Finding The Secret

More Than Conquerors
December 2003 Part 1

“Then said the other, ‘Do you see yonder Shining Light?’ He said, ‘I think I do.’ Then said Evangelist, ‘Keep that light in your eye, and go up dirctly thereto, so shalt thou see the Gate; at which when thou knockest, it shou be told thee what thou shalt do.’” -Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan)

“Then said Jesus unto them, ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’” —John 8:12

Many of us have gone through dark times in our lives in which we don’t know where to go next, and we’re not sure we’ve gotten to the place we’re supposed to be, either. In these times we question ourselves and our relationship to others, especially our Lord. We think, perhaps, we have done something wrong or we have neglected something important.

Too many times to count we have found ourselves not knowing why a situation involving someone dear to us is such a burden or a puzzlement to our hearts. We wonder if there was ever a time when we could have said something that would have changed their course and saved many, including ourselves, from heartache.

Too many times to count we have reached a crossroads in our lives where we have finished a task with sweet victory and at this point we are not sure where to go from here. Here we ponder and linger in doubt: fearing to stay put, yet unwilling to make a wrong choice.

Too many times we are heart-broken by our own mistakes and grievances. We become angry with ourselves and bemoan the consequences of our actions. In this is our greatest fear uncovered: that we have not been faithful somewhere, or have left our own selves bereft of opportunity.

Yet we can be encouraged! Too many times we cannot see where to go, for we are looking backwards.
All we need do is look forward and look up at the Light that God has placed before us. This Light is the Guide that will never fail us, though we may fail Him. He continues to shine when our world has grown dark, and when He sees that we are not reaching His place for us, he will Himself take us by the hand and lead us by still waters.

—Samuel Popiel

To Light to Thee

Darkness won’t dissolve the pictures.
Solvent sleep just blurs the visions.
Thoughts scream at me, “We are all yours!”
Morning light confirms derision.

Seems the light hurts more than darkness.
Feels like I felt best in shadow,
For the blind avoid light’s starkness,
Steady pain beats missed bravado.

Though the light hurts, darkness hurts worse.
Through the night I stumble sadly.
I know it’s the dark that’s the curse.
I need light on my eyes badly.

Thou and Thou alone art Brightness.
Unto Thee I run and falter.
My heart races, faints for lightness.
And I hope my steps don’t alter.

In Thy presence I am broken.
Lack of shadow bares my soul’s gap.
Light stained red is Thy love’s token.
In it I’m both watched and wrapped.

—Samuel Popiel

Antiphon

Daylight fades away.
Is the Lord at hand
In the shadows gray
Stealing on the land?

     Gently from the east
     Come the shadows gray;
     But our lowly priest
     Nearer is than they.

It is darkness quite.
Is the Lord at hand,
In the cloak of night
Stolen upon the land?

     But I see know night,
     For my Lord is here
     With him dark is light,
     With him far is near.

List! The cock’s awake.
Is the Lord at hand?
Cometh he to make
Light in all the land?

     Long ago he made
     Morning in my heart;
     Long ago he bade
     Shadowy things depart.

Lo, the dawning hill!
Is the Lord at hand,
Come to scatter ill,
Ruling in the land?

     He hath scattered ill,
     Ruling in my mind;
     Growing to his will,
     Freedom comes, I find.

We will watch all day,
Lest the Lord should come;
All might waking stay
In the darkness dumb.

     I will work all day,
     For the Lord hath come;
     Down my head will lay
     All night, glad and dumb.

For we know not when
Christ may be at hand;
But we know that then
Joy is in the land.

     For I know that where
     Christ hath come again,
     Quietness without care
     Dwelleth in his men.

—George MacDonald

The Light of the World

If I could release into the night
the things that trouble me;
the hurt, the pain, the burdened mind ~
it would not set me free.

For I would awake and find these things
have followed me around.
Even in the bottle,
I found troubles can't be drowned.

Sometimes, we think that all these things
have been given for us to bear ...
and if we could run as far as we can,
there is no hope out there.

Sometimes, our mind will trick us
and make us believe it’s time to go.
Please don’t pull the plug on life.
There is something you must know.

I laid awake and cried in pain.
Oh, how it hurt inside.
Something had a hold of me.
It was the evil of the night.

I ran to every harbor,
looking here and there,
and I found (with desperate searching)
that there was no hope out there.

Then, I looked up into heaven
and said, “Yes, I do believe!
Will you free me from this thing
that is surely destroying me?”

As I spoke, I felt the hair
rise up upon my arm.
A voice so soft, warm, and sweet said,
“Be still, I mean no harm.

I have come to give you hope
and take away all despair.
I have waited all these years
just to answer that outspoken prayer.

Once you lived in sin My son.
But now, I’ve set you free.
You must die of all the night
and walk in the light with Me.”

Jesus came to save me
and He surely set me free.
If I had not called, He could not hear,
and in the dark I would still be.

Sun

Dawn will not come—
The stars ignore her—
Moonlight is not enough—
Sunlight calls her—

But she turns her back to sun—
Reaches toward the black—
She’s this far gone—
Oh, why go back?

Oh, Lord, I’m helpless—
All nothing can I do—
I see my hands, useless,
And lift her up to You—

Hope is still not far away—
I pray all day, and pace—
Lord, bring her Your dawn—
The sun on her face—

—Joanna Spencer
© Joanna J. Spencer. Used with permission

The daisy follows soft the sun,
And when his golden walk is done,
Sits shyly at his feet.
He, waking, finds the flower near.
“Wherefore, marauder, art thou here?”
“Because, sir, love is sweet!”

We are the flower, Thou the sun!
Forgive us, if as days decline,
We nearer steal to Thee,—
Enamoured of the parting west,
The peace, the flight, the amethyst,
Night’s possibility!

—Emily Dickinson

He Understands

I’m not sure what to write
I could write about many things
But my heart feels sad today
With melancholy my heart rings.

It shouldn’t be this way
I should be happy and joyful all the time
Have a smiling countenance
And a face that always shines.

But I realize I am human
I will make mistakes
I don’t want to, I don’t mean to
I know Whose heart it breaks.

It breaks the heart of the One above
The One who made me with His tender hands
Formed me in my mothers womb—
Ahhhhh, I know He understands.

—Terra Mandrell
© Terra Mandrell. Used with permission.

New Words

So many words are spoken out,
So many poems penned,
But I want to say something new
To You, my best of friends.

You’re like the sun that shines on me,
Who gives me life and light;
When paths lay dark in front of me,
You make day out of night!

You’re like the stars you created,
’Cause when I’ve lost my way,
I always can look to the north
And see how far I strayed.

You’re like a rushing river, Lord,
Who takes me to the sea,
You sweep me past my humanness
To Your infinity!

But still I know it’s all been said,
I’ve nothing new to say;
So take my life, it’s all I have
That I can give away!

—Benjamin Graber

Limping

Limping down the road I find
That I can go no further—
I feel like I’ve been on this path
At least close to forever—

I’ve fallen on the rocks again—
My knees are scarred and black—
In agony I close my eyes,
Sweat trickles down my back—

Why is this path so difficult?
Why the road, so hard to bear?
Everything is so rough to handle—
And no one seems to care—

But as I wallow in sorrow and stain,
I see, through a dim-lit grace,
That I have drawn my eyes off the light
That You’ve shed upon my face—

This shouldn’t be as hard as this—
And with the light I see,
That keeping my eyes on Him alone
Is such a pleasantry—

I Have a Rendezvous

I have a rendezvous with God,
A magnet, within my heart,
That pulls me ever to Him when
I fear we’re drifting apart.

So, like a flame that seeks it’s own,
Two flames that burn as one,
I'm always seeking His light, His way,
Before even choosing my own.

Lost on my way, ’til His light shone through;
Fearful, dismayed and dead,
How can I less than grateful be
For the precious way He has led?

It was no menial task He performed,
Laying those words in my path;
Deliberate brush strokes that pictured the end,
If ever I failed to ask.

Now, when the darkness evades, I search
For the light of my Father’s words
Like a searchlight inviting me always to come.
To the Father I love and serve!

Shine out, Oh light from heaven, above.
Shine out in beauty and love.
The darker my night, the brighter Your light,
Leading us ever onward, above!

A Quiet Winter Day

As the snow falls to the ground
It makes a soft, quiet, whispering sound.

The trees are covered in this cottony layer-
Kind of like new white clothes they wear.

The snow is falling lightly
And looking oh-so-nicely.

The sight fills me with quiet, and also cheer
As out to the backyard I peer.

The graceful deer, the scampering mice
Leave their footprints scattered thrice.

My mind turns to my Savior-
My Lord and my Creator.

I know that He loves me so-
He gave me His Word to better Him know!

May I seek to continually be
More and more like Thee.

Thank you Lord for Your goodness and grace
For showing me the kindness of Your Face.

These soft, quiet snowflakes cling to everything I see
If God could make these so perfectly, how much more you and me!

Please help me, Lord, to seek Your will
And of Your voice, never have my fill.

—Terra Mandrell
© Terra Mandrell. Used with permission.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or
nakedness or danger or sword?… No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
—Romans 8:35, 37

If you have any comments or questions, or if you have a poem to share, please send an e-mail to bgraber@neo.rr.com

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