In His Ministry – v4

In his ministry, echoes, reflections,
mirroring the Savior’s words
the path that the Christ walked,
living out the words proclaimed
on the mountainside in his sermon
the words of love, even for our enemies,
even those actively tormenting, persecuting us,
those who would harm us, for being who we are.
 
These words, guiding his steps, his ministry,
his non-violent response, to the violence,
to the oppression, that right would triumph,
that the just God would watch over
all of God’s people, that we as a nation,
would overcome the legacy of hate,
that Christ’s love, His example,
preached on the mountainside,
would transform the world, finally,
enemies no more, living together,
together walking across that divide,
into a promised land of peace.
 
Struggling when there was darkness,
continuing in the work of our brother,
bringing hope into the dark world,
never giving up, always trusting in God,
ever honoring the Master’s call,
changing hate into love,
even love for our enemies,
like water chiseling rock.
 
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Edited January 7, 2024
In His Ministry – v4
 
edited January 20, 2015
In His Ministry – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/in-his-ministry-v3.html
(editing version 1 again)
January 21, 2013
In His Ministry – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/01/in-his-ministry-v2.html
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
and his final speech before his assassination
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oehry1JC9Rk&feature=youtu.be
and Inauguration of the President
Barack Hussein Obama
Invocation
by Myrlie Evers-Williams
http://bcove.me/ugv9l9qy
Inaugural Address
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/president-barack-obamas-2013-inaugural-address-full-text-86497.html
&
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2009/01/not-just-dream-reality.html
&
several poems written in 2009
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/search/label/Martin%20Luther%20King
on the juxtaposition of the
80^th birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
and the inauguration of Barack Obama
as President of the United States of America
January 18, 2009
In His Ministry
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2009/01/in-his-ministry.html
the message, “It’s not just a dream but a reality”
on the sign in front of church,
the story of Moses and Joshua,
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Joshua 1:1-9
along with
Micah 4:1-4
Matthew 5:43-48
the sermon, “Love Your Who???”,
by Reverend Huntley Halvorson,
Suncook United Methodist Church, Suncook, NH,
and the hypothetical put to Eric Holder, nominee for Attorney General,
by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) on the use of waterboarding,
January 15, 2009, during his Senate Confirmation Hearings,
see http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/15/cornyn-holder-waterboard/
&
edited January 19, 2015
Changing the Wind – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/changing-wind-v3.html
(merging edits to original and version 2)
Edited July 22, 2013
changing the wind – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/07/changing-wind-v2.html
December 7, 2007
changing the wind
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/12/changing-wind.html
Based on the comments of Jim Wallis on
Speaking of Faith, November 29, 2007
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/jimwallis/index.shtml
He was talking about whether to change politicians
or change the wind, to change the public opinion
which guides politics. He used the example
of President Johnson’s statement to the
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that it would
take 5 years for a voting rights bill but
it actually took 5 months to pass the Voting Rights Act,
after the March in Selma.
 
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
poetry, America, Barack Obama, dream, faith, Family, God, hope, joy, Joshua, justice, love, Martin Luther King, MLK, Obama, prayer, President Obama, savior, Moses, Inauguration,
 
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