 2008
John 1:6-8

Witness of unseen light

He was a witness, to the light,
coming into the world, crying out
a witness, testifying, preaching, exhorting,
calling all to repent, to turn from their sin
to prepare the way, for the Messiah
a witness of unseen light
heralding a day soon to come
his ministry begun
wading into the wilderness
falling into the water
raised to anointing
descended on by the dove

December 10, 2008
John 1:6-8

10,000 poems

With the postings today, there are now 10,000 copies of my 3,350+ poems on the four sites I post to, almost daily. I thank God for this gift and for those who have come to my sites.


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 19,850+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Illumined in the womb

Before he was born,
before the Messiah
illumined in the womb,
filled by the Holy Spirit
a prophet born
Proclaim the Savior
into the world
baptizing in his name
with water to purify
repentance to offer
making the way straight
humbling the people
washing away they sins
opening their hearts
bringing his light
into the darkness
into the wilderness

December 10, 2008
John 1:6-8

His voice shining

His voice, rising, calling in the wilderness
preparing the way, of the coming Lord
his voice shining, bringing the light
into the world
in the river, in the outskirts
the people coming to him
Witnessing to Christ
before he was touched by dove
His voice, up on the lamp stand
shining light into the world
into the darkness
in the wilderness

December 10, 2008
John 1:6-8

Shining in wilderness

He was shining in the wilderness
his voice, his message, bringing, heralding
calling forth, calling, testifying to the light
announcing the way, of the coming Lord
the Messiah, the one told of old
the Christ, coming into the world
repent, change your ways
He is coming soon

December 10, 2008
John 1:6-8

A Community Prayer

The words, our father, forgive us,
give us, our daily bread
the words of a community
a communion, a loving family
praying, in unison, together,
kneeling, in faith
at the rail, in the pews
in the holy space
standing on holy ground
a prayer to our Father

December 10, 2008
Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 6:5-15
Lord’s Prayer

Our Prayer

The prayer, which he taught
his words, for us to share,
for our prayer
The prayer he told us to pray
For the words connect us
join us, with him,
Our Father, humbly, reverently
falling on our knees
our hearts focused on the creator
the Father who loved us
who loves us still
who wants us home

December 10, 2008
Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 6:5-15
Lord’s Prayer

Our Father - 2

The words are “Our Father”
praying to God, claiming the divine
our Father, as Christ is our brother
co-heirs of his inheritance
to be welcomed home
into the room, the mansions
set aside for us, for us, his children
beloved, as is the Son
Our Father, close, intimate
familial connection
Like the father in the story,
the Prodigal Son
All of us welcomed, watched
cared for, loved
by Our Father

December 10, 2008
Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 6:5-15
Lord’s Prayer

A Neighbor

Looking for definition
term of art, the bounds
the legal jargon
“Who is my neighbor?”
The plain meaning, legislative intent
looking for limits

An expansive response, a case study
a fact-based scenario
judging from the circumstances,
the details deciding the issue
the spirit of the law
in the definition of neighbor.

December 10, 2008
Luke 10:25-37
The lawyer’s question and
the story of the Good Samaritan

Light, into the World

His light, living, growing,
becoming part of us,
his reflected light,
becoming our own
growing within us,
we are in the world
living in time and space
spiritual beings, human bodies
like him of God created
like him heaven-bound
being Christ, his life, his light
his light, out into the World
for all to see, up high,
on the lamp stand
projecting

December 7, 2008
Matthew 5:14
Matthew 5:14-16
Matthew 5:1-16
John 8:21

Shining through us

His light, for the world
radiating, shining through us
out of our very skin, our pores
shining into the darkness
bringing light, real hope
to a world in darkness
living without faith,
without love, grounding
Shining through us, our word,
our action, telling his story
his sacrifice, his love
his saving grace
His light, shining through us

December 7, 2008
Matthew 5:14
Matthew 5:14-16
Matthew 5:1-16
John 8:21

Reflected Light

Light to the world
his light, reflected in us,
through us, living within us
we the bushel, the lamp stand
depending on our choice
Reflect the light, his holy light
out into the darkness
helping others to see, hope
to find their way
back to the Father
their way home

December 7, 2008
Matthew 5:14
Matthew 5:14-16
Matthew 5:1-16
John 8:21

Led to the cross

Each of us, if we are open, ready, prepared
led to the cross, the cross of Christ, his sacrifice
his blood shed; his body pierced
submitting himself for all of us
Led to the cross, the cross of salvation
the empty cross, the Christ raised, risen
from the dead, from Sheol,
conquering death, the grave, the cross
living now, eternal, at the right hand, the Father
Led to the cross, facing our cross, our yoke
submitting our will, just as he did
taking up our cross, our yoke
Led to the cross, to pick up where he left off

December 8, 2008

Lead me to the cross

“Lead me to the cross”, his profile said
his statement to the world, written on the ether,
the ephemeral, the web
permanent as the bits, the bytes, the history,
Lead me to the cross, let me know your paths,
Oh my risen Lord
walk with me, beside me,
guide my wayward ways
correct me, coax me;
lead me in the yoke, your ways
Lead me to the cross, humble, servant king
let me be you, your fragrance, your hands
the feet of the savior, walking toward
walking into danger, into where there is need
give me the strength, the will,
to conform to your holy will
heeding the spirit, growing, within me
Teach me your ways,
Lead me to the cross

December 8, 2008

The Shoot, the Root, the Vine

The stump, the remnant, the root of Jesse
eternal, the connection, the living vine
one with Him, with them, abiding
the shoot, long buried in the stump
fruits of the vine, each of us
bringing hope, fulfillment,
greater than he,
being light to the world

December 7, 2008
Isaiah 11:1-9
John 15:1-8
Matthew 5:14
Matthew 5:1-16

You are the light of the world

“You are the light of the world.”
Such a statement, a calling
God speaking to man
we are the light of the world,
us, these clay vessels,
to illumine the darkness
to make straight the crooked paths
to push back the dark
to lead the world home

December 7, 2008
Matthew 5:14
Matthew 5:1-16

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 31,490+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Our Wilderness

Our voices, our wilderness
like John, in the river
proclaiming the coming
of our Lord, the son of God
mightier than all
baptizer with God’s spirit
that the Holy Spirit
may live within us
The need to call to repentance
as strong now as then
in this our wilderness
in this our time

December 7, 2008
Mark 1:1-8