Beloved Lover

Who am I to invade the Trinity,
except it’s what the Trinity desires,
so great’s the love of these three Greats for me,
to pray to Them is what Their love inspires.

They do not wish to love only Themselves,
since They are love, Their love They want to share,
They made us not to set upon some shelves,
Their love by nature means They really care.

Their Triune love They want me to invade,
Their love They hope I will reciprocate:
“Come close, beloved lover, unafraid,”
my personal God says, “Love us, do not wait.”

Three-Person God, Love infinite and true,
may You be my Beloved Lover too.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       8/31/12

Norms of Love

Norms of Love

We have a normal God, Who sets the norm
for laws of nature and the human race,
a heart on fire with love, but gently warm
when giving us His power, strength and grace.

To meet His norm of love we must be free,
a risky norm that leaves us free to sin,
the first sin hurt as far as faith can see,
and who could clean the mess it left us in?

The other norm of love is shown by Christ,
a willingness to suffer, even die,
such love that care for self is sacrificed,
with others put before the mighty I.

Since You are love, O Lord, the norm is You,
for us to love You back the way You do.

                    -- by Pete Voelz       8/27/12

Selfish Prayers

I send to God so many selfish prayers,
I boldly ask for almost anything,
I keep them streaming as so many dares,
first begging, then demanding like a king.

My prayers are nothing God can’t handle well,
He hauls them in, the big ones and the small,
I, quickly texting on my spiritual cell,
He, lovingly carefully managing each and all.

Though He does answer in a Godly way,
God will reply in any style He chooses,
He keeps right on inspiring me to pray,
whoever does not pray’s the one who loses.

Lord, You desire our praying more and more,
for You’re the One we pray-ers never bore.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       8/29/12

To Get to Heaven

To get to heaven, God wants me to believe,
to put my faith in Him Who made me free,
to follow Him, not him who would deceive,
to humbly put God first instead of me.

Next God wants me to hope and not despair,
life's tough, I meet the slings and arrows here,
trusting in God, I share my hope in prayer,
then show it as I work and persevere.

Then God made me so I'd love others most,
to fill their needs, their hunger and their thirst,
not too much in myself to be engrossed,
but by my actions to put others first.

Most, Lord, I ask that You forgive my sin,
so that Your hoped for heaven I may win.

                      -- by Pete Voelz          4/09

Signs of Sin

The signs of sin can come in subtle ways,
we know we shouldn't, but do anyway,
quick pros and cons can leave us in a daze,
and guilt is put off for another day.

Conscience is muted while temptation's strong,
once we get started, it is hard to stop,
chance happens fast from our desires long,
we're sure a little, but we doubt a lot.

Our sneaky sins would never post a sign,
it's later hard to say just when we knew it,
our darker side o'ershadows the divine,
it barely needs to tell us to just do it.

God gives us at such times sufficient grace,
but fallen nature portions sin its space.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       12/10

from:  pmvoelz.blogspot.com

The Watcher

I sleep, and God, Who does not sleep, sees me,
I'm still, but God, awake, still hears me breathe,
I helpless lie, as God bides tenderly,
I'm all alone with One who'll never leave.

It’s dark, but saints I call light up my mind,
though quiet, they listen to my voice in prayer,
eyes closed, I am still anything but blind,
by faith, I see God's angels join us there.

God never is alone in watching us,
He brings a multitude community,
we fools expect God is some blunderbuss,
but He's a breeze of whispering Trinity.

Our watching God, Who shakes the universe,
is quiet, patient, bountiful and terse.

                         --  by Pete Voelz       12/04

Wishful Prayers

Sometimes my prayer is no more than a wish,
God sees my heart and knows what I desire,
what seems like He’s just throwing me a fish,
envelopes me with thunder, lightning, fire.

A heart depressed, left burning with despair,
sobs but a tear and gets a storm for balm,
a soul bereft of love beyond repair,
just sighs, and sees the stormy seas go calm.

There’s prayer that’s persevered and may take years,
there’s deep and desperate prayer hurled at His face,
there’s hope-repeated prayer through tons of tears,
like wishful prayers, God answers all with grace.

If God would not want wishful prayers to be,
why would He wistfully once make wishful me?

                           -- by Pete Voelz      8/24/12