“As I gather with many Christians, I experience the Majesty of God;
as I share in a small group of Christians I experience the Intimacy of God.”
So ended the wording of our lead pastor in his email to the Church Council of July 10, asking each of us, “Can you help me?”, as we discuss changing the church calendar to a single morning service, with time for more adult bible study and Sunday School opportunities between an 8:00am Communion service and a single traditional service at 10:15am.
I don’t know how many of us have answered the email; but I know that some of us have some difficulty with these concepts, in our own experience within the life of this church, within the small group opportunities that we have been able to share.
My belief, for what it is worth, is that we need to be able to say AMEN! to both of those statements, at least once and awhile. Many of the poems God has given me come out of the Majesty of God and the Intimacy of God. And much of that HAS been felt within my household of faith.
In the Quiet of the Circle
We sat around the living room
a more casual gathering
the small flock
listening to the word, yes;
but sharing our own
in ways we don’t in the sanctuary,
in worship. The majesty of God lives there
in the communing of the congregation,
the swelling of the choir, the sharing of bread;
but here in their room, this little slice of their life
shared with the rest of us, opening their home
to strangers becoming deeper friends,
we felt God’s closeness, with us
in the telling of our faith journeys,
each so different,
so much alike at the same time
in the quiet of the circle,
God joined us
July 10, 2007 23:56
God Joined Us
God joined us
in that intimate space
sharing our stories, our beliefs
reading the scripture together
sipping the tea, laughing
at the timely anecdote,
the common memory
the shared verse,
we love so well
Closing your eyes,
for a moment at the reading
hearing the words differently
in the quiet of the circle,
thinking on it now,
a few months past,
a smile warms my face
even now, in the wee hours
I remember well
the bible study
in their living room.
July 11, 2007 00:47
God Filled the Church
With tears pouring down my face,
washing down into my mouth
wide open
singing, praying, believing
in the power of the testimony,
the compelling
words from the chancel,
from the pulpit,
feeling them wash over me,
down from the
holy of holies,
down into Your courts
out over the congregation,
hands waving
in the warm air,
hearing the saving message
of the God who forgave her,
set her to work
with the migrant workers,
out in the blueberry fields
downeast from here,
feeling the truth in her message
the second and third,
and maybe even fourth chance God
that lifted her up
set her feet to walking a different road
one we share in ministry
in mission
in common
July 11, 2007 1:20
Joyful Tears
Tears of joy
welled up
in his heart
spilled down his cheeks
in the pew again
Frozen Yankee stoicism
melted by the telling
the knowing
of Your Word
Safe telling of ancient stories of faith,
or hopeof love
Understood better
by study
and communion
Learning together
deeper meanings
in His times
and our own.
June 26-2005 - Reflections on Pastor We Hyun Chang's final sermon and the meaning of 1 Cor. 13:13, enhanced by participation in the Disciple I bible study.
Tears
My eyes welled up
Tears rolled down my cheeks
As the choir sang
Of God’s Love and His forgiveness
Vision blurred for a few moments
So I could but see
Unburdening my heart
In your house this Sunday
You are not finished with me.
You have saved me
For what I know not yet
I pray you will steel my heart
And guide my hands and feet
To do your work.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day
And your promise
Paid with your body
For all of us
July 1, 2001 12:10
Approaching the Table
We walk silently, hands cupped
rising to receive the bread,
dip into the wine, the living symbol
of his blood, his life poured out
for all, the world from beginning to end
We walk silently, sad, hopeful,
unworthy, unsteady, unready
for the gift of grace
the heavenly sustenance
at his table,
A powerful joy, washes over me
in the receiving, in the words
of the server, my hearing ears need
my Amen, to acknowledge the gift
given and received, again at his table
Smiling heart and face, knowing
the redemption in the communing
February 28, 2007 17:34
Cloth Me With Joy
Joy comes with the morning
the birthing of a new day
Cloth me in your joy Lord
wrap, cover my nakedness
my iniquity, my shame
with joy in the covenant
the abiding relationship
creator and sustainer God
Redeem me, use me
for your purposes
Gird my spirit,
carry your banner,
clothed in joy
in the dawning
July 15, 2006 22:45
Psalm 33:5b, 11c
The Intimacy of Informality
Words not rituals
casual, heart-felt words
telling the real story
of the greatest sacrifice
in all of human history
finding words to speak
of the awesome nature
of the death of an innocent
a deity paying our price
Words in a tone of transparency
taking risks, risks worth taking
to reach each questioning sheep
each member of the flock
Painful words, hope filled words
more so
for the wisdom, the prescience
the enormity of understanding
8/6/06 19:51
Saturated Believing
Our bodies,
like cloth dolls,
immersed in the living waters
of your holy word,
living sacrifices
each week
given for your pleasure
August 21, 2005 11:00, based on Romans 12:1-8 and the sermon by the Reverend Joel Guillemette, "For God’s Pleasure".
Monday, July 16, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
The Good Samaritan
We Lawyers Are Good For Something
by Raymond A. Foss, Esq.
July 15, 2007
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH
Luke 10:25-37
I guess it is type-casting, or that is how Byron called it when I reminded him that I needed to do the sermon on the story of the Good Samaritan. After all, it started with an attorney… Again.
It began in Disciple I, with Pastor Joel presiding. He said he had never spent that much time in the Old Testament with an attorney. We would have discussions on the meaning of the law, how our current law flows from the Old Testament laws, rules, etc. A lawyer was of good station, as they were experts in Mosaic law and the law of Moses was central to a people governed by a theocracy for much of its history.
When we got into the New Testament, the role of the law and the role of lawyers got a little different, [Pause] and Jesus had a few things to say about it.
In Matthew 22, we read: the story of The Greatest Commandment
“34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Okay, so Jesus is using the lawyer to teach. I can handle that.
Further on in Luke, Luke 11:46-52, he does get a little in the face of attorneys.
46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
And in verse 52, the Lord said,
52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
Okay, so that was a little harsh; but I think today’s reading shows how lawyers can be useful, in the spreading of the Gospel, at least in the good hands of the Shepherd.
The Good Samaritan
Unlike Matthew, which is a simple statement on the greatest commandment, Luke does it a different way, with the story of the Good Samaritan; but the agent of the questioning is an expert in the law, an Attorney, again.
Last fall, I wrote this poem, A Lawyerly Question, after reading of the story of the Good Samaritan, which may be part of why he asked the questions he did.
A Lawyerly Question
It always seems, wherever I turn
we are the bad guys, the ones in the way
the ones asking Him questions, pressing for
the new law, testing the assertions,
learning the edges, the words,
“Who is our neighbor”, a logical question
Hardly worth casting aspersions over.
It was just the definition of the term of art,
the nuanced word thrown by Him into the mix
a new test of faith, of living the law of Moses,
of living the good life, the life well blessed
earning passage from Sheol, beyond the grave
the end of their days. It wasn’t a test so much
as a questioning for knowledge, learning what
He meant by the two commandments, replacing
the older ten and the laws, regulations, rules
for life, layer on layer, parsed and teased,
as they are still. Rabbinical interpretation,
the lawyers, the scribes, just doing their best
to live the life of a religious man
asking to know, the bargain, the balance,
the other side of the equation
words to live by, words of power
And today in the lectionary again, we have that story of the Good outcast, that helpful pariah once again teaching us about what Jesus meant, to live the synthesized commandment, the boiling down of all those commandments, codes, laws, regulations, rules, etc. We need to be a good neighbor.
You see, that lawyer was doing what we do. He was peeling the onion, layer by layer, to understand the meaning of the law, this new commandment. There is always more than meets the eye with the law, because the plain meaning of the words on the page are the starting point; but they are hardly ever all that there is to know.
Luke 10:27 is the heart of the Jewish faith, the foundation of the law, for it combines Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, quoted with assurance by the expert in the law.
27 He answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The next part of the scripture, the parable itself, raises questions on the understanding of the religious leaders, the people of Israel, on the true meaning of these words of faith, for Jesus responds,
28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
In Jesus’ first answer, we are given but the starting point. Sure, it sounds all well and good; but that isn’t how the law works. We all know who our neighbor is, right?
Where does the neighborhood end? Would your answer be different if we lived in the age when people walked? What about some streets? Do you go to them? Are the people who live there really your neighbors?
This lawyer had been tested. He knew the score. He needed to know more, where those fine lines were to be drawn. So, he asked the follow up question, that next line of questioning, as any good interrogator would.
He knew the story of Job, that righteous man so tested by the Devil, at the Creator’s acquiescence. He knew of the challenges to follow every law. He knew of the Messiah, the fulfillment. So, he asks:
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus, here in Luke isn’t quite as clear and in your face as he is in John. No, he isn’t quite as direct. He speaks in Parables in the synaptic gospels, in Matthew, Mark, Luke. So, we get a lesson, a story, maybe so we can understand it. Maybe so we can ponder it over time, so its truths can speak to us as they can whenever we pick up the text, at whatever place we are at in our life’s journey.
There is real meaning, depth of discovery in the choices Jesus makes in telling the tale. He could have had three ordinary Jews as the actors, He could have had two leaders and a Jewish man; but he adds a Samaritan, an enemy, to the parable, to give it universal meaning.
A Jew was on the road and he hurt.
A Priest went by and didn’t help.
A Levite went by and didn’t help.
These were countrymen. These were leaders of the Temple, of the theocracy, the people set apart to serve the Chosen People. But they couldn’t stop, crossed to the other side, away from the sick, beaten, injured Jew.
No, it was the outcast, the foreigner, the Samaritan, a member of a people who hated the Jews, who came to his aid. Their holy mountain was not in Zion; their beliefs were much like those of the Jews, the believed in the Torah, the Pentateuch; but they were like the Shiites to the Jews being like the Sunnis. Enemies, brothers, these are the source of the worst kind of fighting.
And this Samaritan didn’t just aid him on the road, send this piteous Jew onto his feet and send him on his way, no this person from below the Jewish caste system had mercy for this injured enemy, took him to an inn and paid for his stay.
At the end of the lesson came the test. The Savior asked the lawyer the pivotal question, that would change the paradigm of who your neighbor is. He asked
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
Ah, now we are given the orders of the Savior, the servant-king, the man who would walk those steps to the cross. It is not the actor on the ground, we are not looking at the injured man as our neighbor, whether he is one of us or not. No, we are to understand that even an enemy in need must be comforted. The test of who the neighbor is is within us.
We are to be the good neighbor, not by station, not by earning, not by piling offerings, not by birthright. By being a neighbor, to whoever needs our help. It isn’t the neighbor that defines who your neighbor is, it is your action in the face of need of anyone. Everyone is your neighbor, if you are to live the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.
I wrote this poem, Parsing the Parable, on Friday morning, July 6, 2007.
Parsing the Parable
“And who is our neighbor?”,
a lawyer asked so long ago,
testing the Teacher,
to know the meaning of the
law, the actors in the words.
Needing the definition section
of the law, to understand the limits,
the bounds, of the command,
the scope of the edict,
“to love our neighbors as ourselves”.
An answer in a parable,
itself needing context,
interpretation, to understand
the ancient law, and
the changed message,
the Good News.
A broadening of the
bounds, the limits,
who is our neighbor
How we act, not who we are,
that defines the term,
and that makes all the difference.
Transition / Conclusion
We have touched on this lesson of reversal, of inclusion, in the sermons of the pastors here in church recently. I would highlight but two of them.
Acts 11:1-18
The first is the story of Peter’s vision on the foods he could eat. We visited that scripture in May. How telling is that scripture, because again it is the changing of the rules, who we are to associate with. The Jewish believers were complaining because the Gentiles were being saved.
Who is clean and unclean; who is our neighbor? It starts with the Levitical dietary rules; but it is so much more than that. Who a Jew could dine with was another measure of who was there neighbor. Again, through Peter’s Vision, we are told that the ancient law has changed. “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” All of us have been made clean by the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All are our neighbors.
Galatians 5:1 & 13-25
I think another way to think about all of this is to think about the lessons Pastor Lori helped us learn two weeks ago, in her sermon, “The Pursuit of Freedom: License of Liberty”, that she shared with the congregation on July 1.
The whole passage is boiled down in verses 13 and 14 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;* only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,* but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’”
We are to use the freedom that we earned through Christ’s saving grace to become our neighbor’s keeper, and not just our good neighbor next door.
We are to be the good neighbor around the world, far and near, black or white, young or old, Jew and Gentile, until none of those distinctions mean anything at all. To be the good neighbor that Jesus is calling that single attorney to be, is to be as my poem is entitled (using Paul’s letter to the Galatians, “Slaves to One Another”).
Slaves to One Another
Agape love, that is what Paul
calls us to exhibit, to live
to fall as servants, to meet
the needs of our neighbors.
as we would love ourselves,
so must we be to them,
if we all did so, what,
oh what would be
the state of this troubled world.
If we used our freedom,
given by the Creator, by the Savior
to reject our own desires,
and became slaves to one another.
It is our enemy who we must see as our neighbor, to truly understand the love for those in need that Jesus was talking of. He wasn’t talking about a simple love, of our neighbor next door, down the street, in our circle. We were taught to love our enemy in need just as our friends, just as ourselves. This made me think again of the choice our country made to use torture. We too see ourselves as a country set apart. As Ronald Reagan said so many times, we are that shining city on the hill. That is part of why we got out of the malaise of the late 1970’s, seeing us that way. That is all the more troubling that we have chosen to use torture. I wrote the following poem about that.
We Have Become What we Abhor
Murderous madmen, willing
to abuse, to torture,
to inflict pain, indiscriminate
heartless, oft calculated
Unlike us, held up for ridicule,
sanction, censure, until now
We have changed, because of our hurt,
our anger, our loss,
become what we abhor;
become the madmen
committing atrocities
become that which we hate
To follow the example of Jesus Christ, we must love our enemies. They are our neighbors too. We must love them, even when they are hurting us, just as he said while he was on the cross, “forgive them, for they know not what they do.” So must we; we must do likewise, and live.
Ending
So, maybe, just maybe, by asking that winning question, to try to earn his way into heaven, to avoid eternity going down to Sheol (as I wrote of in the first of the poems), that lawyer in Luke really did serve a purpose, because he didn’t just ask one question, he asked two, and Jesus spoke to all of us through him in answering them both. The single commandment to love our neighbors becomes the Great Commission, to create unity throughout the world, to be good neighbors to all. To truly love all and to help all in need.
AMEN.
by Raymond A. Foss, Esq.
July 15, 2007
Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH
Luke 10:25-37
I guess it is type-casting, or that is how Byron called it when I reminded him that I needed to do the sermon on the story of the Good Samaritan. After all, it started with an attorney… Again.
It began in Disciple I, with Pastor Joel presiding. He said he had never spent that much time in the Old Testament with an attorney. We would have discussions on the meaning of the law, how our current law flows from the Old Testament laws, rules, etc. A lawyer was of good station, as they were experts in Mosaic law and the law of Moses was central to a people governed by a theocracy for much of its history.
When we got into the New Testament, the role of the law and the role of lawyers got a little different, [Pause] and Jesus had a few things to say about it.
In Matthew 22, we read: the story of The Greatest Commandment
“34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Okay, so Jesus is using the lawyer to teach. I can handle that.
Further on in Luke, Luke 11:46-52, he does get a little in the face of attorneys.
46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
And in verse 52, the Lord said,
52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
Okay, so that was a little harsh; but I think today’s reading shows how lawyers can be useful, in the spreading of the Gospel, at least in the good hands of the Shepherd.
The Good Samaritan
Unlike Matthew, which is a simple statement on the greatest commandment, Luke does it a different way, with the story of the Good Samaritan; but the agent of the questioning is an expert in the law, an Attorney, again.
Last fall, I wrote this poem, A Lawyerly Question, after reading of the story of the Good Samaritan, which may be part of why he asked the questions he did.
A Lawyerly Question
It always seems, wherever I turn
we are the bad guys, the ones in the way
the ones asking Him questions, pressing for
the new law, testing the assertions,
learning the edges, the words,
“Who is our neighbor”, a logical question
Hardly worth casting aspersions over.
It was just the definition of the term of art,
the nuanced word thrown by Him into the mix
a new test of faith, of living the law of Moses,
of living the good life, the life well blessed
earning passage from Sheol, beyond the grave
the end of their days. It wasn’t a test so much
as a questioning for knowledge, learning what
He meant by the two commandments, replacing
the older ten and the laws, regulations, rules
for life, layer on layer, parsed and teased,
as they are still. Rabbinical interpretation,
the lawyers, the scribes, just doing their best
to live the life of a religious man
asking to know, the bargain, the balance,
the other side of the equation
words to live by, words of power
And today in the lectionary again, we have that story of the Good outcast, that helpful pariah once again teaching us about what Jesus meant, to live the synthesized commandment, the boiling down of all those commandments, codes, laws, regulations, rules, etc. We need to be a good neighbor.
You see, that lawyer was doing what we do. He was peeling the onion, layer by layer, to understand the meaning of the law, this new commandment. There is always more than meets the eye with the law, because the plain meaning of the words on the page are the starting point; but they are hardly ever all that there is to know.
Luke 10:27 is the heart of the Jewish faith, the foundation of the law, for it combines Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, quoted with assurance by the expert in the law.
27 He answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The next part of the scripture, the parable itself, raises questions on the understanding of the religious leaders, the people of Israel, on the true meaning of these words of faith, for Jesus responds,
28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
In Jesus’ first answer, we are given but the starting point. Sure, it sounds all well and good; but that isn’t how the law works. We all know who our neighbor is, right?
Where does the neighborhood end? Would your answer be different if we lived in the age when people walked? What about some streets? Do you go to them? Are the people who live there really your neighbors?
This lawyer had been tested. He knew the score. He needed to know more, where those fine lines were to be drawn. So, he asked the follow up question, that next line of questioning, as any good interrogator would.
He knew the story of Job, that righteous man so tested by the Devil, at the Creator’s acquiescence. He knew of the challenges to follow every law. He knew of the Messiah, the fulfillment. So, he asks:
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus, here in Luke isn’t quite as clear and in your face as he is in John. No, he isn’t quite as direct. He speaks in Parables in the synaptic gospels, in Matthew, Mark, Luke. So, we get a lesson, a story, maybe so we can understand it. Maybe so we can ponder it over time, so its truths can speak to us as they can whenever we pick up the text, at whatever place we are at in our life’s journey.
There is real meaning, depth of discovery in the choices Jesus makes in telling the tale. He could have had three ordinary Jews as the actors, He could have had two leaders and a Jewish man; but he adds a Samaritan, an enemy, to the parable, to give it universal meaning.
A Jew was on the road and he hurt.
A Priest went by and didn’t help.
A Levite went by and didn’t help.
These were countrymen. These were leaders of the Temple, of the theocracy, the people set apart to serve the Chosen People. But they couldn’t stop, crossed to the other side, away from the sick, beaten, injured Jew.
No, it was the outcast, the foreigner, the Samaritan, a member of a people who hated the Jews, who came to his aid. Their holy mountain was not in Zion; their beliefs were much like those of the Jews, the believed in the Torah, the Pentateuch; but they were like the Shiites to the Jews being like the Sunnis. Enemies, brothers, these are the source of the worst kind of fighting.
And this Samaritan didn’t just aid him on the road, send this piteous Jew onto his feet and send him on his way, no this person from below the Jewish caste system had mercy for this injured enemy, took him to an inn and paid for his stay.
At the end of the lesson came the test. The Savior asked the lawyer the pivotal question, that would change the paradigm of who your neighbor is. He asked
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
Ah, now we are given the orders of the Savior, the servant-king, the man who would walk those steps to the cross. It is not the actor on the ground, we are not looking at the injured man as our neighbor, whether he is one of us or not. No, we are to understand that even an enemy in need must be comforted. The test of who the neighbor is is within us.
We are to be the good neighbor, not by station, not by earning, not by piling offerings, not by birthright. By being a neighbor, to whoever needs our help. It isn’t the neighbor that defines who your neighbor is, it is your action in the face of need of anyone. Everyone is your neighbor, if you are to live the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.
I wrote this poem, Parsing the Parable, on Friday morning, July 6, 2007.
Parsing the Parable
“And who is our neighbor?”,
a lawyer asked so long ago,
testing the Teacher,
to know the meaning of the
law, the actors in the words.
Needing the definition section
of the law, to understand the limits,
the bounds, of the command,
the scope of the edict,
“to love our neighbors as ourselves”.
An answer in a parable,
itself needing context,
interpretation, to understand
the ancient law, and
the changed message,
the Good News.
A broadening of the
bounds, the limits,
who is our neighbor
How we act, not who we are,
that defines the term,
and that makes all the difference.
Transition / Conclusion
We have touched on this lesson of reversal, of inclusion, in the sermons of the pastors here in church recently. I would highlight but two of them.
Acts 11:1-18
The first is the story of Peter’s vision on the foods he could eat. We visited that scripture in May. How telling is that scripture, because again it is the changing of the rules, who we are to associate with. The Jewish believers were complaining because the Gentiles were being saved.
Who is clean and unclean; who is our neighbor? It starts with the Levitical dietary rules; but it is so much more than that. Who a Jew could dine with was another measure of who was there neighbor. Again, through Peter’s Vision, we are told that the ancient law has changed. “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” All of us have been made clean by the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All are our neighbors.
Galatians 5:1 & 13-25
I think another way to think about all of this is to think about the lessons Pastor Lori helped us learn two weeks ago, in her sermon, “The Pursuit of Freedom: License of Liberty”, that she shared with the congregation on July 1.
The whole passage is boiled down in verses 13 and 14 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;* only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,* but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’”
We are to use the freedom that we earned through Christ’s saving grace to become our neighbor’s keeper, and not just our good neighbor next door.
We are to be the good neighbor around the world, far and near, black or white, young or old, Jew and Gentile, until none of those distinctions mean anything at all. To be the good neighbor that Jesus is calling that single attorney to be, is to be as my poem is entitled (using Paul’s letter to the Galatians, “Slaves to One Another”).
Slaves to One Another
Agape love, that is what Paul
calls us to exhibit, to live
to fall as servants, to meet
the needs of our neighbors.
as we would love ourselves,
so must we be to them,
if we all did so, what,
oh what would be
the state of this troubled world.
If we used our freedom,
given by the Creator, by the Savior
to reject our own desires,
and became slaves to one another.
It is our enemy who we must see as our neighbor, to truly understand the love for those in need that Jesus was talking of. He wasn’t talking about a simple love, of our neighbor next door, down the street, in our circle. We were taught to love our enemy in need just as our friends, just as ourselves. This made me think again of the choice our country made to use torture. We too see ourselves as a country set apart. As Ronald Reagan said so many times, we are that shining city on the hill. That is part of why we got out of the malaise of the late 1970’s, seeing us that way. That is all the more troubling that we have chosen to use torture. I wrote the following poem about that.
We Have Become What we Abhor
Murderous madmen, willing
to abuse, to torture,
to inflict pain, indiscriminate
heartless, oft calculated
Unlike us, held up for ridicule,
sanction, censure, until now
We have changed, because of our hurt,
our anger, our loss,
become what we abhor;
become the madmen
committing atrocities
become that which we hate
To follow the example of Jesus Christ, we must love our enemies. They are our neighbors too. We must love them, even when they are hurting us, just as he said while he was on the cross, “forgive them, for they know not what they do.” So must we; we must do likewise, and live.
Ending
So, maybe, just maybe, by asking that winning question, to try to earn his way into heaven, to avoid eternity going down to Sheol (as I wrote of in the first of the poems), that lawyer in Luke really did serve a purpose, because he didn’t just ask one question, he asked two, and Jesus spoke to all of us through him in answering them both. The single commandment to love our neighbors becomes the Great Commission, to create unity throughout the world, to be good neighbors to all. To truly love all and to help all in need.
AMEN.
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 35,240+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
1,400 Poems
Another one hundred reached, 1,400 poems posted to the blog
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
That Trio is Trouble
Three of the matriarchs
willful women of our congregation
congressing in the parking lot
outside the sanctuary
sharing a scheme, no doubt
some pressing agenda,
lost in their company,
and their thoughts
I wanted to approach
to ask what they were up to
But I didn’t dare
You don’t interrupt
powerful forces of nature
when there are working
in communion
July 12, 2007 20:16
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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
willful women of our congregation
congressing in the parking lot
outside the sanctuary
sharing a scheme, no doubt
some pressing agenda,
lost in their company,
and their thoughts
I wanted to approach
to ask what they were up to
But I didn’t dare
You don’t interrupt
powerful forces of nature
when there are working
in communion
July 12, 2007 20:16
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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Size of Creation
Tall mountains reaching to the sky
Deep canyons, cut into the earth, gorges, valleys
Huge blue whales, the enormity of the universe
Tiny atoms, in every thing on earth and in the stars,
a newborn hand clutching her daddy’s finger
Wide open spaces, room to breath, to run free,
crowded downtowns, no place to turn
The expanse of the world’s oceans,
growing with continental drift,
the melting of the ice sheets
A light year, or more to the next star,
many more to the edge of the expanding infinite
The space between two beating hearts,
held so close by arms of love
Changing, moving in space
this is the size of creation
Deep canyons, cut into the earth, gorges, valleys
Huge blue whales, the enormity of the universe
Tiny atoms, in every thing on earth and in the stars,
a newborn hand clutching her daddy’s finger
Wide open spaces, room to breath, to run free,
crowded downtowns, no place to turn
The expanse of the world’s oceans,
growing with continental drift,
the melting of the ice sheets
A light year, or more to the next star,
many more to the edge of the expanding infinite
The space between two beating hearts,
held so close by arms of love
Changing, moving in space
this is the size of creation
-----------------
edited July 7, 2018
The Size of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
The Words of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
The Message of Creation – v3
(editing original)
edited July 7, 2018
The Context of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Sounds of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
The Speed of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Creatures of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Smells of Creation – v3
edited July 7, 2018
Tastes of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Textures of Creation – v2
&
July 11,
2007 22:54
The Size of Creation
began notes June
2, 2007
Genesis 1
&
May 8, 2008
The Words of Creation
Psalm 19:1-4
and Upper Room devotional
&
edited June 26, 2014
The Message of Creation – v2
May 8, 2008
The Message of Creation
Psalm 19:1-4
Walk to Emmaus, Means of Grace
and Upper Room devotional
&
Finished July 26, 2007 22:25
Textures of Creation
Started July 11, 2007
Genesis 1
&
Started 7/8/07, added to 7/9/07 1:01AM
The Context of Creation
Genesis 1
&
edited August 3, 2014
Smells of Creation – v2
finished August 1, 2007 12:12
Smells of Creation
started July 11, 2007
Genesis 1
&
Finished July 30, 2007 22:00
Tastes of Creation
Started July 11
Genesis 1
&
Finished July 30, 2007 21:40
Creatures of Creation
began draft June 2, 2007, update June 4, 2007, July 11,
2007
Genesis 1
&
Finished July 30, 2007 8:03
The Speed of Creation
started July 11, 2007
Genesis 1
&
Finished July 30, 2007 7:55
Sounds of Creation
started July 11, 2007
Genesis 1
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted
by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009,
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. All rights are
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
usage. See all 47,200 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
===============
calling,
Christ, Emmaus, God, God’s purpose, grace, joy, justifying, love, Luke 24, Luke
24:13-35, prevenient, Psalm 19, Psalm 23, sanctifying, servant, umc, United
Methodist, Walk to Emmaus, witness,
#calling #Christ #Emmaus #God #Godspurpose #grace #joy #justifying
#love #Luke24 #prevenient #Psalm19 #Psalm23 #sanctifying #servant #umc
#UnitedMethodist #WalktoEmmaus #witness #salvation #resurrection #life #eternal
#communion
====================
Christ,
creation, creator, earth, Faith, God, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, love,
Methodist, Poetry Where You Live, purpose, savior, witness, world,
#Christ
#creation #creator #earth #Faith #God #gospel #grace #HolySpirit #hope #love
#Methodist #PoetryWhereYouLive #purpose #savior #witness #world #Genesis1 #life
#struggle #journey #void #Word #life #power #worship #holy #Lord
======================
branches,
child, creation, creator, Faith, forest, Genesis 1, God, hope, loons,
Methodist, mother, Nature, NEUMC, Poetry Where You Live, sound, summer, wind,
wings,
#branches #child #creation #creator #Faith #forest
#Genesis1 #God #hope #loons #Methodist #mother #Nature #NEUMC
#PoetryWhereYouLive #sound #summer #wind #wings #sounds #cry #prayer #birth
#song #crash #awe #noise #thunder #worship
=================
birds, bread, cicada, creation, creator, dawn, earth,
Faith, Genesis 1, God, hawk, heart, human, life, light, Methodist, Nature,
rainbow, sing, sound,
#speed #birds #bread #cicada #creation #creator #dawn #earth
#Faith #Genesis 1 #God #hawk #heart #human #life #light #Methodist #Nature #rainbow
#sing #sound #fast #slow #heartbeat #blinkofaneye #eternity #eons #epochs
=======================
apple, bread, breath, dust, Faith, forest, fruit, garden,
Genesis 1, God, grass, lilacs, lilies, lily of the valley, Nature, ocean,
orange, rose, shower, snow,
#smells
#creation #apple #bread #breath #dust #Faith #forest #fruit #garden #Genesis1
#God #grass #lilacs #lilies #lilyofthevalley #Nature #ocean #orange #rose
#shower #snow #creator #sight #touch
#senses #taste #touch
==========================
birds, brown, butterflies, creation, creator, deer,
Faith, forest, garden, gardener, Genesis 1, God, hawk, love, Methodist, Nature,
sheep, shepherd, starfish, turkeys,
#creatures
#created #birds #brown #butterflies #creation #creator #deer #Faith #forest
#garden #gardener #Genesis1 #God #hawk #love #Methodist #Nature #sheep
#shepherd #starfish #turkeys #reptile #amphibian #mammal #microbe #onecelled
==========================
bread, Communion, creation, creator, earth, Faith, fire,
fruit, garden, gardener, Genesis 1, God, hope, maple trees, Methodist, Nature,
Poetry Where You Live, sin, taste,
#bread #Communion #creation #creator #earth #Faith #fire
#fruit #garden #gardener #Genesis1 #God #hope #mapletrees #Methodist #Nature
#PoetryWhereYouLive #sin #taste #sweet #sour #salt #bitter #luscious #nectar
#meat
========================
creation, creator, Faith, flowers, fruit, Genesis 1, God,
grass, ice, Methodist, Nature, ocean, rock, rose, sea glass, shepherd, stone,
texture, touch, water,
#creation #creator #Faith #flowers #fruit #Genesis1 #God
#grass #ice #Christ #Spirit #Nature #ocean #rock #rose #seaglass #shepherd
#stone #texture #touch #water #senses #smells #taste #sight #seeing #feeling
#rough #smooth #sharp
God Filled the Church
With tears pouring down my face,
washing down into my mouth
wide open
singing, praying, believing
in the power of the testimony,
the compelling
words from the chancel,
from the pulpit,
feeling them wash over me,
down from the
holy of holies,
down into Your courts
out over the congregation,
hands waving
in the warm air,
hearing the saving message
of the God who forgave her,
set her to work
with the migrant workers,
out in the blueberry fields
downeast from here,
feeling the truth in her message
the second and third,
and maybe even fourth chance God
that lifted her up
set her feet to walking a different road
one we share in ministry
in mission
in common
July 11, 2007 1:20
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
washing down into my mouth
wide open
singing, praying, believing
in the power of the testimony,
the compelling
words from the chancel,
from the pulpit,
feeling them wash over me,
down from the
holy of holies,
down into Your courts
out over the congregation,
hands waving
in the warm air,
hearing the saving message
of the God who forgave her,
set her to work
with the migrant workers,
out in the blueberry fields
downeast from here,
feeling the truth in her message
the second and third,
and maybe even fourth chance God
that lifted her up
set her feet to walking a different road
one we share in ministry
in mission
in common
July 11, 2007 1:20
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
God Joined Us
God joined us
in that intimate space
sharing our stories, our beliefs
reading the scripture together
sipping the tea, laughing
at the timely anecdote,
the common memory
the shared verse,
we love so well
Closing your eyes,
for a moment at the reading
hearing the words differently
in the quiet of the circle,
thinking on it now,
a few months past,
a smile warms my face
even now, in the wee hours
I remember well
the bible study
in their living room.
July 11, 2007 00:47
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
in that intimate space
sharing our stories, our beliefs
reading the scripture together
sipping the tea, laughing
at the timely anecdote,
the common memory
the shared verse,
we love so well
Closing your eyes,
for a moment at the reading
hearing the words differently
in the quiet of the circle,
thinking on it now,
a few months past,
a smile warms my face
even now, in the wee hours
I remember well
the bible study
in their living room.
July 11, 2007 00:47
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
In the Quiet of the Circle
We sat around the living room
a more casual gathering
the small flock
listening to the word, yes;
but sharing our own
in ways we don’t in the sanctuary,
in worship. The majesty of God lives there
in the communing of the congregation,
the swelling of the choir, the sharing of bread;
but here in their room, this little slice of their life
shared with the rest of us, opening their home
to strangers becoming deeper friends,
we felt God’s closeness, with us
in the telling of our faith journeys,
each so different,
so much alike at the same time
in the quiet of the circle,
God joined us
July 10, 2007 23:56
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
a more casual gathering
the small flock
listening to the word, yes;
but sharing our own
in ways we don’t in the sanctuary,
in worship. The majesty of God lives there
in the communing of the congregation,
the swelling of the choir, the sharing of bread;
but here in their room, this little slice of their life
shared with the rest of us, opening their home
to strangers becoming deeper friends,
we felt God’s closeness, with us
in the telling of our faith journeys,
each so different,
so much alike at the same time
in the quiet of the circle,
God joined us
July 10, 2007 23:56
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Monday, July 09, 2007
The Context of Creation
The beauty of creation
is found in the context of creation
the story of how we began
the world beginning
in the wondrous birthing
within bounds of physical laws
The earth fits within a solar system
which lives on one of the bands of the Milky Way galaxy
in one of the reaches of an expanding universe
Our small blue planet, teams with life
where the other planets, like the story of Goldie Locks
are either too warm or oh so cold
Our good earth is made up of so many amazing systems,
elements of water, or air, of fire, of earth
Water, in our bodies, in the plants,
in crashing seas, placid lakes, running streams,
in falling rain and blowing snow
Sky, air, wind, colors of blue and gray, lavender
bright sunrise, warming sunset
harbinger of good days and storm
The earth under our feet, rising in mountains,
in dune and desert, in tundra
covered by field, forest, hidden in valley and cave
Fire giving warmth and roaring
out of control
scorching the earth, by
lightening, by spark,
by sun, spontaneous combustion,
rewriting the story of a place
Living plants, grasses, fruits, vegetables,
conifers, bushes, cacti, on and on the list grows
taking in the waste of man, or animals,
breathing in our bile,
exhaling our life giving oxygen
Animals that hunt, that munch, that chew,
mammals and insects, and platypus,
fish and birds, reptiles, amphibians,
though I can never tell those apart
A wonderful balance; that is the context of creation
-----------------
edited July 7, 2018
The Context of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Sounds of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
The Speed of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Creatures of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Smells of Creation – v3
edited July 7, 2018
Tastes of Creation – v2
edited July 7, 2018
Textures of Creation – v2
Finished July
26, 2007 22:25
Textures of Creation
Started July
11, 2007
Genesis 1
&
Started 7/8/07,
added to 7/9/07
1:01AM
The Context of Creation
Genesis 1
&
edited August 3, 2014
Smells of Creation – v2
finished August 1, 2007 12:12
Smells of Creation
started July 11, 2007
Genesis 1
&
Finished July
30, 2007 22:00
Tastes of Creation
Started July 11
Genesis 1
&
Finished July
30, 2007 21:40
Creatures of Creation
began draft June 2, 2007, update June 4, 2007, July 11, 2007
Genesis 1
&
Finished July 30, 2007 8:03
The Speed of Creation
started July
11, 2007
Genesis 1
&
Finished July
30, 2007 7:55
Sounds of Creation
started July 11, 2007
Genesis 1
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted
by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009,
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. All rights are
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
usage. See all 47,200 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
====================
Christ,
creation, creator, earth, Faith, God, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, love,
Methodist, Poetry Where You Live, purpose, savior, witness, world,
#Christ #creation
#creator #earth #Faith #God #gospel #grace #HolySpirit #hope #love #Methodist #PoetryWhereYouLive
#purpose #savior #witness #world #Genesis1
======================
branches,
child, creation, creator, Faith, forest, Genesis 1, God, hope, loons,
Methodist, mother, Nature, NEUMC, Poetry Where You Live, sound, summer, wind,
wings,
#branches #child #creation #creator #Faith #forest
#Genesis1 #God #hope #loons #Methodist #mother #Nature #NEUMC
#PoetryWhereYouLive #sound #summer #wind #wings #sounds #cry #prayer #birth
#song #crash #awe #noise #thunder #worship
=================
birds, bread, cicada, creation, creator, dawn, earth, Faith,
Genesis 1, God, hawk, heart, human, life, light, Methodist, Nature, rainbow,
sing, sound,
#speed #birds #bread #cicada #creation #creator #dawn #earth
#Faith #Genesis 1 #God #hawk #heart #human #life #light #Methodist #Nature #rainbow
#sing #sound #fast #slow #heartbeat #blinkofaneye #eternity #eons #epochs
=======================
apple, bread, breath, dust, Faith, forest, fruit, garden,
Genesis 1, God, grass, lilacs, lilies, lily of the valley, Nature, ocean,
orange, rose, shower, snow,
#smells #creation #apple #bread
#breath #dust #Faith #forest #fruit #garden #Genesis1 #God #grass #lilacs
#lilies #lilyofthevalley #Nature #ocean #orange #rose #shower #snow #creator
#sight #touch #senses #taste #touch
==========================
birds, brown, butterflies, creation, creator, deer, Faith,
forest, garden, gardener, Genesis 1, God, hawk, love, Methodist, Nature, sheep,
shepherd, starfish, turkeys,
#creatures #created #birds #brown
#butterflies #creation #creator #deer #Faith #forest #garden #gardener
#Genesis1 #God #hawk #love #Methodist #Nature #sheep #shepherd #starfish
#turkeys #reptile #amphibian #mammal #microbe #onecelled
==========================
bread, Communion, creation, creator, earth, Faith, fire,
fruit, garden, gardener, Genesis 1, God, hope, maple trees, Methodist, Nature,
Poetry Where You Live, sin, taste,
#bread #Communion #creation #creator #earth #Faith #fire
#fruit #garden #gardener #Genesis1 #God #hope #mapletrees #Methodist #Nature
#PoetryWhereYouLive #sin #taste #sweet #sour #salt #bitter #luscious #nectar
#meat
========================
creation, creator, Faith, flowers, fruit, Genesis 1, God,
grass, ice, Methodist, Nature, ocean, rock, rose, sea glass, shepherd, stone,
texture, touch, water,
#creation #creator #Faith #flowers #fruit #Genesis1 #God
#grass #ice #Christ #Spirit #Nature #ocean #rock #rose #seaglass #shepherd
#stone #texture #touch #water #senses #smells #taste #sight #seeing #feeling
#rough #smooth #sharp
Arguing in the Dark
The facts are as they are
the arguments had been made
we have what we have
and it will be the judge who decides
which is the stronger, the more cogent,
the better case was that day
But we cannot know, the balancing
that the man in the robe makes
the weight of each thread in the tapestry
the competing stories being written
by the yellow press, the purple prose
the advocates of the different sides
it is a fight we cannot divine
within the mind
of the decision maker
the trier of fact
July 8, 2007 23:45
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
the arguments had been made
we have what we have
and it will be the judge who decides
which is the stronger, the more cogent,
the better case was that day
But we cannot know, the balancing
that the man in the robe makes
the weight of each thread in the tapestry
the competing stories being written
by the yellow press, the purple prose
the advocates of the different sides
it is a fight we cannot divine
within the mind
of the decision maker
the trier of fact
July 8, 2007 23:45
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Life Without Limits
A friend emails me an amazing video. I am now forwarding that via this blog where ever the internet may lead it. I haven't looked at the whole site; but this is a very inspirational story. thank you Nick.
http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Food Falling from Above
Like Manna raining down from heaven
so too the smelly fish flakes fall
onto the open mouths of the tropical fish
resident in my office.
Like baby birds with mouths agape,
they welcome the providence
of the food falling from above
miraculously meeting their needs
daily, their daily bread,
A reminder, in a momentary, tangible way
of the provision of the Lord,
for our daily needs
met in ways sublime and subtle,
if we are aware to notice
July 8, 2007 13:36
Exodus 16:10-15
Matthew 6:11
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
so too the smelly fish flakes fall
onto the open mouths of the tropical fish
resident in my office.
Like baby birds with mouths agape,
they welcome the providence
of the food falling from above
miraculously meeting their needs
daily, their daily bread,
A reminder, in a momentary, tangible way
of the provision of the Lord,
for our daily needs
met in ways sublime and subtle,
if we are aware to notice
July 8, 2007 13:36
Exodus 16:10-15
Matthew 6:11
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Before the Beginning
“In the Beginning,”
So starts the greatest story ever told
of the God who loves us
and our relationship with the Creator
over many millennia
Our covenantal, personal bond with
the King of the universe,
our failings, over and over again;
the Lord’s constant love,
gifts of grace, of saving.
But before the Beginning,
There was God.
Eternal, Omnipotent,
Omnipresent, Omniscient
Before anything, even nothingness,
There was God
July 8, 2007 5:54am
Genesis 1:1
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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
So starts the greatest story ever told
of the God who loves us
and our relationship with the Creator
over many millennia
Our covenantal, personal bond with
the King of the universe,
our failings, over and over again;
the Lord’s constant love,
gifts of grace, of saving.
But before the Beginning,
There was God.
Eternal, Omnipotent,
Omnipresent, Omniscient
Before anything, even nothingness,
There was God
July 8, 2007 5:54am
Genesis 1:1
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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Watering the Sun
A line of sun growing against the wall of the house
warmed by the edge of the foundation
a line of flowers to come, a single stalk,
still weeks away, anticipated still
watering the sun, the giant flowers
that will bless our garden
soon enough. A line of sun
growing to the sky, tended a bit
watered in the rich soil
our patch of dirt
by the door
July 7, 2007
see postings of the flowers
11 months earlier on the blog
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 19,720+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
warmed by the edge of the foundation
a line of flowers to come, a single stalk,
still weeks away, anticipated still
watering the sun, the giant flowers
that will bless our garden
soon enough. A line of sun
growing to the sky, tended a bit
watered in the rich soil
our patch of dirt
by the door
July 7, 2007
see postings of the flowers
11 months earlier on the blog
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 19,720+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
A Lucky Day
Three signs of completeness
holy perfection,
three sevens,
month, day, year
all aligned, all balances,
sevens across the board
What a wondrous moment
oh happy day
July 7, 2007
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
holy perfection,
three sevens,
month, day, year
all aligned, all balances,
sevens across the board
What a wondrous moment
oh happy day
July 7, 2007
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Parsing the Parable
“And who is our neighbor?”,
a lawyer asked so long ago,
testing the Teacher,
to know the meaning of the
law, the actors in the words.
Needing the definition section
of the law, to understand the limits,
the bounds, of the command,
the scope of the edict,
“to love our neighbors as ourselves”.
An answer in a parable,
itself needing context,
interpretation, to understand
the ancient law, and
the changed message,
the Good News.
A broadening of the
bounds, the limits,
who is our neighbor
How we act, not who we are,
that defines the term,
and that makes all the difference.
July 6, 2007 7:23am
Luke 10:25-37
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
a lawyer asked so long ago,
testing the Teacher,
to know the meaning of the
law, the actors in the words.
Needing the definition section
of the law, to understand the limits,
the bounds, of the command,
the scope of the edict,
“to love our neighbors as ourselves”.
An answer in a parable,
itself needing context,
interpretation, to understand
the ancient law, and
the changed message,
the Good News.
A broadening of the
bounds, the limits,
who is our neighbor
How we act, not who we are,
that defines the term,
and that makes all the difference.
July 6, 2007 7:23am
Luke 10:25-37
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Samaritan Love
A lesson of service,
of comfort, of love
An unlikely instrument
of the Savior’s teachings
A testing question,
a lawyer’s challenge
and the Messiah’s answer
on who is the good neighbor,
just as gentiles, and sinners
embody His other truths
July 5, 2007 20:10
Luke 10:25-37
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
of comfort, of love
An unlikely instrument
of the Savior’s teachings
A testing question,
a lawyer’s challenge
and the Messiah’s answer
on who is the good neighbor,
just as gentiles, and sinners
embody His other truths
July 5, 2007 20:10
Luke 10:25-37
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
A Big Gapped Grin
She stood there,
at the top of the stair
with hand outstretched
for me to view
her first tooth,
clutched like a butterfly
in her palm
Grinning ear to ear
with pride
and the knowing
of the coins to come
from the beloved
tooth fairy
July 5, 2007 12:08
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
at the top of the stair
with hand outstretched
for me to view
her first tooth,
clutched like a butterfly
in her palm
Grinning ear to ear
with pride
and the knowing
of the coins to come
from the beloved
tooth fairy
July 5, 2007 12:08
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Without Freedom Still
We gathered, took time off,
pondered our freedom,
on the anniversary
our Declaration of Independence
when we dissolved the political bonds
when we proclaimed, to the world,
what we hoped for, what we believed in
as a people, set apart,
that we hold these truths to be self-evident,
that we are born equal, each one,
that the creator gave us unalienable rights,
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
How wondrous are those words,
how much we have achieved
casting off the chains that hold us back
how far we have to go; but
We are free, by most measures
How hard life must be
in the many places on the globe
where people are not yet free
where there are people still
in the grip of slavery, in bondage,
in fear for their lives,
for their children’s lives
for any kind of future
for religious persecution,
indiscriminant death
How blind we are,
to the realities around the world
How silent we are
to the evil that stalks this sphere
How much more we could do
if we took our freedoms more seriously
and invested in justice
to the four corners
of this troubled planet
July 4, 2007 20:36
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 19,720+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
pondered our freedom,
on the anniversary
our Declaration of Independence
when we dissolved the political bonds
when we proclaimed, to the world,
what we hoped for, what we believed in
as a people, set apart,
that we hold these truths to be self-evident,
that we are born equal, each one,
that the creator gave us unalienable rights,
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
How wondrous are those words,
how much we have achieved
casting off the chains that hold us back
how far we have to go; but
We are free, by most measures
How hard life must be
in the many places on the globe
where people are not yet free
where there are people still
in the grip of slavery, in bondage,
in fear for their lives,
for their children’s lives
for any kind of future
for religious persecution,
indiscriminant death
How blind we are,
to the realities around the world
How silent we are
to the evil that stalks this sphere
How much more we could do
if we took our freedoms more seriously
and invested in justice
to the four corners
of this troubled planet
July 4, 2007 20:36
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 19,720+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
The World Factbook - by the CIA
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
Safe in My Bed
Before I rise to start my day
I felt a need to stop and pray
for the men and women of our land
who are out there in the world taking a stand
to guard the dark places to keep us free
to watch for the enemy behind the rock, the tree
Remembering the mettle of this day
when people stood for freedom, so our children may play,
to live in a land that is truly free
and be safe in my bed in tranquility.
We celebrate the words in the Declaration this day
but we need to remember to stop and pray
that the words mean nothing without the grit
and the people who have been willing to commit
to the dangerous work of protecting this dream
to fight for our country and keep it from harm
So we rise this morning from our safe beds
and know that our country has nothing to dread
because there are people on guard
out there in the world
We pray for their safety,
each mother, each son,
and pray for their return
when their work is done
July 4, 2007 7:41
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
I felt a need to stop and pray
for the men and women of our land
who are out there in the world taking a stand
to guard the dark places to keep us free
to watch for the enemy behind the rock, the tree
Remembering the mettle of this day
when people stood for freedom, so our children may play,
to live in a land that is truly free
and be safe in my bed in tranquility.
We celebrate the words in the Declaration this day
but we need to remember to stop and pray
that the words mean nothing without the grit
and the people who have been willing to commit
to the dangerous work of protecting this dream
to fight for our country and keep it from harm
So we rise this morning from our safe beds
and know that our country has nothing to dread
because there are people on guard
out there in the world
We pray for their safety,
each mother, each son,
and pray for their return
when their work is done
July 4, 2007 7:41
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 19,460+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
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