Poetry

Listening – Part 2

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

I finished a somewhat longer article on listening, but I will wait to publish that tomorrow. This morning I wanted to lighten the mood a bit by sharing a poem I wrote a few years ago, titled Ears. I hope you enjoy and that you will join me on the journey of learning to listen. 

Ears

Only ears can hear
That's just the way God made us
If ears were eyes or nose
They'd certainly betray us

But when God fashioned ears
Those humble awkward things
That flop about and wiggle
On little inner springs

He made a way to tell us
How much we'd been forgiven
And then He set and tuned them
To hear His words from Heaven

Yes only ears can hear
That's just the way God made them
Humble listening gifts
Let's certainly obey them!

Ears by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright 2021
All rights reserved

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
James 1:19  ESV

He’ll Make Everything New!

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment 
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. Luke 18:10 KJV

Two men went into the temple to pray 
One a Conservative 
The other no way! 
The conservative began with his voice filled with pride 
And thanked God that he 
Was an upstanding guy! 
Then he started to talk 
All about his good deeds 
 The money he gave and the time on his knees 
And how he’d avoided the casino and bar 
And being holier than 
All those liberals by far! 

But the guy in the back 
Heard his words and just wept 
He knew he’s messed up and was way out of step 
With the way that the Savior would want him to live 
So he just bowed his head and cried “Jesus forgive!” 

Now Jesus asks us to consider these guys 
When we go to church and are wondering why 
God seems far away and we can’t wait to go 
And after it all we leave feeling low 
 
Because God made His church 
Not just for the good 
Who have dotted their i’s and done all that they should 
Instead it’s a clinic for the hurting and lost 
Who are looking for help whatever the cost 

So don’t you give up 
 God’s is faithful and true 
If we just tell Him the truth 
He'll make everything new! 

He'll Make Everything New
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright 2023 all rights reserved

Jacob’s Limp

/ pastorpete51 / 17 Comments 
My aches and pains signed up to meet
Each morning to decide
Which one of them would get to be
The first one by my side
They moan and groan and whimper that
The straight and narrow way
Is getting harder with each step
So why not turn away?

But when I paused to open up
The book that God had given
I saw His promises of life
And the stairway up to Heaven

And read how sweet this pathway is
Our great Good Shepherd walks
For He carries lambs safe in His arms
And gently leads His flocks

And as I slowly limp along  
I hear my Jesus say
That in my weakness is His strength
That will carry me today

So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 
Genesis 32:30-31 ESV

Jacob’s Limp by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright 2023 © all rights reserved