Posted in Different Scriptures, Spoken Word

John 20:19-31

On the first day of the week
As the sun began to set
Jesus entered the house
Though no one had unlocked it yet

Knowing they’d have fear
At such an ethereal appearance
He announces “Peace be with you.”
Giving them emotional clearance

Then he showed His hands and side
Showing He had been the one
Crucified dead, and buried
God’s one and only Son

“Receive the Holy Spirit.
For as I was sent, now you.”
Extending God’s forgiveness was
Now something they would do.

Now Thomas wasn’t with them
So when they came with good news bursting
He declared he’d only believe
If he saw the scars in person.

So again Jesus would enter
The closed house where they’d gone to grieve
And Jesus invited Thomas
To touch his wounds and believe.

But blessed are those who haven’t seen
And believe, unlike Thomas
They understand the Love of God
That fulfills His Covenant promise

Posted in Different Scriptures, Spoken Word

John 20:11-20

While others left, off on their way
Mary stayed and wept
She wondered where her Lord had gone
And who, his body kept.

She was pleasantly surprised
When gardener turned out to be
That Jesus for whom her heart was for
Looking right at her, saying “Mary!”

How often do we look at things
Without a pinch of hope?
How often is our vision blurred
By being at the end of our rope?

Mary was not looking
For a Savior that could dance
She’d assumed the body was taken
And she had lost her chance

Her chance to participate in grieving
To remember what she’d lost
To sit and ponder just how great
Everything that had happened, cost.

I wonder what would’ve happened
If for life, her hope had room
If she pumped her fist like a child who won
When she discovered the empty tomb?

If Jesus would have played a bit
Of Holy “Hide & Seek”,
Or if he would have tapped her shoulder
Then turned the other cheek

I’m not advocating
That there isn’t time to grieve
But if that’s all we’ve come to do
We need an invitation to believe

Believe that what looks like death
And causes apprehension
Can be offered to God in Jesus’ name
And used for His redemption

Posted in Different Scriptures, Spoken Word

Colossians 4:2-5

Paul writes to Colossae
Not complaining of his chains
Freedom for himself is not
Something for which he strains

He implores them to keep praying
To be thankful and assured
The most important freedom
Is the sharing of the Word

The mystery of Christ
That longs to be revealed
Is that good news all creation
Through it, could be healed

He even reminds himself
To stay focused on clarity
The good news is not simply
Offering the world a bit more charity

But take every opportunity
To reveal the mystery of Christ
The resurrected Savior
Who did more than say “be nice.”

He gave up his own body
And was then resurrected
So that New Creation Life
Could be something we expected…