Hopelessly Helpless? 6-28-12

I woke up from sleeping and found myself eating

a piece of old barley bread.

While feeding on breakfast, I thought it most unjust

that yours was a warm one instead.

Though willow branch bends, it cannot make amends

to a place that I'm sitting between.

A rock and a hard place that's hopeless to face -

and torment, the greatest I've seen.

My great sacrifice just wouldn't suffice.

These shoes that I wear aren't by choice.

"We can't refinance" was the bank's 'song and dance'

but who would hear my little voice?

Despite life-long effort, they're selling me short,

my business at such a great cost.

The bank never spared because they hadn't cared,
hence millions of dollars were lost.

So don't store up treasures for everyday pleasures,

in things of this earth that will rust.

The great love of money has never been funny,

for only in God should we trust.

It's so disconcerting my children are hurting,

yet hopelessly helpless I am.

Despite expectations to pay obligations,

I now can't help any of them.

I sit in the shade of these problems they made.

This willow tree weeps with me too.

The moral of story is not really gory

if we've learned a lesson or two.

Those decades of years bring me sad lonely tears

for they took everything that I had.

But what greater loss - than was Christ's on the cross?

I maybe don't have it so bad.

©2012 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

-------

Johnny 3-1-09

Have you ever had unwanted help -
(oh, let’s just call him "Johnny"),
with exceeding, good intentions,
now thinking back, was funny?

God must laugh a little too,
when He sees how we act.
But remember though, His only Son -
He cried, and that's a fact.

My birthday cake, a year ago
tasted somewhat bland.
It had a funny color too -
the texture? (playground sand).

Whether lav, or kitchen sink,
or tub (home for his toad).
Grace was like the water
that Johnny overflowed.

He knew that water would spill forth
no matter where, was drawn,
and Johnny was so full of faith
when turning water on.

Oh, Johnny had his good days
and certainly his bad,
but I would never trade him as -
I loved the little lad.

Our Father loves us just the same,
despite the times we're wrong -
but if we're not responsible,
our discipline is strong.

If faith is like a water pipe,
if grace a lot like water,
if Christians were like Johnny -
just think what could occur!

If gardens saw no water,
our fruit would not be ripe.
All of it would die away -
without the water pipe.

But baptised in His water,
salvation we will get,
and as it was with Johnny -
so often drenching wet.

God's grace is all sufficient
for those who turn it on,
but most won't see the power
of living water drawn.

And yes, at times I'd scold him,
the paddle, his reward -
but questions seemed to linger -
with him, I so adored.

Many times a flood of tears,
poured down my weary face,
as he taught me repeatedly
God loves the human race.

I'd ask myself quite often as
I looked him in the eye,
and wondered if my Johnny had,
a greater faith than I?

©2009 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.ganderpoems.org/

-------

John 4: (NIV)7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."