Linda M. Crate- Three Poems

save us from ourselves

You are my light,
my strength and defender
protecting me from
my enemies
even when the foe is
myself and my own foolish
thoughts or actions;
and You are my ray of hope
when darkness
descends it's cold shroud around
me—
You are the great I am
the alpha and omega
beginning and the end,
and i pray Lord that You protect
us all from all the anger and wrath and
injustices wrapping us in their
arms because hate cannot drive out hate
and darkness cannot drive out darkness
only love and light can do that
and You are the possessor of the greatest
strength and love i have ever known.



grant me strength to do Your will

You overcame death so i
can overcome,
and it seems so hard with all these
walls constricting around me
to keep dreaming and believing that You
are the one in control;
but You remind me that i must have
endurance and patience—
You tell me not to
fear, and that it will be all right that i
can trust You;
sometimes, Lord, this world is a scary
place but You are my Savior
You can walk on water,
and so i remind myself not to be troubled
to trust in Your holy name—
You've dried my tears and chase away all
my fears,
and Lord i ask You give me the strength
to do Your purpose because it's hard to
sparkle like Your star when i feel
as if i am not strong enough to gaze upon the
beauty of Your grace.



separation

i am sorry for the times i've
done evil because i know
it breaks Your heart,
and it shatters mine as well;
but You forgive me
even in this broken, ugly state
so please Lord teach me
to forgive as You do because heaven
only knows how hard i can hold
a grudge against my enemies, and You've
commanded i forgive them just as
You forgave me—
i am always the girl that loves more,
but You tell me that i can't
keep track no matter how much they hurt me;
but it's hard and i can't do it alone
so teach me Lord to follow
Your voice when this
humanity in me pulls and jerks away from
Your truth
because the greatest pain is
separation from You.