Christ’s nails and crown
in dogwood petals can be found
Yahweh in treetops tall and fallen twigs
Holy Praise in limbs raised high
in forest, cowpaths, roadside, and gardens
beneath a God-designed sky
In rain come down, washing away
dirt and grime, a Holy Spirit Baptism
immersing. seeping deep to grow
roots to bloom and in the blooming
reseed
Doves on a wire, robins and sparrows
amidst mocking birds and jays
twigs, leaves and feathers in nests,
calling, sunrise to sundown
“Precious! Precious! Are you to Elohim”
precious down to a every whisker and tendril
Water dripping into cisterns, barrels and birdbaths
just like tears and their stories
collected in God-made
bottles and books
drip drip dripping and in the dripping remind
to not forget
that He doesn’t
Seeds and Seasons,
winter and fall, death, dying, darkness and challenge
spring and summer, rebirth, reseeding, hope and faith
That sometimes, like hydrangeas replanted,
we don’t see the saving evidence in the wait
of a prayer sent out
taking a longer turn of time than we’d like
Even the bitter cold of a winter ice storm
breaking electric lines
removing security’s warmth
followed by snow
covering roads unable to bring help in
or allowing initiative to find a way out
because sometime God wants us in our helplessness
to trust Him
let Him
A bitter cold where even left-overs
like the brittle samara house of a tulip poplar
resembling a golden chalice, the Holy Grail,
holds redemption’s message
reminding of salvation walking
sitting down, breaking bread
passing around the cup
of the new covenant
born out of the pure sacrifice
of God made man
pouring out his life
in saving grace
for every man, woman
every boy and girl
a cuppa salvation
offered to every
you and me
Messages designed before
Adam and Even
these messages a loving God wrote
for you and me
“And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28)
“He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you'” (Luke 22: 20).
Salvation – “the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness. This is the great salvation” – 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own (2 Cor 5: 14-15)
Thanks to Jennifer Dukes Lee who wrote about the Yahwehs all around!It as enriched my walk about time!
Just beautiful. Beautiful words to soak in on this quiet Friday morning.
Much love to you, friend.
xoxo
Thank you, Beth! Praying for your week to begin with beautiful grace!
Wow–this is so beautiful! I love how you’ve connected the dots for us to see God everywhere. “Holy Praise in limbs raised high”–may we follow suit!
Thank you, Lisa! Praying for your week to begin with beautiful grace!
So lovely! SO!!! The beauty of God’s natural world holds the Truth in these wonderful word-pictures. The Truth stands alone in His Word and is Life. Thanks for this beautiful piece. So thankful I came by.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Praying that this week we both keep seeing Him around us in the daily! So glad you came by!
~Shalom,
Maryleigh
The cup offered was bitter, but He drank as a thirsty man, because He knew the result would bring sweetness. You are a neighbor at Spiritual Sundays
I am so glad He did, Hazel – so terribly glad He made a way for me to Him and the Father! Thanks for stopping by! Shalom!
~Maryleigh
Very beautiful words and pictures! I am glad I was linked up next to you at the Weekend Brew. God is so good!
Thank you for stopping by, Miranda! Praying for your week to begin with beautiful grace!~Maryleigh
Beautiful words to enhance a Still Saturday.
Thank you, Michelle! Praying for your week to begin with beautiful grace!
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing your poetry at The Weekend Brew. The messages God wrote for you and me! Blessings!
Thank you for stopping by, Mary! Praying for your week to begin with beautiful grace!
~Maryleigh
Stunning words! Thanks so much for sharing the incredible beauty of His creation and the price He paid on the cross for us! Blessings to you and yours.
Thank you, Heather, for stopping by and leaving sweet encouragement! Praying that you find the same messages around you in your daily! Shalom!
Oh how beautiful! Love this! 💜
Thank you, Ruthie – for stopping by and the kind words you left! Praying you vintage the God’s messages just for you in the daily this week! Shalom!
Wow! What profound-truth packed prose we are sipping from today, Maryleigh! There are so many powerful truths here. It goes down sweet and fills me with encouragement. Thanks for sharing and blessings to you, sweet friend! 🙂
Whenever I need encouragement, I go outside – even in the frozen – and know He meets me there with encouragement. I understand so much more now that it is because I expect – that I find – and it’s not to be secretly hoarded – but shared. Thank you, Beth – for not only coming by, but leaving such sweet encouragement back!
~Maryleigh
God is evident in all seasons, isn’t He?! “We don’t see the saving evidence in the wait…” I LOVE that line. I find it so comforting that God is always working behind the scenes for my own good! Blessings to you.
For most of my life, I haven’t been a good waiter – I read the ends of books first. I always sneak turkey pieces during the carving – but I have learned through the challenges that seem to get bigger and bigger – matched equally with God’s grace – that it is in the wait that the most important parts of living happen. Now, when a prayer is sent out, I am less anxious, strain less looking for the prayer answered. Thank you for coming by – and finding something good in one of my very favorite lines of this post!
Shalom!
Maryleigh
I am always blessed by your poetry. It slows me down and helps me drink deep.
It is double blessing when both the writing of and another’s reading {of that writing} help each to slow down and drink deep. The work of our hands was intended for such!
Shalom!
Maryleigh
Such a beautiful, heartfelt poem, using God’s beautiful creation to share His ways, His story.
Indeed a blessing to read. 🙂
Thank you, Karen, for stopping by and leaving such sweet encouragement! Praying you find God’s messages in His creation this weekend!
Beautiful poem!
Thank you, April, for stopping by and the sweet encouragement! Praying you find God’s encouragement all around you this weekend! Shalom!
Mary Leigh,
Love the truths you’ve uncovered in nature…Here is a link for encore performances of The Drop Box Film in case you can go http://www.fathomevents.com/event/special-encore-the-drop-box
Blessings to you and yours 🙂
Thanks, Dolly, for the kind words and the link. I think we’ll watch this as a family! Shalom!
So beautiful, Maryleigh. With such hope…thanks!!
Precious words from one heart to this heart. I have been blessed.
A beautiful offering, Maryleigh! I’m so glad I was able to visit today. Blessings on your Easter!