Flower and Fruit for Thee

O, Lord of life’s harvest,
Penetrate the depths of my misery
With Thy loveliness,
So that the new life,
Rising from this soil,
Be the embodiment
Of wisdom and grace.

May my flower and fruit be
The fresh form of holiness,
Born of virginal “Fiat”,
And humility’s abandonment
In sacrificial love.

Come forth Lazarus,
Not now from earthly grave,
But born to heavenly morrow,
After this night of sorrow.

Copyright 2014 Joann Nelander

What Else is There?

All that matters,
To be like Christ,
What else is there?
 
Want what the Father wants,
Love, love, love!
Suffer with Jesus,
As He suffers,
Lack of love
In the world,
In people,
In Christians.
 
The world belongs to God,
Creator of Beauty, Holiness, Truth,
All that is.
Creation confesses Jesus,
Gives witness to God.
 
Live like him.
Talk like Him.
Let Him impress on you
His image as on Veronica’s veil,
Offered in compassion.
 
Impressed with the face of Jesus,
Go forward
In newness of life,
A new creation.
 
False images,
Reject them!
Imitate Jesus Christ.
Have Him before your eyes
All the day long.
Have Him on your tongue
All the day long.
 
Live with Him
Through the night,
Through the dark,
Into the smiling Light.
All is grace.
What else is there?
 

© 2014 Joann Nelander

 

 

 

Sunrise in High Heaven – Sonrise

Empty the tomb,
The wrappings set aside.
No Body to be found,
Faith in triumph shouts.

It is Easter dawn.
Joy spills or’ heaven’s ledge
As sun rises to high heaven.

Hope blankets earth’s face.
Love penetrates its depth.
A people, newborn,
Called forth to be light.

Witnesses stand forth,
Wrapped about in wedding garb,
They go forth to meet the Groom.

Sonrise in High Heaven!

© 2014 Joann Nelander