His Work 10-25-12

He laid a sheet of paper down
upon a table top -
and from his chair he wrote and wrote
so faithfully, non-stop.

They laughed at him and bragged about
the works that they had done.
They filled vast reams of papers, yet -
he had but only one.

They boasted of their many works
their fancy hands exposed.
Great works in rich calligraphy
were pridefully disclosed.

Again they stood around and laughed,
but never did he gloat.
They laughed and scoffed and scoffed and laughed
at everything he wrote..

His life was written on one page -
but what? I didn't know.
The paper he had laying there
was white as driven snow.

Sorrow filled his teary face.
This world fatigued his soul.
The agony that he endured
had taken quite a toll.

I saw that many people judged,
made fun of and demeaned,
ridiculed and criticized
his lack of works they'd seen.

Yet faithfully, he wrote much more.
Were no works written there?
Still blank, his paper had appeared.
I thought it quite unfair.

Unfair that he was working hard
on words that wouldn't be.
Unfair that he was judged by those
on work they couldn't see.

Sometimes we think life's all in vain -
those things we do for God -
but He knows every one of us
and how, through life, we've trod.

It's not the works that we can see
that's valued on our page -
but rather what was done in love
that God will one day gauge.

So why was it completely blank?
Confused, I stopped to think -
but then I learned his work was penned
with tears instead of ink.

Yes, God knows our compassion.
So ponder this- it's true:
God floods His grace upon His world,
gets faithfulness from few.

©2012 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

-------

Everlasting Tears 8-6-12

With sadness in His furrowed face,

with sorrow in His eyes,

with stench of blood and streaming sweat

with death heard in His cries -

could we not tell, when grimaced He,

in pain we couldn't hear,

in anguish so, He couldn't hold

that first initial tear?

From One so pure and innocent,

from One who suffered loss,

was One who sacrificed for us

on such a wicked cross,

where one tear found an opening,

accompanied by more -

to open up the floodgates there,

as never seen before.

But were the tears that Jesus shed

from just the pain He bore?

Or were the tears that soaked His face

from something even more?

They were not tears of happiness,

or stirred up tears of joy.

They were not tears of anger's rage

or tears that would destroy.

His tears were mixed with sweat and blood

that poured down from His face,

then dripped upon His heaving chest

and quickened to a place -

a place where burdens rested,

a place so torn apart,

but place sincere and sacred too -

His heavy laden heart.

A mother knows the pain of love

when children disobey.

She'll cry for hours, days and weeks.

There is no other way -

no other way to share her tears

than blend them in a prayer,

and send them up to Jesus where,

they mix with His tears there.

So take a look at Jesus' tears

and do they not comprise,

of grace and vast eternal love

just like a mother's eyes?

Produce a single tear, can I,

acknowledging my years,

that Jesus sacrificed for me,

in everlasting tears?

©2012 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

-------

Beneath His Willow Tree 6-8-12

So tell me, does God understand,

and can He really see,

a lonely widow on this bench

beneath His willow tree?

There were parents busy with,

their children running free,

but no one noticed I sat here

beneath His willow tree.

Of all the people in the park,

I thought of only me.

Could no one know my broken heart

beneath His willow tree?

My husband's recent passing adds

one more bad memory,

to all my pile of heartaches here

beneath His willow tree.

"Please take away my loneliness."

I prayed, "May sorrow flee" -

but felt a tear start rolling down,

beneath His willow tree.

I prayed for one small miracle,

just one drop from His sea -

then found a peace not felt before,

beneath His willow tree.

As Jesus kissed my tear away,

I noticed lovingly,

another weary woman rest,

beneath His willow tree.

So then she shared her loneliness.

A new friend she would be.

We talked and laughed and opened up

beneath His willow tree.

The sun came out and brightened us,

as we sipped green iced tea -

and reminisced together  here

beneath His willow tree.

So tell me, does God understand,

and can He really see,

a lonely widow on this bench

beneath His willow tree?

©2012 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

-------

John 13:34 (NASB)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,

even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

But Have I Loved? 9-25-11

I've read a Book that was read by millions.

I've seen a painting that was seen by millions.

I've sung a hymn that was sung my millions.

But have I loved?

For with LOVE comes sacrifice,

and with sacrifice comes much sorrow,

and with much sorrow comes many tears,

and with many tears comes vast emptiness,

and with vast emptiness comes more agony,

and with more agony comes horrid pain,

and with horrid pain comes suffering, 

and with suffering comes a cross.

A cross that PROVES love.

PROOF through an only begotten Son -

who sacrificed,

who forgave, 

who died,

who rose again,

who loves me more than ever,

who wants me to experience just one short inch in His sandals,

and take one faint breath on my humble cross,

so that I may also learn how to love.

I've not authored a book that was read by millions.

I've not painted a picture that was seen by millions.

I've not arranged a hymn that was sung my millions.

But have I Loved?

©2011 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

-------

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NASB)
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three;

but the greatest of these is love. 

Picture Frames 2-18-09

Picture frames sure vary so,
whether big or small.
They all have work they need to do,
whether wide or tall.

Picture frames are so unique,
maple, oak or pine -
but focus not on picture frames -
they're merely for design.

Frames can border a photo.
Frames can border a place.
Frames can border a work of art
or frames can border a face.

---

When I was just a little boy,
(and though I was quite small),
a picture I remember well
was hanging on the hall.

I know my father put it there -
its place for many years.
There it was throughout my teens -
showed sorrow, pain and tears.

That picture was of Jesus
bowed lowly on His knees -
at a huge and solid rock,
near branches from some trees.

His hands were neatly folded.
Love flowed from both His eyes.
His head was tilted way, way back -
His face gazed at the skies.

Dark clouds had covered most the sky.
Moonlight rays had lit His face,
and seemed to put a glow around
this humble Man of grace.

For years, that picture on our wall
drew thoughts within my mind...
God sent on down, His only Son,
to sinful men, unkind.

I remember well, that picture.
I don't recall the frame.
So let us frame, that others see,
that they might know His name.

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

-------