Strong Faith

I put my faith in God, Who makes me strong,
and when my faith is weak, I hold it fast,
I feel my faith in God's where I belong,
my faith in God comes first, I feel, not last.

Who separates me from my faith in God?
No man, no king, no rock, no thing, no power,
my faith is real inside, it's no facade,
outside I live my faith and feel it flower.

I choose to have my faith for I am free,
I find my faith in every place I look,
I take the gift of faith God gives to me,
His grace, His words in His inspired book.

My faith is like a mountain none can touch,
I pray my faith will pay off in the clutch.

                            -- by Pete Voelz      9/09

Faith or Grace

Does faith come first or does God's grace come first?
Does God give grace that helps us to believe,
or does faith foster grace in one big burst?
Yet without grace how can we faith conceive?

To grow, faith must be nourished by God's grace,
like ground whose thirst is quenched by gentle rain,
faith grows with grace as we respond apace,
unless faith dies as we spurn grace like Cain.

Faith is a gift, we do not merit it,
both gifts are like two sides of the same coin,
God's gifts us grace to make our soul's faith fit,
yet it takes our free will to make them join.

I can't unravel how they're intertwined,
give me, God, lots of faith and grace combined.

                                -- by Pete Voelz       5/08

Soul Searcher

O God, no one but You can search the soul,
so small it disappears from scrutiny,
but You, O Constant God, are on patrol,
You make Youself small too inside of me.

Yet our small souls can stretch an infinite way,
throughout the past and future paths of time,
to You and back, O God, whenever we pray,
our souls can sail from seas to stars sublime.

But, God, You watch my soul perform its deeds,
You feel it help You in the weak and poor,
in turn, You help it serve You and their needs,
as You store grace in poor souls at their core.

This soul You search and watch in and outside,
I thank You, God, You also guard and guide.

                           -- by Pete Voelz       12/10

Sweet Bird

Why does God send this me this bird this day?
Does He want me to listen to its song,
To try to hear just what it has to say
for it to help me as I go along?

What can there be to catch from its clear note,
repeated with some variation small?
The limpid music issuing from its throat
seems not to have a thought for me at all.

Come to announce the day to me at dawn,
Your needed rest is over now, awake!
Once more the night has fled, the dark is gone,
arise, rejoice, get busy for God's sake!

I thank You, Lord, for this sweet bird and day,
for me to pray and study, work and play.

                               -- by Pete Voelz      2/06

Two Sides

The spiritual side of me seems like thin gruel,
my physical senses seem to me so strong,
so much religion makes me feel a fool,
 science and law tell me what’s right and wrong.

But faith can move a mountain, says the Lord,
with galaxies our Spirit God fills space,
the good from bad are split by His swift sword,
what power compares to His great love and grace.

God made the moral law higher than ours,
my heart responds to love more than temptation,
His miracles suspend our natural powers,
His Gospel wins the souls of all the nations.

My body’s strength and feats can make me prouder,
my Spirit’s side whispered by God speaks louder.

                               -- by Pete Voelz       9/20/12

Tender Hand

The Lord's most tender hand's upon my soul,
a little orphan low He raises me,
His loving care makes all my broken whole,
my fear of Him sets all my fearing free.

Good Shepherd He fills full His tiny lamb,
and lifts the load of lost that cripples me,
He tells me true of who I really am,
from all my struggling sins He sets me free.

The Father fair adopts me for His son,
with gentle care and love He cradles me,
He strengthens me until the course is run,
His power releases all my talents free.

I trust His guiding light throughout the race,
His noble image mirrored on my face.

                      -- by Pete Voelz         8/04

The Thread of God

Sometimes I hang on God by just a thread,
you’d think a chain for all the things He’s done,
a rope at least, for all the things He’s said,
the cement of love, the way He sent His Son.

My laziness and freedom keep God far,
I turn my back when I prefer to sin,
we’re not too close the way my habits are,
what is the real relationship we’re in?

Do I hang by a thread the way I pray,
am I aware that God is everywhere,
that always here, He’ll never go away,
He gives me all, so everything we share?

Don’t I know that we never are apart?
Who needs a thread when He is in my heart?

                         -- by Pete Voelz       9/2/12