Who’s Listening?

“So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.” Matthew 27:66

The chief priests and Pharisees guarded Jesus’ dead body. They had heard and remembered His claims to rise again the third day, even though they didn’t believe Him.

Lord, help us find a way to share Your word with those who persecute us and disbelieve today . . .in case tomorrow they remember as You reveal Yourself to them. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Picked Up

His words fall
like stones
that are picked up
and thrown back
at us
but they are
picked up.

Between Two Robbers

“And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

THIS IS JESUS
THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.” Matthew 27:37-38

It doesn’t matter where we put Jesus . . .among thieves, on a cross, in a fairy tale or a tomb. He can’t stay there. He doesn’t fit. What’s going to matter is where He puts us.

Thank You, Lord, for placing us in a right relationship with God the Father when we believe in You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

A King Between

A King between two robbers
hoisted on a hill

some watched from a distance
others came closer still

to mock Him and blaspheme
until they had their fill

but the Love between the Father and His children
we could never kill.

His Blood Be On Me

“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ ” Matthew 27:24
“And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’ ” Matthew 27:25

I understand the context in which the above words were spoken, but something in me wants to say “indeed” and “amen”.

Oh Lord, let Your blood be upon us and on our children, covering us and washing away our sins. Here’s a simple poem . . .

Rescued

I would that there
had been no cross
no beatings, no blood

but then there would’ve been
no sacrifice, no atoning
no forgiveness of my sin

so I stand within the multitude
guilty of Your blood
and rescued by its flow.

The Silent Defense

“Then Pilot said to Him, ‘Do you not hear how many things they testify against You?’” Matthew 27:13
“And He answered Him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.” Matthew 27:14

We have an enemy who threatens and accuses us constantly.

Help us remember, Lord, not to waste our time and energy defending ourselves to satan. You took care of all that on the cross. And here’s a simple poem . . .

His Witness Protection Program

Sometimes silence
is our best defense

when we are accused of
what we never did

and the truth gets twisted
into a giant mess

we can quiet our hearts
beneath His righteousness.

Has Jesus ever asked you to keep still while you were accused?

Guilt Relief

Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” Matthew 27:3-4

Judas was remorseful and confessing his wrong doing . . .but he didn’t ask Jesus to forgive Him.

Lord, help us come to You when we’ve done wrong to receive forgiveness for our sins. Here’s a simple poem . . .

Seeking Forgiveness

We can confess all we want to
admit that we are wrong
but the guilt won’t go away
and so before too long
we need to run to Jesus
and ask Him to forgive
for He is the only one
who can take away our sin.

Nothing Wasted

” . . .a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.”  Matthew 26:7
“But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘To what purpose is this waste?’”  Matthew 26:8
” . . .He said to them, ‘Why do you bother this woman?  For she has done a good work for Me.’”  Matthew 26:10

Nothing that we truly do for Jesus is wasted.

Oh Lord, we long to be extravagant in our love and worship of You today, allowing ourselves to be poured out on whoever You desire.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Poured Out For Him

We’re all fragrant oil
in  alabaster flasks
waiting to be poured out
whenever Jesus asks,
so valuable to Him
here upon this earth
for when we give of ourselves
others see His worth.

Watching

“Watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”  Matthew  25:13

When someone has told us they will give us a ride, we watch and wait for them to come.

Lord Jesus, thank You for promising to come again and pick us up for the ride of our lives.  May our excitement as we watch for You draw many others to start looking too.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Waiting For Our Ride

Watching, waiting
greatly anticipating
knowing what we see now
is not all there is.

For there will be a day
when all this passes away
and we’ll live together forever
as His.

The Faithful Servant

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his  master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?”  Matthew 24:45
“Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.”  Matthew 24:46

The waiting can be so long, so hard.  We wonder, even falter.

Thank You, Jesus, for the promise that You will come again.  Please help us to stay faithful.  Here’s a simple poem . . .

Staying On Task

No one else around Noah
was building an ark
as he worked on it
day after day.

So surely I can
stay on task
feeding the hungry
just as You’ve asked.

What has God asked you to be faithfully doing?

Saying vs. Doing

“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat.  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works, for they say and do not do.”  Matthew 23:2-3

We have rules, regulations and laws to observe within our governments, churches, workplaces, marriages and families.

Oh Lord, help us do what we must, knowing all is in Your sight. And here is a simple poem . . .

It’s All Good

Some don’t say what they mean
or mean what they say
or do what they
tell us to do.
But Jesus will come
and set all things right
letting His truth
be our delight.

God of the Living

“God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”  Matthew 22:32

As long as we draw breath, we have the opportunity to choose life forever, with God.

Dear Jesus, help us to decide today to believe in You and to call on Your name.  Here’s a simple poem . . .

Kept Alive

God is all about
us living
in His fullness now
and eternally too,
having taken away
death’s graveness
when Jesus rose
from the tomb.

Let’s praise our living God today!