Marcia's Poem of the Week 5.19.2023

 

Marcia's Poem of the Week “Temporary Residents.” 

I Peter 1:13-25

13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. 21 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 24 As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. 25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.”

“TEMPORARY RESIDENTS”

As an earthly being we're not forever,
We're only here for a little while,
We clothe ourselves in brightened color,
And like others we live our life in style.

But our body isn't made to last forever,
For this world is not our forever place,
But God has always been our buffer,
And He is preparing us to see His face.

And it is the Lord that we can trust,
As we learn about Him undeterred,
Because it is His love that cleanses us,
And we know that we need His Word.

When we have questions about our faith,
That makes us wonder if we're strong,
Gifted with His favor we remain unscathed,
For He knows we do not want to do wrong.

We read our Bible often or everyday,
And remember to love others and pray,
Because we need Him in our work and play,
The Spirit helps us follow His way.

Yet, we know we are not forever here,
For nothing on earth is made to last,
But our Lord is with us giving cheer,
And assures us we're forgiven of our past.

2023 Marcia Riehle


Poem of the week for my great grandsons, Jeremiah, Tobiah and Elijah,  I Peter 1: 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. Amen

“JOY”

When God's gift of Joy takes hold,
It deepens your mind and your breathing,
It matters not if you are young or old,
Joy promotes love and internal healing.

Joy makes you smile out of control,
Where warmth fills your heart,
And where laughter opens your soul,
And where your arms want to hug-a-lot.

There is no need to be overwhelmed.
Nothing can destroy you or condemn,
For Joy comes from the Creator's realm.
Where His spirit is the insulator from within.

GG 2023

                                                                                                photo by Laine Hannah