Linda M. Crate- Three Poems

a constant teacher 

no matter how far i stray
whenever i walk away
Your voice is always calling me
back to the light because
i don't want to be the wretched
thing i sometimes am,
but You always forgive my flaws
more easily than i can;
and You've told me more than once
i need to forgive myself but it's 
hard for me to remember
despite Your gentle reminder because
i hold myself to higher standards
than perhaps i can even achieve
yet You've never given up 
on me.


The Good Shepherd

You have given me so
much that i cannot
be ungrateful,
and forgiven so much
that i know that i am undeserving
of Your favor and grace
yet You give them to me anyway
forgiving all the ugly things
in me;
and washing everything away
that is unclean
so that i can shine pure before You
You make my ways straight
when i could see no path before but
crookedness,
and You always lead me back to the flock
because You are the good Shepherd
never wiling to lose any of Your sheep. 


musing

i forgive unconditionally
because that is how You forgave me,
and i love the same way
because You taught me;
my heart grieves
when people leave me and i know
how You must feel when someone chooses
to leave Your love and hope behind—
i wish You'd teach me how
to make the pain go away when you are
rejected,
but perhaps You can't because there's
no way to get over it except to live and hope and dream,
and persevere no matter how hard it gets.