For My Neighbor

May I with mind and heart and hand

Seek good for others as I toil

While knowing all that God has planned

Heaps value on the human soul.

He once bestowed upon His own

The dignity of bearing grace–

The image of the God enthroned

On every man and woman placed.

Within creation, He ordained

A generosity as norm.

But in a self-exalting strain,

We fell to greed, our thoughts deformed.

Instead of work for others’ good

And for His glory and our joy

Of being with Him like we could

We found our thoughts on work destroyed.

For generations treating work

As though a part of Adam’s curse.

We self-inflicted; others hurt

While work became a sign of worth.

The other side of this divide

Between what we and God had made

Spread vast the tide of greed-based lies

That work ethic could be repaid. 

Through prosperity gospel’s call

That says Your favor manifests

To those who truly give their all,

That those with weak faith fail the test.

In yet another failed attempt

To twist our minds about good deeds, 

We think ourselves from rest exempt, 

That we’re the answer to earth’s needs. 

Adjustment, please.

May I with mind and heart and hand

Seek good for others as I toil.

While knowing all that God has planned

Heaps value on the human soul.

May I submit to works of grace

And time spend near He Who creates. 

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17) 

“Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

“Choose those employments that have the greatest benefit to thy neighbor.”-- Martin Luther

You Talk Of...

Note: The poem below may not be suitable for young children as it deals with human sex trafficking.

You talk of freedom

That American dream ideal.

But is it real?

Is freedom your house

With a white-picket fence?

Or something left entirely 

To the National Defense?

But if some are still enslaved

Is freedom still free?

What of the girls 

Who long to be

Free?

You talk of freedom

But will you show it to her?

You talk of change

That we mustn't lack

But you turn your back.

Is change the metal

That fills your purse

Or what you in 

Various banks disperse?

What if each night she

Seeks sex fifteen times

To meet her pimps quota

Or pay her fines?

To fate she resigns.

You talk of change

But will you show her the way?

You talk of love

That emotion that impacts

But you ignore these facts.

Is love the abuse

Of a lustful john

Who uses a child

As a turn on?

Today, as every fifty-four 

Seconds have passed

A child has been harmed

In Atlanta; may I ask

You to act fast?

You talk of love

But will you show her what it truly means?

You talk of a future

That hope in tomorrow

But what of her sorrow?

Is a future the fact

That four-hundred will be

Trafficked in the next month

In Atlanta, our city?

And if seven thousand

Three hundred men

Will purchase sex from these slaves

Month and month again?

What then?

You talk of the future

But will you show her one?

You talk of your God

Who has power to heal.

But is your faith real?

Is your faith the thing

That you do on Sunday?

Or that thing that you claim

When at mealtimes you pray?

What if alone she cries

In the dark of the night

For someone to show her

Her value in life,

The light?

You talk of your God

But will you show Him to her?

Carrying His Name

No theology, no religion will change their situations.

No huge, grand idea will bring hope to the nations.

You can talk about your stuff and the names of your possessions:

Apple, Lucky, Nike, whatever your obsession.

But no name on this earth deserves to be made known

More than the Savoir of the earth--Jesus Christ, God's own

Son, Who gave Himself that we might be saved

From sin and separation; we can have what we have craved:

A relationship with the Holy One. His name you must lift high.

Will Jesus be your exclamation? Will Jesus be your cry?

Will you keep His passion or will your heart grew cold?

Will you forget or will you His fame uphold?

Go where His passion leads you with your hearts aflame,

But wherever your life takes you--be carrying HIS NAME.

~~

"My heart will sing no other name-- JESUS, JESUS!"

Conviction Concerning Compassion

Sadness hid behind her eyes
Filled with struggle, poverty, lies,
Around her--roaches, mildew, mold;
This filth had taken its steady toil.
Her face for His Hope cried.

I asked her, "Are your parents here?"
She closed her eyes; they filled with tears.
"I've never met my dad before;
Mom left me with my aunt at four.
She's been gone for three years."

Her frame shook with fear and shame
She turned away to hide her pain.
I wanted to hug her though it wouldn't do much
But she pulled away at my finger's touch
Of her shoulders -- too young for such strain.

I strongly longed to fix her mess.
I could only say, "Come to VBS?"
She took the page and held it tight.
Then suddenly, I saw it -- a flicker of light
Inside her gaze of loneliness.

She spoke with surprise, "You want me to come?
I've never been invited by anyone."
I looked at her face and felt my tears rising
Her path of life and pain realizing
And a part of me tried to run.

So often we run from the truth of their days
Thinking that somehow, it'll just go away.
We've heard that it happens, we know that it's there,
But we get so caught up with me and my care
That their unreached condition stays.

I looked at her squarely to share with her truth
And said to her, "Yes. Yes! We want to have YOU!
I love you and Jesus loves you, you know"
Her aunt was calling and she'd have to go
But she flashed me a grin and I knew

I wouldn't be running anymore from their pain
For now that I'd seen it I wasn't the same.
I know the compassion that God wants in me
That shows broken people they can be free
Through the power of Jesus' name.

Yearning

She does those things with which we don’t agree.
Our criticism stares
Our judgment kills.
Can we not see?

She’s yearning
For love
For Him
But we never embrace her.

How will she find True Love if she cannot
Hear the Savoir
Over the clamor of our condemnation?

She’s yearning
For Hope
For Him
But we pass her by.

How will she find His Hope if she cannot
Feel His fullness
Over the continuance of our complaining?

She’s yearning
For Peace
For Him
But we whisper over her weaknesses.

How will she find His rest if she cannot
Sense His serenity
Over the hurricane of our hypocrisy?

She’s yearning
For Truth
For Him
But we turn her away.

How will she find His reality if she cannot
Perceive His presence
Over the jabbering of our jargon?

She does those things with which we don’t agree.
But she’s seeking shelter, love, eternity.
His body suffered all so she could be
Clean.

But Body of Christ
We fail Him
By doing all those things His body would not.

She’s yearning.
Can we not see?

Take up the Banner

Take up the banner, raise it high
Unto me, you Lord, draw nigh.
Serve me with your heart, your all
Unto Me for wisdom call.
Take your banner!

Copyright Miriam Rainwater, March 29, 2008
All rights reserved.

Unite My Heart

Unite my heart, put fire within
Teach me tof ear Thy name.
For Thou art Holy, without sin
And yet in love you came.
As dark’ning clouds rolled in about
The cross – so I might live –
You asked with your last dying shout:
“These sinners, Lord forgive!”
Chorus:
Unite my heart, O Lord
Unite my heart, O Lord.
Teach me Lord to walk in truth and fear Your holy name!

Unite my heart, put fire within
Cause me to hear Thy voice.
Lord cleanse my wayward soul from sin
In truth I will rejoice.
Cleansed by Thy blood in purity
Thy channel may I be.
Proclaiming the strong surety
Found only, Lord, in Thee.
Chorus

Based on Psalm 86:11
Copyright Miriam Rainwater, March 26, 2008
All rights reserved.
Opt. Tune: Faith is the Victory

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How?

Who seekest thou?
Seek Christ now.
What seekest thou?
Seek thou life?
Seek thou Christ.
When seekest thou?
Seek Him now.
Where seekest thou?
Seekest the grave?
Seek Him raised.
Why seekest thou?
Seekest thou all?
On Him call.
How seekest thou?
Works of men?
Trust in Him.

Based on John 18:7
Copyright Miriam Rainwater, February 28, 2008
All rights reserved.

Send Out Thy Light

Once I floated in derision and despair on earth’s wide sea
My ship had wrecked, I had no hope.
Then suddenly, a shadow, a ship along beside
Then a man threw me a scarlet rope.
Chorus

Chorus:
Send out Thy light
Send out Thy truth.
Lord, let them lead me
To Calvary.
Use me, I pray
To show Thy way.
Lord send out Thy light,
Thy truth through me.

With joy I grabbed the life-line; my hope had been restored.
To think that Someone cared for me!
I know there in that moment that I would give me life
To helping others to safety.
Chorus


Based on Psalm 43:3
Copyright Miriam Rainwater, February 13, 2008
All rights reserved.
Opt. Tune: He Could Have Called Ten Thousand Angels

Surely I Come Quickly

Surely I come quickly
The rapture draweth nigh.
My child, are you preparing
To meet me in the sky?

Surely I come quickly,
Are you putting off my grace?
Have you grasped my full salvation
And reserved a heav’nly place?

Surely I come quickly,
Have you given all you hath
So that when in clouds returning
Find I you in narrow paths?

Surely I come quickly.
Are you praying, always, e’er?
Are you giving thanks, rejoicing?
My salvation; will you share?

Surely I come quickly.
Do you from evil abstain,
Yea, from even such appearance?
Are you living without blame?

Surely I come quickly.
Soon the trumpet shall resound.
Will you in ways of wickedness
Or righteousness be found?

Surely I come quickly.
Do you know me as you should?
Do you know that if I chose to come
At noon today I could?

Surely I come quickly.
I, for whom your soul so cared
That I died upon the cross. Child –
Will you be prepared?

Based on I Thess. 4:13-18, 5:1-24, I Peter 4:13-18, Rev. 1:3, 22:7, John 3:16
Copyright Miriam Rainwater, February 11, 2007
All rights reserved.

Christians, Lift Ye Up the Standard!

Christians lift ye up the standard,
My salvation to proclaim!
So that others all around you
Will respect my holy name.
Be to the world a salt and light,
A beacon that is true.
And as you meet your fellow man
Let them see Christ in you.
Clothed in my salvation
Before the nations walk.
And with all humility
And love, of my name talk.
Christians lift ye up the standard,
Glory in the holy One!
Show forth all of God’s creation
And the wonders He hath done.
Sing and cry and shout of Jesus
Joy in Him in one accord.
Christians, lift ye up the standard,
Prepare a pathway for thy Lord!

Isaiah 62:10-12
Copyright Miriam Rainwater, February 9, 2006

All rights reserved.

Did You Speak the Name of Jesus?

Did you speak the name of Jesus
To someone you met today?
Showing, telling of salvation
And the straight and narrow way?

Did you show the love of Jesus
To each stranger and your friends?
Did your actions show the Savior
Reflect His love that never end?

Did you think the thoughts of Jesus
As you strove to live for Him?
Did you care enough to warn them
Of the costly price of sin?

Did you see the need for Jesus
Did you tell them of His grace?
Or was your talk of hay and stubble
On the throne in Jesus’ place?

Did you speak the name of Jesus
To the souls who do not know?
Have you laid down on the alter
Told your Savior you will go?

“Lord, I’ll praise the name of Jesus
Every day where e’er I be.
Prompt me Lord, and give me courage,
Lord, to proclaim Calvary!”

Copyright Miriam Rainwater, September 24, 2005

All rights reserved.