Posted in Different Scriptures, Spoken Word

John 21:1-14

“Children”, you called out your men
Asking if they’d caught some fish
Did they wonder who this man was
Who told them sides to switch?

Did you say it playfully
With loving brotherhood?
Or did you try to draw their ire
As if up to no good?

Their response is telling
For they did not get upset
They responded, trying the other side
And came up with overfilled net

Peter threw his clothes on,
and jumped into the water
I wonder if you thought he’d come
Swimming naked as an otter

I’d love to have seen your smile
As he reached the shore, soaking
And the smile that came to his face
As he saw your fire smoking

I’m sure you hugged him fully
Soaking through your clothes
With the kind of compassion
Only a Father knows

I see you every morning
Awaiting me, ashore
I know that you receive me
With a gladness just as pure

I confess that there are days
I stay too long in my boat
Wanting to be productive
Thinking my role is to stay afloat

If I am discouraged
Or have moments a bit too wild
I pray that you’ll call out to me
And begin by yelling – “child”.

Posted in Different Scriptures, Spoken Word

1 Peter 2:1-3

Because you have been born again
Of imperishable Good News
It should make more of an impact than
To inspire you to shine your shoes

Rid yourself of all the things
That proclaim the old way
The elements that cause all forms
Of relationship decay

Malice, guile, and slander
Or being insincere,
All these declare envy and self
Over allowing others near

Our world wants so deeply
To know and to be known
Loving vulnerability declares
Jesus is on the throne

The living Word enfleshed as man
Completely yielded to Love
Like newborn babies crave all things
From your Father (who’s not just “above”)

The good news Jesus brought us
The Kingdom has come quite near
And as we live accordingly
We establish it as Here.

Empowered by the Spirit
Sent to us by the Son
We’ve tasted that the Lord is good
And He has made us One.

Posted in Different Scriptures, Spoken Word

1 Peter 1:23-25

Have I still a seed imperishable,
Somewhere planted deep inside?
Or has such seed germinated already
The perishable having died?

The good news was something I’ve heard
In more than one way as I’ve grown
Although I’ll confess, in the beginning
It wasn’t good soil to be sown

But for years now I’ve tried to nurture
The right conditions for growing
And I believe by the Spirits power
There’s even some fruit that is showing

I see His Love reflected
In my home, and the way we exist
But there’s still a holy examine
For something I may have missed

I do not want to live anxious
Wondering if I bear “enough” fruit
For the “good news” also reminds us
That our efforts to measure are moot.

It is not our achievements or fruit bearing
That will cause God’s heart to inflame
It’s the way that we set performance aside
And humbly call on His name

Knowing full well that He loves us
Throughout His Word He assures
It’s not the the things that we do in His name
But only His Word, that endures.