wisdom

by

By The Book

Some time ago
     I was given a task.
Raise thirty-six thousand.
     was all they did ask.
With only a few months
     to come up to speed.
I fell on my knees
     and with God I did plead. 

Send me a few friends
     who will hear what I say.
Not “send me money”,
     but “kneel down and pray”.
To accomplish a task
     that was very large.
Could only be done
     if God was in charge. 

My ways were unusual
     and people thought odd.
Instead of on people,
     I focused on God!
For when it came to wealth,
     there’s one thing I knew.
It all comes from God,
    not from me nor from you. 

There were a few
     who did understand.
We prayed and we prayed,
     while we worked and we planned.
We asked God to meet us
     at the point of our need.
And sought Him to cleanse us
     from all of our greed. 

We didn’t go after
     the people we “should”.
The list of the wealthy,
     whose giving was good.
We proclaimed the same news
     to all far and near.
Ask God what you should give
     and do what you hear. 

The people responded
     and gave what they could.
They listened to God
     as we prayed that they would.
They gave what they had,
     some gave even more.
With donated service,
     we only needed thirty-four! 

When all was collected
     that God did provide.
I sat back in wonder,
     it was quite a ride!
Thirty-four thousand
     in commitments and cash!
Plus two thousand saved
     on the cost of the bash! 

The fact that God worked
     is hard to deny.
But I lost that position,
     I say with a sigh.
I did it all wrong
     according to man.
I should have followed
     a more proven plan. 

There’s something quite wrong
     when man’s way is better.
Than following God’s Word,
     right down to the letter.
But “Father knows best”
     is always true.
When God is the Father
     that we always look to. 

I did learn a lesson,
     I hope never to forget.
That I’m always safe
     in God’s safety net.
The memories are painful,
     the hurt I still feel.
But God’s giving me poems
     that are helping me heal. 

As you do read this,
     I pray you do know.
That doing things God’s way
     is the right way to go.
It won’t always work out
     as you think it should.
But God gives His promise,
     it will be for your good.

 © 2014 by Tom Lemler

It is hard to watch struggles take place in areas that God has already proven His willingness and desire to meet needs if we would forsake man’s wisdom and fully seek Him.  I woke up with this poem in my head and realized even more fully than before that God is using these poems to bring healing into my life as He continues to mold me further into His image.  I pray that these words help you to seek God and to fully devote  yourself to prayer and the Word as you trust Him to accomplish only what He can.

In prayer,
Tom 

by

Faithful

When I consider
      how little I know.
It’s pretty amazing
      how far I can go.
If you are thinking,
      I sell myself short.
You’ve probably not heard
      what some would report.
If it can be said
      in a negative way.
I’m quite sure I’ve heard it
      directed my way.

It’s a lesson we’ve learned
      since junior high school.
If I put you down,
      perhaps I’ll look cool.
Somehow we think,
      if we want to be tall.
Then we have one choice,
      make others look small.
Sometimes we forget,
      or simply don’t know.
We can be taller,
      if we were to grow.

To have much more wisdom
      than those who would teach.
God says if I seek Him,
      it is within reach.
To meditate daily
      on God’s written word.
Gives me more wisdom
      than those that are heard.
To grow up in faith
      and walk in the light.
God directs my path
      so I’m living right.

Some put their trust
      in what’s taught by man.
They can’t wait on God,
      they have their own plan.
Their plan is better
      because they know it all.
Except they forget,
      pride comes before a fall.
They never consider
      who God might use.
Could be somebody else,
      not a person they’d choose.

So, back to the story
      of little old me.
The less I am certain,
      the more I can see.
To only know one thing,
      but to know it quite well.
God wants to work through me,
      in me He does dwell.
I trust in God’s word,
      instead of some man.
When they say I can’t,
      He says, “You can.”

So I fix my eyes
      toward heaven above.
Walk onward in faith,
      filled with God’s love.
Nothing’s too little
      or ever too small.
If God says to do it,
      I give it my all.
And when I am faithful,
      each step that I take.
He lifts me up further,
      all for His great name’s sake.
©

As I worked on a sermon, “A New JOB”, based on the calling of the disciples by Jesus, and reflected on the fact that my book would soon be in print, this poem came into my mind.  There have been times that I’ve let the words of people keep me from believing that God can use me for His purposes.  Out of a time of despair, God brought me back to Deer Run where He has surrounded me with people who remind me of the value of being faithful.  I pray that this poem is an encouragement to you and brings glory to God.

In prayer,
Tom