God Leads Love

God shows His love by leading me to love,
a better love to give than to receive;
of course the best love waits for me above,
a love that's mine so long as I believe.

As God is love, how foolish I can say
that I can love without His love below;
drenched in His love, mine’s not a game to play,
for in my love His ideal love must show.

Who says it’s true God loves us all the same,
if love must ricochet for love to be?
That God’s not free with love who dares to claim?
His freedom, like His love, is really free.

O Lord, You don't need me to love You, true,
yet desperately You want and lead me to.

                   -- by Pete Voelz       2/23/13

The Edge

In combat, Lord, I pray, give me Your edge;
I know You always give us grace enough,
but in temptation, out there on a ledge,
sometimes I need an edge because it's tough.

You know, O Lord, how much I feel so weak,
I shrink from things I know I ought to do;
You need a voice and I can barely speak,
a tug, a push, an edge I need from You.

Sometimes I leap before I know I should,
discretion, prudence, caution most I need;
then other times in order to be good,
the edge I need is boldness to proceed.

O God, give me a little edge each day
to build up bigger edges on my way.

                         -- by Pete Voelz

In Suffering

In health, O Lord, I have less need of You,
I'm busy with my own affairs, it seems,
I'm strong and free and independent too,
I concentrate on my own tasks and schemes.

And then You send Your suffering to me,
I fight it, though I know it's most in vain;
without the cross, there is no victory,
without the pain, I'm told, there is no gain.

In suffering, I turn to You in prayer,
and you are with me in a closer way;
in suffering, Your suffering I share,
dependent more on You, the less I stray.

In pain I find forgiveness more and grace,
Your cross, Your arms outstretched, and Your embrace.

                                     -- by Pete Voelz

God's Saints

No other God has saints the likes of ours,
who else brings out such deeds so wonderful?
God even sometimes gives them special powers
to work in His great name some miracle.

Who causes such heroic qualities,
like Peter, Mary, Stephen, John, and Paul,
or brings great books and works from such as these,
Augustine, Bede, Aquinas, Leo and all?

Or who inspires so many missionaries,
like Patrick, Xavier, Claver, and Marquette,
who spread His Gospel news across the prairies,
like Kino, Jogues, Solano and DeSmet?

If You can make a Theresa of Lisieux,
then, Lord, help me to be more saintly too.

                                          -- by Pete Voelz     8/09

Give God His Due

God is all good, I must give God His due,
God is all wise, so much more wise than I,
God is all truth, His word is always true,
a lie’s a sin, and so He cannot lie.

God tells the truth, so Him I can believe,
all powerful God has power over me,
to not put faith in Him I can’t conceive,
for this He gives me final victory.

Since I’m so small and weak, why should God care?
Would He have put me here if He did not?
I can’t escape a God Who’s everywhere,
why should I hide when He is all I’ve got?

Only Your love, O Lord, explains it all,
catch me and hold me up so I don’t fall.

               -- by Pete Voelz       2/24/13

I Know

I don’t believe You love me, Lord,
because I know You do,
I do not just believe it, Lord,
because I know it’s true.

There’s little need for just belief,
I really know You’re there,
for You have let me feel relief
when You answer my prayer.

Faith is not just for things unknown,
but for the things we know,
belief that knowledge made our own
we learned so long ago.

For faith’s about the things assured
for my eternity--
Your bread and wine, Your love and word
made real right here for me.

                  -- by Pete Voelz       2/21/13

Dim Disconnect

God made me yet I wonder who I am,
Christ saved me but I wonder why I’m here,
the Holy Spirit tends me like a lamb,
lonely and scared, I do not sense Them near.

God knows me so, He knows me more than I do,
Christ loves me so, He proved it when He died,
the Spirit helps me when I may not try to,
They love me though Their law I have defied.

They teach me yet it’s like I never learn,
I hate it when my conduct They correct,
a spark, a smoldering wick They will not spurn,
O Trinity, why such a disconnect?

Some people, Lord, dimwitted to the core,
need a good whacking with a two-by-four.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       2/22/13

Reach Beyond

I reach beyond because there's more to You,
beyond my thoughts and words, there's always more,
the brightest, clearest sky I can't see through,
just as beyond the stars I cannot soar.

It's You, O God, Who pierces through it all,
Your thoughts and words can everything express,
You visit us no matter if we're small,
the only word we need to say is "Yes".

Yet if I search beyond I sometimes see
some insight through a space You let me peek,
and, like a sunbeam sliver suddenly,
breaks on my soul the insight that I seek.

As I raise eyes and see, though slight and fleet,
You sail the space between so we can meet.

                                           -- by Pete Voelz

God Loves Me More

Why does God love me more than some sweet bird?
Is it because I am so loveable?
Is it because I listen to His Word?
Or I'm exciting while the robin’s dull?

Wrens neither sew nor reap yet God feeds them,
He knows when one fair fowl falls from the sky,
He builds crows better nests than Bethlehem,
yet none fly heavenward so much as I.

Can any man sing sweeter than the lark?
Do we soar far with eagles' majesty?
 Does any owl have our sad side so dark?
Locked in their state, can gulls like us sail free?

With freedom, love and heaven He's no tightwad,
so like His lark, I'll live in loving God.

                            -- by Pete Voelz       2002

No Pain, No Gain

We ask God not to lead us to temptation,
yet freedom brings the taking of the test;
we lucky humans, out of all creation,
with heaven's best, eternal rest, are blest.

There is no verdict won without a trial;
there is no victory earned without a war;
no threat undone, no need for us to smile;
no distant shore, no need to more explore.

It is not God Who makes temptation come,
our fallen nature starts the mystery;
some would prefer the world's delirium,
it's not that easy we can be so free.

So made with freedom, we accept the task,
and done, eternal life is all we ask.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       5/04

Just and Merciful

O all-just God, show me Your mercy please,
O God of justice, please forgive my sin,
O righteous God, calm down the threatening seas,
O Father, save me from the storm I’m in.

O God, You’re famous for Your perfect justice,
I’d hate to see it mark imperfect me,
and yet I know You cannot really trust us
to judge ourselves where justice wouldn’t be.

If justice is the law compassionate,
and law makes room for mercy’s seasoning,
then Lord, let sweet compassion in somewhat,
that tender mercy may rush in full swing.

I know, God, if Your justice has its say,
Your mercy will take all our fears away.

                        -- by Pete Voelz       5/04

God at Work

I look upon my past in wonder, Lord,
I see Your Providence at work in me,
how much it seems You've helped me when I've scored,
and guided me aright in misery.

How often You have steered me back on track,
when I've retreated, You have pushed me on,
You've reined me in from going with the pack,
You've led me places no one else has gone.

When I am lonely, You are ever near,
You shield me from myself and foe alike,
You bring me back from illness, sin and fear,
You're on my guard before my temptors strike.

Thanks, Lord, for all the overtime You work,
caused by the fact that I'm a sorta jerk.

                     -- by Pete Voelz          10/09

Total God

We have our God in His totality,
all ours, no part of Him without the whole,
no part He does not hold of you and me,
our mind, our heart, our body and our soul.

Each molecule--God knows us through and through,
all that we think and do, all that we say,
no lies or hiding, He marks all that’s true,
for all will be revealed on Judgment Day.

God’s full, close care is drenched in total love,
the only hitch is that we’re free to choose
to scorn what always we are dreaming of--
His heaven, His joy, our soul we’re free to lose.

I opt, Lord, to accept the total You
and give You back the total of me too.

                    -- by Pete Voelz      2/16/13

God of Force

O God, You are not passive in Your style,
You are a God of action, even force;
You did not seek our input for this trial,
You make us, then demand we stay the course.

We didn't know that we would be beset
by enemies both human and demonic,
that we would have to fight the world and yet
wage wars where we are spiritually bionic.

You did not ask us when or where we're born,
which sex we'd be or in which family,
then made us free to sin and feel forlorn,
and still expect obedience to Thee.

Of course, for all this forced-upon-us strife,
You do invest us with eternal life.

-- by Pete Voelz       2/06

How Dare I?

How dare I talk to God Who is so great,
when I am just the opposite, so small,
so pressed by sins that balk at heaven's gate,
I don't deserve to talk to Him at all?

Yet God created me to speak in prayer,
gave me His image and loves me no end,
lent me the right and power and will to dare,
as He dared raise me up from dust to friend.

God even made me free to turn my back,
bids me to dare believe and dare to hope,
when I repent, His mercy fills my lack,
unless I stubbornly choose to stay a dope.

To speak to You, O God, I dare to do,
although I risk to lose myself in You.

                         -- by Pete Voelz     6/09

I Am a God

I am a god--almost, God made me so,
made in His image and His likeness, where,
though I'm not God Himself, by faith I know
He's destined me in His own life to share.

While living in His perfect happiness,
this God of love in loving Trinity
reached out to me and offered heaven no less,
to share His love with all humanity.

God made me conscious, raised me up from dust,
then sparked His own divine life in my soul,
then graced me with His power to love and trust,
and with His freedom left me in control.

O God, Who I’ll be almost equal to,
bring me to share eternal life with You.

                           -- by Pete Voelz         9/07

Everywhere But Never There

You know, O God, my sins, my soul, my fate,
You sift my thoughts, my motives through and through,
yet too with You my prayers do resonate,
You feel my free but fragile faith in You.

But though You know me so, You show no trace
of You for me to freely, easily see,
I fathom not the phantom of Your face,
Great God, why can’t You show Yourself to me?

You pity yet my petty petulant prayer,
my sins, drenched in Your mercy, are all forgiven,
with eyes of faith I see You everywhere,
for my short life, small faith, You give me heaven.

This seems, Lord, a gigantic miracle,
I keep my focus on the spiritual.

                    -- by Pete Voelz       2/11/13

More or Less Faith

The less God does for me, my faith is more,
the more God does, the less of faith I need.
If God did all, it seems my faith would soar,
yet there would then be nothing to concede.

What if for us God parted every sea?
There would be little left for us to do.
What if we fell and God just let us be?
Our faith would have to then be strong and true.

God rations out His grace, knowing we are
so fickle in our faith if graced too much;
then rations out our troubles just so far,
so that our faith and needs at least can touch.

God, grace me more, yet boost my faith, I pray,
to keep both faith and grace strong all the way.

                                -- by Pete Voelz       4/06

Graceful Light

God's graceful light shines brighter than the sun,
but spiritually, so it's invisible,
it lights with grace the souls of everyone,
we see with eyes of faith its miracle.

God's light of grace allows our faith to see,
we see and so believe all it can show,
His Revelation sets our hope so free
we are assured, by faith and grace, we know.

The graceful light turns knowledge into love
that leads us to desire to serve and do
His holy will and not be fearful of
the struggle with the dark for what is true.

O God of might, direct me in the fight,
and guide me gently by Your graceful light.

                          -- by Pete Voelz       3/10

God All Right

God will make it all come out all right;
no matter if we fall a thousand times;
whether our flaws are small or big as crimes,
God will make it all come out all right.

In life we see the wicked get rewards;
the one who plays a trick will win a fight,
the ones who brawl the best may be the lords,
but God will make it all come out all right.

We struggle with our work all day and night;
we almost go berserk to find the light;
we haul the ball and chain with all our might,
and then God makes it all come out all right.

So heed the humble call with faith contrite,
and watch God make it all come out all right.

                               -- by Pete Voelz      2002

Little Known

As complicated as the world may be,
mysterious as the twinkling stars above,
more complicated is the world of me,
and even more mysterious is His love.

As unknown as the outcomes of a war,
my life I see as but an iceberg's tip,
Your ways, O God, are unknown even more,
so less I know of our relationship.

Most of the world's a book I cannot read,
creation's so unclear and yet so near,
I cannot fathom yet believe the creed,
for God is interested in me here.

What's our relationship I could not say,
yet though I know but little, I shall stay.

               -- by Pete Voelz        12/10

Nobody in Me

There's nobody in me but me,
and that's a little strange,
for I who hide alone inside
I know will never change.

My nature may seem on display
when I'm in front of you,
but you can't see the truer me,
all hidden from your view.

My views can veer from fear to cheer,
my moods swing by the hour
or sweetly glide inside my hide
while outside all is sour.

My friend may know the me I show
better than all the rest
but I know me more so than he,
yet God knows me the best.

They say each cell I know so well
will change in seven years,
so physically I will not be
the me that now appears.

But the me within the baby's skin
born so long ago
will always be the same old me
however big I grow.

The me I knew when I was two
felt very much alive,
and I know I'll feel myself as real
when I am ninety-five.

In memory I still am me
whatever my body does,
and when I'm past I hope will last
the real me that I was.

So I must leave what I achieve
that lasts eternally
and show outside to far and wide
the me that's truly me.

          -- by Pete Voelz       2002

God's Little Time

I get around to God, Who puts me first,
I'm very busy, what's God got to do?
He gives His best, sometimes I give my worst,
He's just beginning when my prayers are through.

I am distracted everywhere I go,
my weary words for Him are tame and terse,
my always faithful God keeps me in tow,
while He manipulates the universe.

I'm all wrapped up in my petite cacoon,
it's hard for me to see the way things are,
when searching for His sun I find the moon,
the Maker of the stars makes me His star.

O God, Who's everywhere and ever there,
at least I offer You my little prayer.

                                  -- by Pete Voelz       3/06

Anything for Me

I sometimes wonder what I do for Christ,
what kind of person I should really be;
He went the length from heaven to sacrificed,
for Jesus would do anything for me.

The Son of God was happy in His heaven,
but He looked down and saw my misery,
He wanted all my sins to be forgiven,
and He would do just anything for me.

He emptied Himself of the God He was,
and took the humble man that I can see,
except for sin, became like me because
He wanted to give everything for me.

O Jesus, I believe all this is true,
and so I would do anything for You.

             -- by Pete Voelz     12/10

Author God

O God, You are the Author of it all,
from nothing You create the universe,
how great You are I can't see, I'm so small,
how wonderful the gifts that You disperse.

You author life and look on it as good,
You authorize the laws of land and sea,
You tell me to obey, I know I should,
the ones You vest with Your authority.

You authorize our children to obey,
and us to teach them better things to choose,
not to rebel against Your loving way,
though they are free to win with You or lose.

O Author great, let me not play the fool,
but realize You're authorized to rule.

                       -- by Pete Voelz       1/07

God's Little Love

I know You like it when I love You, Lord,
I send You love and almost see You smile,
I play a note of love to strike a chord,
a little slip of love to stir Your style.

My eyes of faith can pierce the quiet dark,
I do not need the sun to see You there,
to kindle love I simply send a spark,
I only need one breath to see the air.

A little love can go a long, long way,
You sift Your infinite love into a drop,
that bit of love with me will always stay,
I nurture it so mine will never stop.

O God, the care and cure of all despair,
how sweet we meet our little loves in prayer.

                    -- by Pete Voelz       1/31/13

All Love

Love grows in us until love’s all we are,
then to You, God, we are acceptable,
we must be love, like You, to cross the bar,
for You are love, our love’s Your miracle.

And love expands, the more of love I do,
the more I spend my love, the more I own,
I love myself more, Lord, when I love You,
the less I love, my heart turns into stone.

Love multiplies, it grows by leaps and bounds,
love blooms, creates sweet beauty like a flower,
war, anger, evil, hate--all these love drowns,
love makes the world go ’round, love holds the power.

Love’s everything, like God is everything,
when I love, Lord, like You, I too am king.

                   -- by Pete Voelz       1/28/13

More Souls, More Love

God’s love for me grows with the souls I bring,
the more I bring, so much He loves me more;
if just for me I do most everything,
omniscient God in His own way keeps score.

Yet clearly God is not some big equation,
He’s free to love us all unequally,
He little cares we’re white, black, brown or Asian,
God’s love is shrouded in His mystery.

God wants more souls to love and come His way,
to steal those souls from God’s the devil’s goal,
I wish I could send God souls every day,
but I can barely save my own poor soul.

Lord, You desire more souls I could supply,
send me more love and grace and I shall try.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       1/30/13