God’s Constant Love

God, always with us
ready to reach out to us
in our brokenness, our doubt
in moments of joy or fear

God’s love constant
steadfast, eternal
wanting to be with us
all of our days

A heart in our backyard
the snow melting
growing, in the shape
a Valentine’s from the Lord

Maybe a brief reminder
God is with us
in every season
in trials and in joy


February 20, 2010

Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Contact me at Ray Foss
for usage.

Leading, Following

Leading us when we let him
following with us in the wilderness
God, beside us
walking with us
all of our days

God’s promise to Moses in the desert
the same as the promise of Christ
as he left this earthly plane
Our master with us
his presence ever
providing for us
with us on our way


February 3, 2010
Exodus 13:20-22 (God in towering cloud and pillar of fire)
Exodus 16:1-5 (God’s promise of quail and manna)
Matthew 28:20b (Jesus saying he would be with us to the end of the age)
and
Upper Room Daily Devotional
http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/default.asp?month=2&day=2&year=2010
for February 2, 2010,
“Through the Wilderness”,
by Ted De Hass
read 2/2/2010

Through Our Wilderness

God’s promise, to always be with us
to provide for our needs
wherever we may go
There with us in whatever wilderness
protecting and guiding us
all of our days
We must only be faithful
believing our creator
our savior with us
right by our side


February 3, 2010
Exodus 13:20-22 (God in towering cloud and pillar of fire)
Exodus 16:1-5 (God’s promise of quail and manna)
Matthew 28:20b (Jesus saying he would be with us to the end of the age)
and
Upper Room Daily Devotional
http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/default.asp?month=2&day=2&year=2010
for February 2, 2010,
“Through the Wilderness”,
by Ted De Hass
read 2/2/2010

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 20,610+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Loving - haiku

Loving, describing
creator, relationship
Shepherd, we the sheep

September 16, 2009

Eternal

His kingdom come
mansions in the sky
our promised home
living forever

September 15, 2009

Steadfast Love

Enduring forever
steadfast love of God
grace abounding
never ceasing

September 16, 2009
September 15, 2009

received via email 9/5/09; author unknown -- "How to Dance in the Rain"

It was a busy morning, about 8:30 AM, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. The nurse took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me; but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm; but "How to dance in the rain...”

Profoundly Important

These words, of prophecy
of assurance
profoundly important words
comfort for all ages
power in their simplicity
of love, of grace,
of steadfast belonging
within the arms of the creator
a new thing coming
born by the creator
our gifts, our part to play
in the story of his love.


July 28, 2009
Psalm 92:1-4
Isaiah 43:18-21
Luke 12:54-56
and sermon, “The View from Seven Decades:
The Power and Danger of Paradigms”,
by the Reverend Huntley Halvorson
Suncook United Methodist Church
July 19, 2009
and
Psalm 100
Luke 4:16-21
Isaiah 43:1-3a
Isaiah 43:18-21
and sermon, “The Power of Vision”,
by the Reverend Huntley Halvorson,
including, The Star Thrower Story by Joel Barker,
inspired by the writing of Loren Eiseley,
Suncook United Methodist Church
July 26, 2009

Read directly to me

the scripture
ancient words of the prophet
hope for our future
our lives within God’s hands
assurance in His steadfast love
in the rising of the son.
Our challenges, our trials
through the waters, the fires
our way will be made smooth
a new thing will come
the loving hands of God
He will provide.


July 26, 2009
Psalm 92:1-4
Isaiah 43:18-21
Luke 12:54-56
and sermon, “The View from Seven Decades:
The Power and Danger of Paradigms”,
by the Reverend Huntley Halvorson
Suncook United Methodist Church
July 19, 2009
and
Psalm 100
Luke 4:16-21
Isaiah 43:1-3a
Isaiah 43:18-21
and sermon, “The Power of Vision”,
by the Reverend Huntley Halvorson,
including, The Star Thrower Story by Joel Barker,
inspired by the writing of Loren Eiseley,
Suncook United Methodist Church
July 26, 2009
and
John 6:16-21
and Upper Room Disciples 2009
for July 26, 2009

Prayers of the People, by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, April 19, 2009, Suncook United Methodist Church, Suncook, NH

We join our hearts and voices to offer our prayers to God as we offer our prayers together now, uniting our voices with Christ, who perfects our prayers.

The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray:

Spirit help us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. Almighty God, who searches the heart and knows the mind of the Spirit, may the Spirit within us intercede for us according to the will of God. Our prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer us.

God of compassion, we remember before you the poor and the afflicted, the sick and the dying, prisoners and all who are lonely, the victims of war, injustice, and inhumanity, and all others who suffer from whatever their sufferings may be called.

O Lord of providence holding the destiny of the nations in your hand, we pray for our country. Inspire the hearts and minds of our leaders that they, together with all our nation, may first seek your kingdom and righteousness so that order, liberty, and peace may dwell with your people.

O God the Creator, we pray for all nations and peoples. Take away the mistrust and lack of understanding that divide your creatures; increase in us the recognition that we are all your children.

O Savior God, look upon your church in its struggle upon the earth. Have mercy on its weakness, bring to an end its unhappy divisions, and scatter its fears. Look also upon the ministry of your church. Increase its courage, strengthen its faith, and inspire its witness to all people, even to the ends of the earth.

Ever-faithful God, you have knit together as one body in Christ those who have been your people in all times and places. Keep us in communion with all your saints, following their example of faith and life, until that day when all your saints will dwell together in the joy of your eternal kingdom. Through Christ, our Lord in through whose name we pray the prayer He taught so long ago saying…(the Lords Prayer).

Amen.

In you I have my treasure – V2

The words of the scripture,
the tip of the iceberg, a foretaste
for it is in you that I have my treasure
Your love, your endless, steadfast love
a communion with you, oh God,
my rock, my redeemer, Lord

Without your presence in my life,
I was adrift, on the seas of the world
In you, a voice, to share your message
to reach the ends of the earth
your love, your grace, my joy
on my lips, shared for all to see

Hope in the sacrifice of our savior,
the endless love of the father
the living presence of your spirit
willing to give so much, to share
to bring us home, to you
to forgive our sin through grace alone

Daily you affirm that gift
your grace all around
if we but open our eyes,
all of this, this creation, this earth
this door opened for us, this hope of salvation
by your steadfast love, your endless grace

edited February 27, 2009
May 24, 2008
Matthew 6:19-21
Alive Now devotional of May 22, 2008
and Upper Room devotional of May 22, 2008
http://www.upperroom.org/Devotional/default.asp?month=5&day=22&year=2008&x=107&y=6

For his steadfast love endures forever

For everything in creation
for the wonder of creation
we give thanks to God
For his steadfast love endures forever

For the history of the people
for the lives of the saints before us
we give thanks to God
For his steadfast loves endures forever

For his care for the people
for his daily provision
we give thanks to God
For his steadfast love endures forever

October 14, 2008
Psalm 136
Psalm 136:1-26
Psalm 136:1-9; 23-26
October 15, 2008
Blog Action Day, poverty

Immutable – haiku

Constant, unchanging
I am the one Lord, Your God
forever, Amen

September 30, 2008
Malachi 3:6

A Sword of the Spirit

The living word of God
beating in the spirit, our hearts bearing his message
our hope living within in, guiding us
changing us, agents of the commission
bringing hope, bearing witness
God’s saving grace, the fulfillment
God’s steadfast love revealed
in the holy scriptures
and in our lives of faith
and those who have gone before
back to the patriarchs, the disciples, the apostles
each carrying the sword into battle
in their time, against the enemies
of the love of God
a sword to tear down the walls
to bring us back to God

August 17, 2008
Ephesians 6:10-17
and Upper Room daily devotional for 8/17/08
http://www.upperroom.org/Devotional/default.asp?month=8&day=17&year=2008

You are my treasure

Lord, you above all,
you are my treasure,
the grace you heap upon me
each day, the love you show me
the daily provision, the daily presence
leaning on you, counting on
your steadfast love
I am redeemed by you,
by your endless, incredible love;
you are my treasure

May 24, 2008
Matthew 6:19-21
Alive Now devotional of May 22, 2008
and Upper Room devotional of May 22, 2008
http://www.upperroom.org/Devotional/default.asp?month=5&day=22&year=2008&x=107&y=6

The Emmaus Road

Take me on the road, on the path
the journey; let my heart
burn within me at the closeness
the communion with the Lord
Let me be His disciple,
walking with Him
All the days of my life to come
hearing his story, the fulfillment
the proof of God steadfast love,
the Father’s commitment, His grace
heaped on each of us,
walking the path with our brother,
the Son of God, the one who has
made our way straight,
straight back to relationship with God

March 9, 2008
Luke 24:13-35

Dry Bones

dry bones, how did they get there,
filling the valley floor,
pondering the story, before the story
context and meaning
But it is the reviving,
no matter the cause
that is the hope,
the steadfastness
of God’s love
His power, to raise the dead
to give life
from his breath,
giving life, to dry bones,
to sinew, to skin,
through the breath of life
called from the four winds

March 9, 2008
Ezekiel 37:1-14
and sermon, “Peculiar Treasurs IV: Ezekiel and Prophecy”,
by Rev. Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

God’s Answer

God’s will, God’s time, God’s answer
to our prayers, to our petitions,
that is the hard part, the part where faith matters
when life becomes difficult, when the struggle continues
sometimes for generations, that is the test of faith
our lives, of service, of fidelity to God, the Father,
the Creator, Sustainer, the one of steadfast love

God’s answer to our prayers, in the ways of God,
not of man, in the ways of the divine, not the human
for God’s purposes, unknown to us
revealing in ways we cannot comprehend

This is the challenge of faith, in long-term faith
in the unknown, the unseen, the unfathomable
trusting in the steadfast love of God, a God
who sustained the people, who gave us a Savior,
to reconcile our sinfulness, who wiped away that stain;
a Spirit to support us in our trials;
a God who will bring us all home to Him
in His time, in His ways, in answers to prayer

February 9, 2008

Sermon, "Beacons of Light", by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 13, 2008, Sanbornville, United Methodist Church, Wakefield, NH

Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Matthew 3:13-17/Isaiah 42:6-9

Good Morning…today is the Baptism of the Lord Sunday. What a glorious day it is. It was the day…that…marked the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. It was the day that…marked the beginning of OUR salvation story. What a great day it is indeed!

How many of you remember your baptism? Well…I was baptized twice in my life. Once…when I was an infant so I don’t remember it…but…the second one I remember it well. It was when I was around 37…I was baptized by immersion at the church I belonged to at the time. I remember coming up out of the waters and knowing I was a changed person. I knew that…my life was no longer my own…I knew that I was adopted into a royal priesthood with Christ as my guide. It was an overwhelmingly joyous time in my life and was the beginning of a new life with Christ as the head of it.

Baptism… What is baptism? What happens when we are baptized…do we have to do it every time we sin or is it a “one shot deal”…how can we be truly free…after baptism…what’s next? How should our lives be different? These are questions that many people ask…my prayer is that we will be able to have a better understanding of our baptism, the freedom that is offered us and all the joy that surrounds that time in our lives by taking a look at baptism and what takes place during our baptism as well as how are lives should be after baptism.

Well…in Colossians 2 vs. 11-12…it speaks of baptism as spiritual circumcision and being raised with Christ. The verses state: “11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.” It introduces us to sharing in Christ’s suffering and death because we are “buried with Him.” “We are raised with Him through faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.” We believe that…through God’s power…we too are raised from our death but our death is the sin that we cause and live in. We believe we are forgiven of our sins by this same power of God.

Now in verses 13-14…it goes on to say that “13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” Now before baptism…these Colossian Christians were dead…alienated from God…they mired in sin…but now they are “alive” because God forgave their sins. God canceled the “legal note of debt” and Christ took the note on Himself. This is also the way that we are before our baptism…we are also alienated…dead…miring in the mud of sin. And we too are made alive in Christ. WE are set FREE!
Baptism…this is a five-part process:

1. Dying to sin…Baptism represents…an outward sign…of what has taken place inside. We are born sinful because of Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden (I am going to have to have a talk with Eve when I am called home…what was she thinking?). Even an infant that is baptized dies to sin, as I have stated we are all born sinful because of the first sin. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve and are under the same curse.

2. Newness of life…we put away our old life and start living a new life found in Christ Jesus. All things are new. There is no record of our past transgressions. We get a “do over.” But then again…our God is a God of second, third, fourth chance and so on. Look at God’s history with Israel in the Old Testament if you ever doubted that. 2 Cor. 5:17-18a tells us that “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ (THANK YOU JESUS!)” At baptism we are liberated…freed…from sin! This is God’s action to fulfill the divine promise of salvation. We rise to begin a new life in Christ.

3. Union with Christ…We become Co-heirs with Jesus. As I have sated…we are adopted into the “Royal Family”. We are completely forgiven and we are like the Prodigal Son returning home with our Father seeing us from far off and running to us with his arms wide open welcoming us home!

4. Receiving the Holy Spirit…In 2 Cor. 1-21-22…Paul writes “But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting His seal on us and giving us his spirit in our hearts as a first installment.” God gives us the first installment of the many blessings God wants to bestow upon us at our baptism. We are given the teacher of all knowledge…our guide through life. We are given a spirit of Freedom not of fear.

5. Incorporation into Christ’s Church…we are not just talking about Sanbornville…or any other church we may belong to. Incorporation into Christ’s Church is being incorporated into the church of all believers with Christ being the head. We are part of a “World Wide” church with all of us being brothers and sisters in Christ.

These alone are wonderful gifts…blessings…that are bestowed upon us but there is so much more that God gives us. WE are restored again to God. God puts away His indignation and anger…God shows us steadfast love in “while we still were sinners…Christ died for us.” WE are given God’s salvation and are reconciled to Him. We are Free to receive God’s stead fast love, righteousness and peace…God will give us what is good and our land will yield increase.

What amazing freedom we receive at our baptism! WE are free from the Chains of sin…we are free from the condemnation of sin…we are free from the death that sin causes us (not just physical but Spiritual death). WE are free to serve one another. We are free to love one another as Christ loved…and still loves…us. We are free to share our stories to help others find freedom for themselves. We are free to reach out to those around us…with Christ’s love. The love that nailed His outstretched arms to the cross which are the same outstretched arms that are wide open to accept us …where we are…into the family of God. We are free to believe in the Dream that God has for our lives. We are healed of our brokenness inside by our Lord Jesus Christ and are freed and not held down by it any longer. We are free to be ourselves. We are free to follow our call in life…the call that God will equip us for. True freedom does not mean without bars…true freedom is the indwelling of Christ! If the Son sets you free…you are free through and through.

Soo…what are we to do with our new freedom? Are we to share it with others…shining the light of Jesus? Matthew 5:14-15 tells us that “14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” We are to be Christ’s light in the world…not to hide the light we have been given but to…pass it on to those who sit in the darkness of sin. Roman’s 13:12 also tells us that 12”The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” And yet again in 1Peter 2:9 that “12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” We are to put on the armor of light…that is Christ Jesus.

The Message Bible…puts a different spin on being a light to the world. In Isaiah 42 vs. 6-9…it talks about being lights as follows: “I have set you among my people to bind them to me, and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations, To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light: opening blind eyes, releasing prisoners from dungeons, emptying the dark prisons.”…A lighthouse…to the nations…what a concept…to be a lighthouse instead of just a light. Just imagine. A light does give brightness to see to those close by…but…a lighthouse’s light…its’ beacon…goes so much further. Did you know that the average lighthouse’s beacon goes out for 21 miles? It only goes that far because at that point…the roundness of the earth comes into play and because of its’ curve the beacon…the light…then goes off into outer space. (Now that light is brighter than any light the Energizer Bunny can make!) This reminds me of a poem by my favorite poet…it is called “Lighthouses”:

Not just a light for the nations,
not just being a light
the Light shining in the world,
in the darkness.
Lighthouses, beacons,
keeping all safe,
away from the shoals,
the rocks, the hidden dangers
dangers hidden in the fog,
the clutter of daily life.
Leading those out on the seas
safely to shore
to a sheltered harbor
home in the arms of our Lord

Lighthouses…I really like that image of being a lighthouse. But…what exactly does a lighthouse do...I mean…what does it really mean to be a lighthouse? Well…
- A lighthouse warns ships and boats about rocks and reefs underneath the sea.
- A lighthouse uses a flashing light directed out towards the sea as a signal.
- Each lighthouse uses a different flashing pattern or speed of flashes.

So…let’s take each of these definitions and see how they relate to our lives as Christians doing the work of God here on earth…let’s see how well they fit in with our Great Commission we have been given by our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

OK…a lighthouse warns ships and boats about dangers ahead. We are to be that beacon…that help in the dark…for those of the world who live in darkness of sin in the world. We are to help other traverse the stormy seas of life and bring them into the calm of the shore. A lighthouse uses a light that is directed out towards the sea as a signal. We are to reach out to those around us to shine Light in their lives so that they may see the road home…to lead them safely back to the Harbor Masters safe cove of peace and stability. Each lighthouse has its’ own distinct pattern of light. We are to do whatever it is that we need to do to complete our mission in the world. We may have to change the way that we do things…change our pattern…from time to time but we need to reach out to those around us…where they are…as Christ reached out to us where we were before we came to His saving grace.

Lighthouse…beacon of light…this is what we should be to the world around us. We are to share the light that we have been given…the light of our Lord Jesus Christ. Together…all of us that are part of Christ’s Church…can be that light in this dark world. But…it takes more than one Lighthouse…more than one beacon…to light the world. We must stand together…all of us…as one united church of Christ. Brother and sister…shining our light into the darkness…guiding those who are lost into the glorious light of our Lord Jesus Christ. We may do things a little differently…but…we all have the same light within us.

I would like to end my sermon with another poem by my favorite poet…it is called Missionaries of the Light:

Not merely lights to the nation,
stationary, in the temple,
not merely examples of righteousness,
of piety, or rightness with God
in worship, in clean living
Emissaries of the Lord,
who died and rose for us,
who admonished us
to go out into the world,
being the light to the nations
out there in the darkness
actively bringing the light
to the last, the lost, the least,
the prisons, the homeless,
those seeking his grace
Go into the world
missionaries of the light
of the light of the world
the hope for all mankind
rising out of the darkness

May our light shine ever bright in the darkness as we search out those who are in need of the light within us.
Amen.

Holy Prophets

Like Isaiah, John in the river,
Jesus, the Christ,
we are to be holy prophets
sharing the Good News
to all the people, all the captives,
all of us sinners
Not fortune tellers,
not seers of the future,
the future none of us has seen
We are to be witness to the works,
to be workers in the world
missionaries of our Father, our Brother
giving hope, comfort, assurance
of that future,
that steadfast love of God
present since the creation
present still, all around us
in every means of grace
we see

December 15, 2007
Psalm 146:5-10, Isaiah 61:1-2, Luke 4:18-19,
Matthew 28:18-20