navwin » Archives » Spiritual Journeys » What Be Your Attitude
Spiritual Journeys
Post A Reply Post New Topic What Be Your Attitude Go to Previous / Newer Topic Back to Topic List Go to Next / Older Topic
VAS
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-16
Posts 7450
Oregon

0 posted 2001-06-24 07:30 PM


This one was written during today's Sunday message.  Our pastor is doing a series on the beatitudes.  The bulk of the sermon was on the many ways humans have shown themselves unmerciful, inhumane.  It was a painful half hour with only a touch of the positive at the end, which was more or less just a definition of what 'merciful' means.  Perhaps the message is, no matter how horrid the world can be, our God is merciful and asks us to be.

What Be Your Attitude
Virginia Salter

I came today full of peace
soft
much as a chunk
of balsa

calm,
filledwith serenity
rejoicing in His love
His wisdom

then the miner
took up his pick
and began to seek
my core

began pummeling me
chip, chip,
pick, pick, breaking away
my shell

carving off
the peace of me
seeking to find
my truth

chink, chink
the piercing blows
wounding my very
heart

weeping, bleeding
riddled with pain
I waited for
His love my peace to regain

a love to soothe
to rectify the pain
given here
laying me bare

what can there be
to wash this horrid curse?
won’t you give the perfect balm
to me the wondrous verse?

“Blessed are the merciful,”
the actively compassionate,
empathetic disciples,
that relieve the pain of hate

© June 24, 2001

[This message has been edited by VAS (edited 06-24-2001).]

© Copyright 2001 Virginia Salter - All Rights Reserved
Joyce Johnson
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912
Washington State
1 posted 2001-06-24 09:02 PM


Poor VAS.  I know you have the peace of God in your heart.  You believe in and you love him.  That is the whole of it.  Love Joyce
Lone Wolf
Member Ascendant
since 2000-03-16
Posts 5842
Lansing, MI USA
2 posted 2001-06-24 09:24 PM


Sorry for the dismal sermon you had to endure.  Just remember the Lord can read your heart and He knows that it is pure.  Good write.  

All writing comes
by the grace of God.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Trillium
Deputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Patricius
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098
Idaho, USA
3 posted 2001-06-24 11:00 PM


VAS:  Unfortunately not every sermon answers what we need to hear. Sorry that you had a dissatisfying experience, but you do seem to have the answers.

Betty Lou Hebert

VAS
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-16
Posts 7450
Oregon
4 posted 2001-06-25 02:42 PM


Thank you all for reading and your kind words.  I'm considering suggesting the pastor start rating his sermons.  I felt so terrible for the small children and the parents of who had their small children in attendance with them.  His words were graphic, and perhaps the children didn't understand many of the words, but I actually think he made them simple enough for all to understand.  The eyes of one little girl in particular as she looked up to her mother, seemed so frightened and full of pain.  It increased the agony of the experience.  Should I just pray and allow God to have His way in this, or discern that He already is having His way and just try to learn what I'm to learn from it?
Lighthousebob
Member Elite
since 2000-06-14
Posts 4725
California
5 posted 2001-06-25 03:35 PM


VAS,

I don't have answers for you on this matter.... but perhaps I can encourage you in your faith. Let's be thankful that we are not of this world....but our hope is in our glorious life to come.   I do wonder though as the world becomes more and more wicked how much of it we really need to undersand.  You have introduced a very interesting question, especially when young children are of concern.  Bob <><

Post A Reply Post New Topic ⇧ top of page ⇧ Go to Previous / Newer Topic Back to Topic List Go to Next / Older Topic
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.
navwin » Archives » Spiritual Journeys » What Be Your Attitude

Passions in Poetry | pipTalk Home Page | Main Poetry Forums | 100 Best Poems

How to Join | Member's Area / Help | Private Library | Search | Contact Us | Login
Discussion | Tech Talk | Archives | Sanctuary