Dusk To Dawn 8-10-12

Why at dusk did Your evening sunset overwhelm the blue -

and how did I miss, with sunlight's fade, our dimming friendship too?

Why did the grasses so appear 'greener on the other side'

and how did You seem so far away - beyond the deserts wide?

Why did I always rivers ride, with every twist and bend -

and how was it all futility with needs that never end?

Why did I go my selfish way and how'd I cut my path -

right over the worst terrain I found, only to find Your wrath?

Why did Your roses lose their scent and how'd our friendship wilt -

and how when with repentance here, did truth exacerbate guilt?

Why did I seek man's wisdom when my stomach grew to yearn

then question straight and narrow path that lost my chance to learn?

Why did my heart seem hardened so and how'd I grow so old -

waiting for all Your answers here in this frigid midnight cold?

Why did the chills surround me so and shiver every bone

and how did Your stars stare down at me and make me feel alone?

How did the darkness blanket me though moon and stars shone bright

to seemingly mock my presence here?  It didn't seem quite right...

No longer will I cut my path nor crawl through desert sand.

I walk beside still waters here, beside You, hand in hand.

It's easy to say 'Forgive me', but hard to be sincere,

still harder to walk the narrow, harder yet to persevere.

But peering to the Heavens now and awed by what I see -

I'm so content in knowing that You're right down here with me.

I know Your love, Your faithfulness, Your brilliant haloed face -

and faith reveals that dawn has come with morning sun, Your grace.

©2012 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Desert Sand 9-24-09

One small tiny grain of sand
is not as bad as dirt.
It's just a little sin I said.
Now what can one grain hurt?

As life grew harder every day,
they started piling up.
And even though I got my way -
so empty was my cup.

Futility! I looked around -
no hills, the desert flat.
I thought I was so very good,
but this, could not combat.

Sandy dust blew in my eyes -
and stung where’re I looked.
The sun so high up overhead.
It really, really cooked.

No roads or paths, just emptiness -
in land that didn't care.
My feet were burning in the sand.
Suns wrath was everywhere.

I ran that I might save me.
I worked horizons line.
The waves of heat were rising.
I thought I'd saw a sign.

Those far deceptions seized me
with waves of heat thereon.
Those fun mirages fooled me
and kept me moving on.

But salty sweat stung open sores
though that was not the worst -
mirages never satisfied
nor ever quenched my thirst.

My muscles ached from head to toe -
but stop, I didn't dare.
I plodded on for days and days -
Not getting anywhere.

Finally, I stopped and dropped
and others I condemned.
Those tiny grains had bested me
and I collapsed on them.

For hours I lay there helpless -
prayed selfishly for rain -
then fell asleep exhausted -
done in by tiny grain.

Then I awoke quite suddenly -
with sand still on my face.
Showers blessings pelted me -
and that, my friend, was grace.

I thanked the Lord profusely -
this selfish, evil man.
I turned my faith to heaven then.
I knew that this God can.

Just one tiny grain of sand,
held innocently in hand.
Once a tiny sin I said,
but now I understand.

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

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Revelation 7:16 (NASB) "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat..."

Humble Child 12-15-08

.
Dreams, a wish, a want and cloud,
I chased a rainbow all allowed....
I saw futility.

Career, work, a job and more,
opportunities, times, an open door....
I grasped futility!

I entered life I could not shut -
in filth and mud - then in a rut....
I wore futility!

I scaled the ladder - oh, so high -
the lights below I couldn't buy....
I lived futility!

In total darkness, there I was -
you asked me "why"? I said "because"....
In full futility!

Then humbled there, I saw a child,
as I looked down, He saw I smiled....
- and then He set me free.

©2008 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
www.ganderpoems.org

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Futility 10-18-08

Futility:
is a cry unheard -
or a star unseen.

Futility:
is a dictionary never opened -
or eyes that cannot read.

Futility:
is a termite encased in a metal box -
or seeds, in a sealed package, never planted.

Futility:
is the worlds most beautiful flower in a forest unseen -
or the greatest sermon preached - to an empty room.

Futility:
is a microphone unplugged -
or headphones on deaf ears.

Futility:
is a world of envy -
or a state of hate.

Futility:
is deceptiive love -
or worthless riches.

Futility:
is kissing a toad -
or hugging a flag pole.

Futility:
is outside a fancy door, doing nothing -
or opening the biggest door to nowhere.

Futility:
is the hardest worker, with no understanding -
or the greatest mind in a body never worked.

Futility:
is a hole dug - just before caving back in -
or the greatest, tallest mountain of debt.

Futility:
is a king without his subjects -
or subjects without their king.

Futility:
is having been given an unusable brain -
or given a mind which is thoughtless.

Futility:
It's doom, agony, despair, life without purpose -
It's fruitless, full of pain and hopelessness.

Futility:
It's sin, the absence of appreciation -
It’s lacking thankfulness for every blessing.

Futility:
It's death on a cross without sufficient grace -
It’s the great deceptive arrogance of 'works' by man.

Futility.
It comes in many shapes and sizes -
It thrives like a stubborn weed - when faith is weak.

Futility:
It's life without faith in the almighty God -
or lifelessness without His grace, under cold sod.

©2008 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Decisions, Decisions 12-20-05

Some decisions in my life are easy - black and white.
It doesn't take much to compare the sun from the black night.

I know what’s light and heavy. I know what’s short and long.
I know what’s hot and cold - but do I always know what's wrong?

Sometimes it seems impossible in life's big, endless fight;
and sometimes still, I ask myself, should I turn left or to my right?

Problems fill my mixed up head. My decisions seem so frail;
and sometimes I can do what's right - but often times I fail.

If the road we're on is winding, and leads back to you or me;
it's time we fully understand that it's all futility.

And if that isn't bad enough, Satan pulls our bending ear;
tells us what to do and think, makes us want and makes us fear.

He claims the world and all unrest, all hate and greed abound.
Sometimes it makes me wonder - if God is still around.

Not looking to the one, true God - that I hide on a shelf;
it's then my faith is failing – looking only to myself.

It’s also when I am most troubled. Nothing lights my way;
nor is there much that I can do, except to humbly pray.

So when I have no place to turn, surrounded by the sea;
I reach my hands to heaven, and grasp the golden key!

God will always tell me - and deep inside I know -
that I'm my biggest problem as I'm tossed to and fro.

So when I know not where to turn - from sin and shame I flee;
it's then that I can see the light, and follow faithfully.

For faithfully, His still, small voice, is now my every clue;
so I don’t focus on this earth, but out beyond the blue.

©2005 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Isaiah 11:3-5 (NASB)
3And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; 4But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. 5Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist.