Praying the Psalm – v4

Christ’s song, so special,

there on the cross

sung by Jesus

so right, so rich

When Christ became

our sacrifice.

We pray the Psalm,

murmuring the words of love,

of assurance, of quiet

of loss, of promise

of all fulfilled.

These words that we hold dear

in vivid word pictures

a cascade of thoughts,

in this ancient song,

of holy belief.

This song, so special

of the love of the Shepherd

for each of His sheep

Love for the Creator, for the Lamb

our Savior, climbing

hanging there on the cross.

====

edited March 3, 2015

Praying the Psalm – v4

(editing version 3)

edited January 29, 2015

Praying the Psalm – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/praying-psalm-v3.html

(merging edits to original and version 2)

edited March 24, 2014

Praying the Psalm – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/03/praying-psalm-v2.html

Psalm 22:1

Psalm 22

prayed by Christ on the cross

&

March 2, 2008

Praying the Psalm

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/03/praying-psalm.html

Psalm 23 and the sermon,

“Of Shepherds and Sheep”,

by Rev. Lori Eldredge,

https://www.facebook.com/lori.eldredge

Wesley United Methodist Church

www.concordwumc.org

Concord, NH, 3/2/08

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 36,280+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Snow in the Valleys – v2

snow seen in the valleys

off the highway

down below, the road I traveled

by the brooks, blown

clinging to the grasses,

pillows upon rocks

like icing on cupcakes

slabs of snow on the brook

ready to fall in,

mingle with the running water

head downstream

to the sea, long downstream

white still, remaining

long after the graying

of closer snow

edited April 13, 2014

Snow in the Valleys – v2

March 10, 2007 14:48

Snow in the Valleys

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/03/snow-in-valleys.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 29,050+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Praying the Psalm – v2

His song, so special,

there on the cross

so right, so rich

He prayed the Psalm,

murmuring the words of love,

of assurance, of quiet

of loss, of promise

of all fulfilled

words that we hold dear

in word pictures

a cascade of thoughts,

of holy belief

in the love of the Shepherd

for each of His sheep

for the Creator for the Lamb

there on the cross

edited January 29, 2015

Praying the Psalm – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/praying-psalm-v3.html

(merging edits to original and version 2)

edited March 24, 2014

Praying the Psalm – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/03/praying-psalm-v2.html

Psalm 22:1

Psalm 22

prayed by Christ on the cross

&

March 2, 2008

Praying the Psalm

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/03/praying-psalm.html

Psalm 23 and the sermon,

“Of Shepherds and Sheep”,

by Rev. Lori Eldredge,

https://www.facebook.com/lori.eldredge

Wesley United Methodist Church

www.concordwumc.org

Concord, NH, 3/2/08

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 35,550+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Dust on the Pictures – v2

Memories fade,

distances grow,

dust builds

on the pictures,

the moment of our lives

dust accumulates, we separate

our pasts from our present

life picks up the pace

each day less of our life’s journey

Moving quicker and quicker

our life’s journey

as each day fills

with new memories

dust on the pictures

of our lives

on the mantle,

the wall, the table

in our hearts

Pull them out,

dust them off

reflect and remember

joy in each moment

maybe give a call

or send a letter

to the loved ones

those your cherish

present in the pictures

Edited November 9, 2013

Dust on the Pictures – v2

March 11, 2007 22:04

Dust on the Pictures

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/03/dust-on-pictures.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. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 26,370+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

By Human Hands – v2

Off the road, into the woods

a makeshift lean-to

fallen, dry, peeling bark

a phalanx of dead pine saplings

leaning too uniform

against an unseen beam

seemingly felled by human hands

Placed too neatly, too surely

by nature, by randomness

in the thawing woods, March in Maine

too far from the road, placed there

too quick a glance to be sure

but it was a little too perfect, too planned

to be there but by human hands

Edited May 5, 2013

“By Human Hands – v2”

March 14, 2008

“By Human Hands”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/03/by-human-hands.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. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 23,250+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

In Gathering There

A space, consecrated by the presence
by the gathering of your people
any room, any place – holy ground
like the tabernacle, the tents,
traveling with your people
no walls to bind you
God in the midst, a sanctuary
in the gathering of your people
so it is today, whether in holy space
or in space made holy,
it is the congregation of believers
standing together for your glory
holy ground


July 31, 2009 – Facebook version
March 23, 2009
based on comment posted to “Come Thirsty”,
“I like this poem a lot. Still, there's a sense in which
the church building is only sacred ground if the
Church meets there. When we meet with his people,
whether in a home or a public place or a business or a
church building, it becomes the sanctuary,
the place of the presence of God.”
----
Come Thirsty

Oh, come thirsty, come into the sanctuary
into the presence of God, a special place
onto sacred ground
be filled, be refreshed
to find the face of Christ
in our neighbors, in the words of song,
in the message in the scripture
the telling of the good news

Oh, come thirsty, come to the well
to the living waters of salvation
to be made new, in his image
to drink your fill, to run this race
with renewed strength
with faith as if a mustard seed
but able to move a mountain
stepping out of the boat onto water

Oh, come thirsty, to the Lord’s house
feeling his grace, all around you
entering into to worship, real worship
listening for that still small voice of God
his message, his call for your life
enter into his courts, fall at his altar
believe in his plan for you, from before your birth
plans to enrich you, and to bring your home

March 19, 2009
sign in front of Grace Capital Church,
Pembroke, NH
One side was Come Thirsty
the other side was Be Refreshed

New Life

Under the leaf litter
the matted grass
green shoots
new life, pushing skyward
out of the awakening earth
the cycle of life,
the turning of the seasons
all part of the master’s plan.

New life, in its time, our of the dead
the still-wet decay of last year,
our of winter hibernation
the perennials rise
new-green lilies, irises,
grasses, all in the newly raked garden
continuing the dance, rebirth
choreographed by the creator
For this, and so much more,
we give You our thanks.


March 22, 2009
Spring 2009,
and Alive Now assignment for 3/20/09
and
Luke 11:1-13
and sermon,
“Are You Listening Lord?”
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
March 22, 2009

Knitted Fingers

Cupped fingers, knitted together
the leaves of the tulips
rising from the humus, the earth
as if in prayer, cupped
to gather the morning dew,
the growing, warming sun

March 28, 2009

Dropping Their Nets

“Follow me and I will make you
fishers of men”, so was the call
of the first disciples, of us as well
personally to walk with Christ
in his ministry, living the example
of Simon, of Andrew, of James, of John
moving out into the world,
giving our hands, our feet
yoked with Jesus, partners
a team together,
leaving our old selves behind
transformed and enabled
Dropping our nets, going
to be fishers of men.



March 28, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Discipleship

A Simple Act

A hot cup of coffee, a simple act
an offering of a drink but more than this
an offering of hope, of compassion, in witness
being a disciple of Christ, in action
out into our community
to our neighbors
and to the world
even, or maybe especially,
in simple acts of love, of grace


March 28, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Christian Action

Simple Elements

a simple load, an earthen cup
uncovered on the table, an offering
a living candle, before the cross
purple cloth, covering His table

Simple elements, shared in faith,
in remembrance of Him,
invoked by her loving words

His choice to sacrifice,
to give himself, His life,
His body, His blood
for each of us,
as we come to His table


March 28, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Communion

In Gasps

The words of Your prayer
sung, as if in gasps, trembling
urgent words raised for the congregation
words of Christ, his prayer
his words to the Father
Shared in son, in prayer
in the community, together
in gasps, in awe, and in reverence.


March 28, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Lord’s Prayer

In their Faithfulness

In the perseverance, trust
in their faithfulness, striving
to follow the way of the master
walking with our savior
doing the work of the spirit
going where they are called
even if only one, only two
are gathered, so are their fruits
in joyful submission
to the Lord’s holy purpose



March 28, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Perseverance

Treasures of Emmaus

Pearls of grace
shared in their witness
in God’s voice speaking through them
treasure of Emmaus
of the Walk, the journey
with our risen Lord
traveling this road
into the fields of the world
yoked with our savior
feeling his presence
seeing the face of Christ
in the community
your hand, oh God
resting on us all
treasure not buried
but shared instead


March 27, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Perseverance

What’s Wrong

The obstacle, the barrier
the impediment to grace –
It is me, my sins
my selfishness, my will
keeping me from God,
from his voice, his message;
not centered on Christ

It is me, not our creator
being the wall, the divide
between us, the distance
Following my own path
He is the father, ready, always, for me
When I am ready,
when I return to him.


March 27, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Obstacles to Grace

Written on our Hearts

With the blood of the lamb
prepared to be ink, grace
written on our hearts

God’s everlasting love
seeking us, pursuing
hoping for covenant
for a living relationship

Indelible ink of life
changing us, transforming
never to be the same again

Our lives anew, walking
journeying, yoked to our savior,
our brother, our master

By his grace, by his redemption
moving, walking
as new beings, servants

Calling us, each one, called to be
disciples to be sent out into the world,
faithful to his love

March 27, 2009
Walk to Emmaus
Prevenient Grace talk

Sermon - "Are You Listening Lord?", by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, Suncook United Methodist Church, March 22, 2009

Luke 11:1-13

The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray:
(Song: Pray by Darlene Zschech)
Reading of the Gospel according to St. Luke

Since I have been coming down with a cold, this morning I have brought with me something to drink. I put it in one of my favorite cups from home. It says “Dear God, Do you ever sit around…waiting for the phone to ring.” But what I like what is says on the back the most. It is a cup that I grab when I feel like I am out in the wilderness without my cell phone to call someone who cares. The back says “Dear God, Do you ever sit around…waiting for the phone to ring? God is always at work – always eager to hear your prayers, yet already busy doing everything you need at the moment of the day or night. So while you are welcome anytime you start to need His help or think about His love, He is already on the job – even when you’re not.” (Wow…he’s already doing what we need…before we even ask. How amazing is that?)

We have embarked on a wonderful journey this Lent. We have been learning about different Spiritual Disciplines. We have talked about listening (how are you all doing on those quiet moments of listening…I think I may have it up to about 3 min. but who’s counting), worship and simplicity (Which is the real spice of life if you ask me). Today I want to talk to you about something that is very near and dear to my heart. It’s something that I feel keeps me connected to the Giver of all knowledge. The discipline is the discipline of prayer.

So what is prayer? How do we tap into the power to change situations and nations? How can we know if we are doing it right and if we are not, how can we change? How do we pray? Well…in the Scripture passage from Luke this morning, we can see that the disciples had the same types of questions in their minds.

Jesus had just finished praying and they must have been moved by hearing Him pray because right after He had finished, they wanted Jesus to teach them how to pray. Well…this tells me that prayer is something that is learned. It is something that we don’t know how to do unless someone shows us how to do it. I remember as a child, my parents taught me how to pray. Most of you probably had the same “teacher of prayer.” I can remember getting on my knees at the side of my bed as a child and praying the prayer that my parents taught me. You know the prayer “now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep…” Prayer is something that is taught how to do.

This simple little prayer taught to me as a child has grown into something much more than that. You see…prayer is not just about asking for something, it is a one on one conversation with the Creator of all things. Prayer is the one thing that keeps Christians in touch with God. We can say that we love God and want to do His will in our lives but, how can we know the will that God has for us unless we spend time with God…in prayer…in order to know what that will is. Prayer is a “two way street.” It’s not only about us going to the throne of grace and asking, it also about us listening for God’s still small voice (remember what Huntley talked about…listening…it is a discipline we need to hear God’s voice). It is this mutual relationship that helps us, as Christians, to live the life that God has planned for us.

You don’t have to pray with big, theological words, this scripture shows us a simple prayer that was taught to the disciples and it is this simple prayer that not only asks for things for ourselves but also for others. In this prayer…I counted the word “us” an “we” 5 times. It is not all about the “I”, it’s about the “we” and “us”. This prayer tells me that prayer is not all about me and that I need to pray for others as well. It tells me that by praying for others I can make a difference in situations and even for a change in the nations. What awesome power the Giver of all that is good has given each and every one of us. What a responsibility we all have.

Simplicity (still yet another one of those Spiritual disciplines that we have talked about)…I remember one day Shanequa came into Ray’s office and asked for a puppy. Well…being the “good Christian parents” that we are, we said to her “well Shanequa, you’re going to have to ask God about that.” Well…Shanequa then dropped to her knees and prayed “God, can I please have a puppy.” As she was leaving the office…we cleared our throats and she came back in…dropped to her knees again and said “Oh yah…AMEN!” (Spontaneous prayer in action!) Her little prayer made us laugh but it also taught us something. When going to God in prayer, it doesn’t have to be a complicated prayer, a simple little prayer will do. It also taught us that we need to go to God with the spirit of a little child going to their parent with a request knowing that our prayer will be answered and trusting that God hears us.

Prayer is not just a onetime thing. We need to be continually in prayer over things…kind of like that guy in the scripture this morning. They kept asking until they received what they asked for. So don’t get discourage if you ask for something and you don’t get immediate results. It’s hard when we don’t get immediate answers. We live in a world that tells us we must have immediate gratification. We want it NOW! Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. Prayer helps us build endurance and character. We learn that perseverance is a sign of maturity. (A pastor friend of mind once told me that “delayed gratification is a sign of maturity”)

Prayer is not all about asking either. In prayer, we also have the opportunity to thank God for all He has given us. As we thank God for the abundance that has been heaped upon us, we are actually doing and act of “worship” as we concentrate on His goodness (Boy…these spiritual gifts come in handy!). God wants to have a relationship with us. If He didn’t He would not have sent His Son to bridge that gap that was forged in the Garden of Eden. For that alone we should be thankful. God has answered so many of our prayers which is another thing to be thankful for. God has given us life and a purpose, again something to be thankful for. And the list goes on, so I don’t really think that we will have a problem in thinking of things to be thankful for. Even when we don’t know what to say, when we are at a loss for words, God hears the prayer of our hearts.(This I am ever thankful for because there are days that I just don’t know what to pray).

Prayer…it is one of those disciplines that is a life boat to us as Christians. It is something that doesn’t have to be complicated. It is an opportunity to thank God for all His goodness. It is a way that we can change the world. Wow, that’s a lot of stuff for such a simple thing. But, God doesn’t need it to be complicated and theological for Him to understand what you are saying. He even knows the prayers that we are unable to articulate. It is a way that we can keep in touch with and hear from the Creator of all things. What an awesome privilege we have. What an opportunity we have to come to the throne of grace, through Our Lord Jesus Christ and have a one on one with our heavenly Father. God speaks to us even today as He did in years past. All we need to do is be still, and listen for that still, small voice saying “I’m here and I hear what you’re saying.” Speak Lord…your servants are listening…

(Word of God Speak video by Mercy Me)

AMEN!

Listening too

Prayer is not just talking,
speaking our minds, venting our issues,
dumping our troubles, all about us
A conversation instead, a two way street
time to speak and to listen to God
empowering us, giving us a chance
to hear God’s word, his message
his power infusing our lives
steeling us, filling us
bringing our lives to God
humbly, bowing, waiting, trusting
speaking and listening too.


March 23, 2009
Luke 11:1-13
and sermon,
“Are You Listening Lord?”
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
March 22, 2009

Before We Ask

Before we ask, before we bow in prayer
God is working, to answer, to lift us up
to comfort our troubled souls
to reach down and lift us up
to care for his children
whether we are listening or not
there in the joys, there too in the struggles
in the challenges of life
Before we ask, he is with us


March 23, 2009
Luke 11:1-13
and sermon,
“Are You Listening Lord?”
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
March 22, 2009

Without Ceasing

prayers, or petition, of thanks
an act of worship, corporate, private
holy moments, without ceasing
seeking the presence of God
stilling ourselves, raising our voices
silent or aloud, calling to your Father
for comfort, for guidance, in thanksgiving
praying without ceasing
to our creator, our savior, our all.


March 23, 2009
Luke 11:1-13
and sermon,
“Are You Listening Lord?”
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
March 22, 2009