Strength for the Day
Poetry to Lift the Spirit
Published by David Y Bevington at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 by David Y Bevington
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Centered in God's Love
See 1 John 3:1-2
The jet was cruising in the clouds
that bleak December day.
Each time I fly within the clouds
I feel the urge to pray.
The brilliant sun was setting;
The clouds were bathed in light.
Below were three concentric rings
of rainbows, what a sight.
The pilot banked the airship;
I saw an awesome sight,
The shadow of our air-borne ship
inside the rings of light.
When life is dark or threatening,
I find the strength to pray.
I'm centered in the love of God—
He helps me every day.
Places of the Mind
See Psalm 84
When tension and worry have ruined your day,
prop up your feet and travel away.
Go to the places you see in your mind,
find real refreshment and learn to unwind.
Think of the ocean and picture the shore,
with waves crashing in, and air that is pure;
The trees have a rhythm, the scene is serene,
relax and feel tranquil. Take in the scene.
Think of a sunset with blazing red sky
with colors so radiant, made for the eye.
In moments so precious, with beauty so rare,
peace will envelope your world everywhere.
Where Do We Find Christ?
See Psalm 139:7-12
When Jesus walked among us,
He often could be found
In places we would not expect;
he traveled all around.
He walked upon the waters,
and in the crowded street.
He hailed Zacchaeus in a tree,
and made his life complete.
We overlook the obvious,
and often miss The One
Who comes in unexpected ways,
until His work is done.
We find Him in the classroom,
while riding in the car.
We find the Savior everywhere,
for He is where we are.
When We Stand Together
See 2 John 1:5-6
Reaching for the sunlight,
standing straight and tall.
Leaves have drifted to the earth
in the time of fall.
If the trees were lonely,
standing on a hill,
They could all be damaged
to the wind at will.
When they stand together,
there’s a quiet peace,
Though the storms may buffet,
their effect will cease.
We may find a lesson
when we feel forlorn—
When we stand together,
new resolve is born.
His Touch of Love
See 2 Corinthians 12:10
“When I am weak, then I am strong”
said the Apostle, Paul.
He never would have said those words
just prior to his call.
Saul found himself quite helpless,
and very much alone;
But then he saw the Light of God
before the Master's throne.
At times our God pursues us
when we are on the run.
He helps us to submit to Christ,
and confidence is won.
It's not a sign of weakness
to trust in God above,
For when we put our hand in God’s,
we feel His Touch of Love.
God Gives Us Rest
See I Corinthians 15
When the time came for her to die,
she said, “I have a home on high.”
Her faith in God's beloved Son
sustained her when her time had come.
She had no fear, but closed her eyes,
we saw her faith was realized.
We heard her say, “I'm yours now, Lord.”
Eternal life was her reward.
If we believe in Christ, God’s Son,
we find God’s grace when death has come.
We get the prize, not just the test.
With faith applied, God gives us rest.
How Does God Speak to You?
See 1 Kings 19:9-15
God's Spirit gently rests on us
to speak within the heart.
When dreams or visions come to us,
we contemplate our part.
We hear His voice when someone shares
an answer that we seek.
He speaks through our own inner voice
as we pray through the week.
The written Word may seem to jump
right from the printed book,
With just the message we require,
when we will take a look.
The many ways God speaks to us
might seem to be concealed.
Unless we listen with the heart,
they may not be revealed.
From Darkness Into Sunrise
See Genesis 32:24-30
The man whose name was Jacob
had always been on top.
Jacob loved only himself,
that thinking had to stop.
An angel wrestled Jacob
and touched him in the thigh,
And Jacob was a better man,
that no one can deny.
From darkness into sunrise
was how the process came.
He sensed his pride, God entered in,
he never was the same.
If we will just examine
our motives and our pride,
We will begin to recognize
the need for self to die.
A Most Valuable Asset
See Psalm 51
What asset helps you deal with fear,
and lets you know that God is near?
What brings you energy to spare
when trouble settles everywhere?
What trait brings peace to you and me
when dealing with adversity?
What gives us strength to stand our ground
when all the snares of sin abound?
What quality to be possessed
helps us to cope when we’re distressed?
It’s something we all need today,
and need to keep along the way.
Good conscience is what I suggest,
to help you do your very best.
Good conscience helps in many ways,
work hard to keep it, for it pays.
Comfort
See Isaiah 40:28-31
"Have you not heard?. Have you not seen?"
is how the Bible reads,
"The Lord, the everlasting God,
He understands your needs."
If you will trust in God above
and heed what you have heard,
Your strength will be renewed each day,
according to His Word.
You will arise on eagle's wings
when weariness begins,
And you will walk and not be faint
when trials settle in.
The Father of all Israel
will lift you on His wings.
Peace and strength and new resolve,
are helps your Father brings..
Keep the Harmony
Philippians 4:1-7
The members of a choral group
Produce their lovely tone
Because they work toward one voice
and tune up with their own.
They knew that when you hear your voice,
then your voice needs toned down;
They pay attention to the blend
to get the proper sound.
There are those times that come to life,
affecting you and me,
When we must change our tune a bit
to keep the harmony.
Learn to Say “No”
See Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
Our youth are facing problems,
and tempted every day.
But no is certainly a word
which they can learn to say.
Learn from people who succeed
the better traveled way,
And stay away from harmful things.
Why not begin today?
Your years will surely be increased
if you will just take heed,
And all your friends might benefit
if you will take the lead.
The Captain of the Ship
See Proverb 3:5-6
The ship lay stranded in the bay,
a victim of the tide,
No human force could pull it out,
no tugboat pull aside.
The captain emptied out the hull,
attempting to pull free.
His boat was stuck fast in the sand,
a woeful sight to see.
When evening came, the water rose,
the boat was soon afloat.
The captain used the simple tide
to lift and free his boat.
At times, we seem to get marooned
in the quagmire we face.
Trust God and know the tide will rise
through His amazing grace.
When We Give God Control
See John 15
Raspberries get plumper
and riper day by day;
And when they have grown sweet enough,
a touch pulls them away.
The berry is a picture
of what we ought to be,
absorbing all the gifts of God,
and blessing those we see.
Allow the sunshine of God's love
to sweeten up your soul,
For others can enjoy your gifts
when God is in Control.
The Light of God Is Shining
See 1 John 1:5
We visited the hayloft in that old barn today,
and found we were reminded of where we used to play.
We used to feed the cattle and watch the kittens there.
We climbed the hanging ladder. We played without a care.
We saw the beams of sunlight extend across the floor,
and heard the nesting sparrows above the sliding door.
We looked into a corner where it was dark and gray,
watching sunbeams peeking through the cracks that day.
The airborne dust was scattered throughout the sunbeam’s glow,
We stepped aside to keep the dust from entering the nose.
Then we began to chuckle, because the thought occurred,
dust we saw was everywhere, the darkness kept it blurred.