A selection of Religious Poems

A Prayer

Loving Father,

renew my faith daily.

Walk with me through the shadows.

Laugh with me in my joy.

Remove ingrained patterns from my life.

Make my worship of You

a voyage of discovery.

Send me out

into the spaces of Your mind.

Let me be

a spiritual astronaut.

Though I walk the valleys of the poorest of men

link my faith to my service

Save me from following the herd;

bleating in church corridors.

Soar me as an eagle through the skies

to hunt for myself

and on finding

to feed my babes

from my innermost gullet.

And may the tree that I nest in

always be a Cross

God Of Knowledge

Jeremiah 1.05

Before I formed you in the womb

I knew you

And before you were born

I consecrated you.

I had My plan for you.

God of knowledge

God of Truth

God of Love

Help me, to have knowledge....

to know you and know myself.

Help me, to find the Truth....

about You, the world and myself.

Help me, to Love You....

myself and others

with Your Eternal Truth and Love.

And with this knowledge....

Help me to keep on seeking....

growing.

Growing Older

in the Lord

Growing older in the Lord

is one of life's beautiful things.

It's nought to fret nor fume on.

A melody of treasure it brings.

Looking back along the road

we've travelled all so long,

we see the rhythm, highs and lows

create a unique song

that's ours and ours alone for Him:

a serenade of time;

each note a peal of victory

eternity will chime.

And if along the way a chord

we wish we hadn't sung;

its lilt enchants all heaven

when the bells of life are rung.

It swells the tunes of praise to God:

our song of life ascended.

The notes combine triumphantly,

in celestial chorus blended.

And so each year extends the tune,

adds many more refrains,

enriches God's planned melody:

each note our God ordains.

So play the sharps and flats of life,

ring each note loud and clear,

compose a song of praise to God:

new harmony each year.

I ASKED FOR A MIRACLE

I asked for a miracle

one cloudy wintry day.

I asked the Lord to change my life

and wondered at His way...

For nothing changed and no one gave

the slightest howdy do

but somehow peace invaded me

and strength to see me through.

I asked for a miracle

when justice came undone.

I asked my Lord for justice

by His revolutionary Son.

But nothing changed; the world looked on

and went their merry way.

But God in His great mercy

made ME kinder every day.

I asked for a miracle

when my heart crushed in despair.

A soul wrenched cry for healing

when no one seemed to care.

But nothing changed; the sun still rose

and birds chirped round my door,

But Jesus on a Cross said

"Child, forgive to your heart's core".

I asked for a miracle

for suffering agony.

When earth's diseases conquer

and we see death's litany.

But nothing changed; disease grew worse

death's angel beckons me

To rise with Him in Glory

into life's eternity.

I asked for a miracle,

for eyes to see; discern

why God's in control yet will not

world's evil ways upturn.

And something changed within my heart,

a deep illumining glow

of Jesus hanging on a Cross

to say "My child, I know

no words can change the picture;

no powerful puppet strings -

I CAME: achieved my miracle -

partook your suffering sins.

It's easy to speak hollow words;

manipulate, condemn.

In love I CAME - the miracle

is giving 'self' for men.

Prayer Again 

My God, you are hidden from the learn’ed

And yet in every stone and leaf and sky

I find you.

You appear to let this world run amuck

And yet you guide my   

insignificant thoughts to you.

And your plan for my life.

You ask me to appear ‘weak’ to the world

In order to discover spiritual strength

Beyond understanding.

You are wild as the winds of the oceans

And free as the stars

And yet they are tamed by you

To a disciplined plan.

You are so old,

And yet so new to me,

Making me new every day.

You are unchanging through the ages

In your love and mercy

And yet you change me constantly

And as I change

I find my ideas of you changing too.

You are constantly working, creating, guiding,

And yet always restful;      at peace.

What contrary spirit do I seek

To find a certainty

That holds the tight rope that I walk

Between good and evil?

You said ‘all things I have created are good’.

Is my perception of them also good?

Or must I learn

By forgetting all past      concepts

And begin again...

Renew my life daily.  Amen.

I’m crying too

 Raindrops on my roof sound so gentle,

Match my tears and grief down here below.

Lord, I need to know, was this your will

For if it was, I’m sad that it was so.

The raindrops turned to music soft and loving.

Their drenching sound so strong, emotion deep

Say, “No, I don’t want this to hurt or harm you,

And for you and your sad hear I too do weep.”

So I take strength my God and trust you

All ill you’ll take, and turn around for good.

So take this problem Lord, I now release it

For your great hand to work the way it should.

I thank you Lord, your words of comfort falling

When my heart’s so sadly grieved and blue

And rain that glistens so gently on my window

That says to me, “My child, I’m crying too”.

Silence

 Silence:

my friend; my sanctuary;

my strengthening.

For in the silence

I hear God speaking.

In the silence

I feel God's awakening

to inner strengths.

In the silence

I see God's illumining

to inner truths.

For silence

is the greatest communicator of all.

In silence

we find out about ourselves.

In silence

we discover what life is all about.

In silence

we discover what life is all about.

In silence

we see the sweet mysteries of life.

In silence

we unravel the perplexities of life.

In silence

we are aware of the spiritual realm

that nurtures our world.

In silence

we find God.

Think

 Think your mind

To my heavenly places.

Fill it with my beautiful thoughts.

Carry them with you

Everywhere you go.

Remember

In the beginning

Was only my thoughts.

With my thoughts

I created the world.

You are like me.

You are one with me.

In your small corner of the world

You are able to create a ‘garden of Eden’

Where I can come and abide;

Where I can invite my friends

To come in, and sit awhile

And be refreshed through you.

Clouds of Fire

A sunset on a cloudless sky

Is pretty, but quite bland.

The colours gently mingle;

Give an aura to the land.

But sunset on a sky of clouds

Is drama to behold:

Sky mirrors prisms of jewel lights

And clouds alight with gold.

So too, if life were bland with ease;

Untroubled, cloudless skies,

We’d smile a sweet insipid faith

That never reached our eyes.

Yet those who’ve conquered mountains;

Trail blazed drought and storms and mire,

Stand on peaks ablaze with glory;

Silhouetted by clouds of fire.

Streams of joy

  When the waves of trouble

are washing over you,

threatening to drown you,

listen

to the trickling streams of joy.

Lots of little loving trickles

make a stream of joy.

Pay attention to them.

Picture them.

Love them.

Let them run over

the rough boulders of life.

Listen

to the noise of their babbling.

It is music to the ears

and to the heart.

Continually remember

the little loving trickles

for by doing so

streams of joy

will flow into your life.

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

  Take up your cross

and follow Me.

Do not just sit

and enjoy being saved.

You must follow.

Walk on.

Grow.

Discover your faith.

Explore.

Learn more of Me.

Come closer to Me.

A friendship

that does not move

past the introduction

is no friendship.

I have so much more

to show you.

THE WATTLE TREE

 Don't forget

in the winter gloom

blooms the wattle tree.

A silent testimony

that defies the winter frosts;

a promise of new birth

in the spring.

When all is bare and white,

the frost burnt grass

a brown sludge,

stringently stretching

to at least give an impression

of covering and protecting

the cold ground;

when grey clouds loom

every day

and chill winds

shriek through the storm tossed scrub,

harassing the gums

to huddle their olive gowns

close to them;

the wattle stands

silently

spilling its courage

in sprays of golden hue;

surprising the winter wind;

meeting its teasing challenge

with little puffs of golden delight;

rather than cowering

to the icy blast.

And before long

the winter wind

gives up its fight

and lays to rest

its fierce aggression,

melting in the face

of this golden gown of glory.

Yes, heed well,

the wattle tree

in winter.

Landscape of my life

 Paperbarks gnarled and twisted;

peeling patchworked trunks

shedding

discarding

patching

renewing.

All the while arms

reaching for the sky.

Fighting

drought

Fighting

wind

Sucking at starving

sandy,suffocating soil.

Yet stark in its beauty of

creamy browns and soft soft greys

of barren earth

against a blue blue sky.

Stunning landscape.

So too is my life

gnarled:

shedding

discarding

patching

renewing

fighting elements of pain.

Am I also beautiful

in the landscape of my life?

TWENTY FIRST BIRTHDAY

 Growing older is discovery of self.

It's knowing all that God meant you to be.

He planned your life at the beginning of time;

A life that would set your soul and spirit free;

A life whereby you'll discover on the way

Great truths, that mystify the wise

And though at twenty one your hears mature,

Your inner person's in for great surprise!

The years go by with added sense of awe

At wonders of the world; the human mind:

Instil a hunger to discover more;

To search the greater depths, surprised to find

That more is found by those admitting they don't know.

And human logic fails, life to explain.

Why in giving up of 'self' - we find our person

And childlike faith and wonder shows knowledge is in vain.

So though you're twenty one, please keep on growing;

Keep seeking, wondering, exploring wider skies

Keep asking God to lead where He's created

A path for you that's lined with great surprise!

IT'S SURPRISING

WHERE WATTLE TREES GROW

Gum trees in the gorges

twist and curl their agony

as the windswept barren ridges

bare red earth for all to see,

and red clay bound scraggy mulga

bows its face in windswept prayer

as the queen of nature's glory

flaunts her golden crown of hair.

There she stands in crowning glory

to surprise all who behold:

how though in earth's poorest crust,

she is gowned in purest gold.

Though the fierce wind howls and gales there;

drought bound trees all gnarl in pain;

still the beauty of the wattle

lends to earth its grace again

to claim beauty in its landscape,

though a harsh and barren land:

yes, it's surprising how the wattle

sheds its gold in God's wise plan.

And it's true how in our own life,

although poor and harsh may be

we can learn a valued lesson

from the humble wattle tree.

When fierce troubles howl around us;

drought bound friendships seem to be -

don't twist and gnarl to fit your trouble -

proudly be a wattle tree.

The Old Wooden Cross

 Your wooden cross of gold

One dark and stormy night

Shone fiercely at my window

With a brilliant starry light.

“How come a cross of wood

can so brilliantly burn

of gold and light and splendour”

my heart could not discern.

“Your heart, so soft and frail

is a treasure unto Me.

Each hurt you bear, I feel

As I hang here on My tree.

When you were only small

And you stumbled and you fell,

I picked you up, dear child,

And I cried your tears as well.

And when you went to school

Life’s hard lessons daily learned,

As the bullies pulled and pushed you

Child, My heart with your pain burned.

Your teenage years of turbulence,

Discovery, quest of self;

I worried and I yearned

That in Me you’d find true wealth.

And so My cross My child,

Is not just poor man’s wood.

It sparkles diamond tears;

Blows the embers of childhood.

And the more old, gnarled and wrinkled

My wooden cross may seem,

The more it glows tried gold –

We’re a pressured diamond team.

The more My child you suffer,

You stumble and rebel,

For you My cross shines forth;

Of My love for you it tells.

Draw Near to Me

Draw near to me.

Do not worry

If you seem to be alone

So much of the time.

Draw near to me.

Open up your soul

And let me

Draw near to you

And you will find

Peace

Tranquillity

And discernment

Of my powers

And of my greatness.

Then you will be prepared

To go out

Into company

Into the world

Into my service.

And I can use you.

But I can only truly use you

When you have this closeness

With me.

You cannot give

What you have not been given.

So be alone with me

And ask, seek, knock.

Music for the soul

Music is the world at play on a summer’s morn.

It  is the soul’s breath taking wings

To soar through the universe

and touch God’s heart.

Music is the stirring deep within

of God thoughts

released into the ether.

Music is our heart

vibrating with love;

the flowering of the earth;

the crashing spray of waves against the cliff;

and its lapping on the sands.

Music is in each human gift;

in the feet that bear good news.

Music is love breathing;

manifesting; exuberant; and joyful.

Royal North Shore’s Chapel