Constant Refrain

January 26, 2013 by Be Holy

I lift my hands
Stretching my arms heavenward,
In search of my God
I spread my apron
Awaiting Your bounty,
Mysteriously in steady supply.

You are hidden in a cloud
Veiled from my eyes
And yet I hear Your constant strains
Plucking my heart strings,
Playing to my delight,
Reviving my hope,
And refilling my cup
That it might be forever full.

I can almost taste You
As I recall our times of intimacy and joy
I see myself clinging to Your pillar
Singing with the crowds gathered about Your throne.

In Heaven’s anti-chamber,
Knowing and yet not seeing,
Spirit supplying for sight,
Unseen and still perceived,
Your assurances are as rain
Upon my planted fields.
How am I at once empty and full,
Sated by Your Presence,
Yet full of desire.

You are mystery to me,
A sweet mystery,
And yes, a constant refrain.

Tough As Nails – Open Letter to God

January 24, 2013 by Be Holy

We are willing to discard the person for the part.
“We’ve made great strides”, “…a long way, Baby.”
You and Your creation shall serve us.
Yes, that is our “Way”.

It makes perfect sense to us.
After all, You are invisible,
As invisible as a child within the womb,
That is, until the flesh is torn away.

We have the technology.
See, no cringing here. “Just do it!”
We’re tough as nails.
You are familiar with nails?

Yes, tough as nails.
In this world you have to be!
Hello. Knock, knock. Are You there?
…. See, He doesn’t care.

You hold Your anger, so we say,
“Where is this God of yours?”.
Our world crumbles,
Chaos all around.
Evidence of Your absence or Your ire?
It doesn’t matter.
You are the Past. We are Now!

If I pull Your beard, will You awaken.
Are You like us?
Will You take a poll
Or turn Your blind eyes?
In Your retirement or death,

We’ve found our voice. We’ve found our fist!
Not to worry.
We’ve come a long way.
Crowned ourselves God!

©2010 Joann Nelander

Take My Hand

January 22, 2013 by Be Holy

Take my hand , my Jesus.
Here I am, Your child,
Too small to stand on my own,
Yet welcome before Your throne.

It is, You, My Cause,
Who sets me upright,
Through and through,
To be like unto You.

All my life called,
And marked by Love Divine,
Under Your Shadow, sun shining above,
One command only, Love!

Who can love without You?
This, too, You supply.
You spend Your Life’s Blood
To draw me from mire and mud.

All from Adam
In human chain,
Hold hands to be set free,
Man from Sin in loving Thee.

Healing in the Heart of Jesus

January 16, 2013 by Be Holy

Praying for my loved ones and remembering friends of youth and later life, I began to see how feelings of love welled up within me. God’s love drew me close to Himself and bade me come away with Him. I feared to leave off praying for friend after friend as they came to mind that I leave someone untouched by His Mercy and Grace. Then He came closer still, and filled me now with peace and knowledge. His Spirit whispered to my heart, “Fear not!” He gave me to understand that all these, that I recalled and cherished, all these, I held in my heart and rediscovered with each rising memory, all these were enclosed within my very being, held fast by my love. As His arms embraced me in my prayer to draw me closer, the prayer of my heart for all of these sounded in His ears. For love of me, wretched sinner though I be, He enfolded all within His bosom, loving purely and eternally the image of His Son emblazoned upon my soul. He drew all to Himself, knowing, gracing and blessing. He knew them as I knew them of old and also as He finds them now, in the flesh or in the spirit. His grace is fresh and waters the ground of their present. He opens a loving wound in them that invites His love and healing.

Handmaiden to the King

January 6, 2013 by Be Holy

All I have known
Has possessed me,
The world and the men
Who walk its way.
All I have known
Ruled my heart
And burned on its altars
The wood of my life.

Now, You give me gold,
And open the door
To Your Kingdom,
To enter through my heart
Into Your Heart.

The fire that once
Consumed my wood,
Now, fires the gold You give me
To shape and fashion
A daughter of faith
Alive for You and in You,
Earthy flesh, taking on heaven,
As Your Spirit wants,
And woos and waits,
Upon the handmaiden
Of grace and virtue
You are creating for Yourself
As Bride to the King.

All I now know
Possesses me
For all I know is Thee.