The oil trickled
down his hair
and handsome young neck.
Before David’s kin
the Spirit plunged into his being.
A new king was made.
Another time:
A chilled night,
No oil,
but the Spirit hovered
lovingly, mightily:
The Everlasting King
was born.
Last year in my Christmas poems I tried, with a number of them, to look at Christmas from the point of view of some of the participants. I have never before had so much fun writing poetry. It was a treat trying to get into the heads of these characters. Some of the ideas came from the Bible and others from my imagination.
Advent
Coming and becoming.
Anticipating
and hoping.
Longing and
Rejoicing.
The ancient Words,
Promises
and pledges
Coming to Life –
Eternal Life.
The salvation plan
winding through
history and people,
kings and peasants,
obedience and rebellion.
Dim distant Covenant shadows
Given breath
and Voice
in starlit Bethlehem.
God made flesh.
Humanity offered life.
Now that the Advent season has begun, I think I have finished my Christmas poems but if any readers have ideas that they would like me to pursue, please pass them on. It has been a lot of fun!
The series of poems can be found under “The Christmas Poems” category. Or click the link.
Pieter
They laughed behind their hands
when we set off.
Our camels loaded.
What will it be?
A king?
A child?
A what?
We headed westward
with anticipation
and gifts.
The omen was clear
shining in the sky –
our compass and guide.
All of our studies seemed
true.
But
what if we found
no child
no king?
Could we return?
Our reputations a joke!
But “something”
was felt by us all
as we travelled
the long miles west.
We found a king
in Jerusalem.
Too old,
Too mean,
Too unwise.
We vowed not
to return this way.
We stargazed on
and came
to a man, woman and child.
No pretensions.
Humble
Joyfilled
poor
but ALIVE!
Then we knew!
We were sure!
The child, king , messiah
was found.
We could return home
with stories
with hope
… and our reputations.
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matt 1:23
We were alert.
The predators are always hungry in these months.
Lamb is always on their menu.
The cold, froze our words.
We were shivering
and then
we were still shivering
but now in fear.
Out of nowhere,
well, the sky really,
this amazing light shone.
Day, in the middle of the night!
Shivering, trembling, cowering.
Paralysed.
Nothing to hide behind –
except sheep.
Even Big Jacob was jelly!
The bright being declared,
“Don’t be afraid,
I’ve come to give you news
of the Christ – the Messiah.”
It’s a baby!
In Bethlehem!
So we bolted for Bethlehem,
The sheep could look after themselves,
for a while.
This news was too good to miss!
We found a mum, dad and baby,
by a feed trough,
and somehow,
as the mum, Mary
showed the baby to us,
we just knew, what the angel said was true.
She held God in her hands!
And our lives, and the world,
Would never be the same
again.
From the series: The Christmas Poems that I am working on at present.
“Nothing is impossible with God” Luke 1:37
So you think the virgin birth is “miraculous” even impossible, maybe ridiculous. A lie from a silly girl, who should have known better one night. You suppose walking on water, feeding 5000, is a stretch of the imagination.
You laugh at the blind man,
“Here’s mud in your eye!”
You scorn
the tale of the paralysed victim,
and the water into wine …
What vintage?
But wait,
your calloused
“There is no God out there”
heart,
Your snide aside,
the “omnipotent” God. Ha!
He’s dead!
can’t withstand the
scalpel onslaught of His Spirit
when He says,
“You’re mine.”
From the series: The Christmas Poems that I am working on at present.
A short poetic reflection on Matthew 1:18-25
Joseph: What Lord? I can’t believe it! She is a good girl, an honourable girl. She would never betray me! What Lord? I must still marry her! What Lord? Your Spirit! How can that be? Yes Lord. “I will” Yes Lord, His name will be Saviour. Yes Lord, I will.From the series: The Christmas Poems that I am working on at present.
Travels from Ur 