Easy to Love

Lord, loving You, You make it easy to,
You’re not just anywhere, You’re everywhere,
I find it easy to keep loving You
because You’re not just there, You’re always there.

It’s easy to love One Who’s made of love,
for You are love itself, You make love flower,
the mightiest One Who rules all from above
with loving mercy shown with loving power.

To use Your power to love is such a joy,
when like Your love, this power we embrace,
though You may have the power to destroy,
You choose to give to us Your loving grace.

So let us always love You, Lord, with ease,
for You’re indeed an easy God to please.

                   by Pete Voelz      11/30/13

Pulse of Love

I feel my heart beat with a pulse of love,
but I don’t, Lord, just love You with my heart,
each breath I take, each thought I’m thinking of,
I love You, and with every other part.

I love with every part because You’re there,
Your loving presence, oh, so wonderful,
in me can’t both our loves be everywhere,
could it be normal what’s a miracle?

For You here it’s the way You have commanded,
with all my heart and mind and strength and soul,
yet somehow I desire my love expanded
beyond the common human loving role.

Let me pulse love before, beside, behind,
more than I can, Lord,--eager, fierce and kind.

                        by Pete Voelz      11/29/13

Say to Hear

What can I say, Lord, that You want to hear--
to say: "I want more You and less of me,"
to say: "Thy will be done" without much fear,
to say: "You first!" with real humility?

You'll hear me say and pray the prayer You said,
and that my life and death I offer You,
and bleed for You the way for me You bled,
and offer You all I think, say and do.

I'll say thanks to my Audience of One,
I'll say I'm truly sorry when I sin,
and prove the faith I say by deeds I've done,
and have the hope that heaven will help me win.

I know what more You want to hear me say:
"O Lord, I love You here and now today."

                     -- by Pete Voelz          9/10

The Space Between

I see how far I am from God,
too far for me to see;
I sense the silent sounds of space,
too vast for sound to be,
and only faith can fill the gap
between Great God and me.

I feel the barreness of life
and so I wonder why;
I look inside my lonely self
and there is only I,
and only hope to rescue me
against the empty sky.

I know God gives a million gifts
to show that He is near;
He will provide me plenty there
as He provides me here,
for only love can bring me joy
and wipe away my fear.

I do believe the infinite God
is greater than the sea;
we two can pierce the world's facade
to join so spiritually,
for only grace can fill the space
between my God and me.

-- by Pete Voelz  

Shot Through God

My body, Lord, is so shot through with You,
Your Providence controls each molecule,
with You my breath, blood, heartbeat are shot through,
who can deny Your power? Only the fool.

Shot through with You’s my life from start to end,
from eons You have forged my destiny,
You test me true, but always as a friend,
You hope I give the life You gave to me.

My soul, my self You have shot through the same,
I sense Your presence in my very core,
You ask in faith I see and serve Your name,
and take Your side to fight the devil’s war.

I pray You be shot through with me in turn,
that, God, Your face I may with grace discern.

                        by Pete Voelz      11/26/13

Love Thanks

How do I thank You this Thanksgiving Day?
All You’ve done, Lord, I don’t know where to start,
since You know all, it’s not just words I say,
I thank You from the bottom of my heart.

Yet gratitude is not just how I feel,
my attitude will prove itself in prayer,
with body language, fold my hands and kneel,
for public thanks, my church will see me there.

Sincerest thanks are best shown by my love,
I love You most obeying Your commands,
but added to my love for You above,
I feed the hungry with my thankful hands.

And Lord, while filling up their empty bowls,
I’ll live Your love to fill their hungry souls.

           by Pete Voelz      11/24/13

God Near and Warm

God gave me life, does that sound far away?
God gave me power to love, does that sound cold?
God made me free, then asked me to obey,
God's near and warm, mysterious to behold.

O God, You have such power over me,
how can't I tremble when I'm facing You?
And yet You treat me gentle as can be,
how can I run from One Who is so true?

God holds me in the soft palm of His hand,
when times are good or tough, He's always there.
God gives so much, what's there to understand?
My life is filled up with His constant care.

O God, with all Your love, what can I say?
Except to pray that near and warm You’ll stay.

                       -- by Pete Voelz          12/07