Meditating to Heal

We are the Light of the World

“For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.” Ephesians 5: 8

We are all children of God.

By His Grace,

we are the light of the Lord on earth.

We are the fruit of the Lord,

therefore, we are true and right and good.

If we accept God’s light and life,

our paths before us are filled

with His goodness and light and life.

The paths of our lives cross with others

on their paths of light and life.

When we accept others as our brothers and sisters,

we grow broader and deeper in God’s love.

Jesus says in Matthew that

we are the light of the world

and by doing these many good works,

we glorify God.

Missing the Boat

Why is the church

stranded in the ocean

on a boat

without oars or a motor?

How many denominations

preach their unquestioned

message of truth that only

they can possess?

Why the division over

who is closer to Christ,

when our black brothers

and sisters are murdered –

just for being Black?

Jesus says we are all one family.

Jesus says we share God’s love equally,

but we do not follow His teachings.

He was a poor homeless person . . .

shunned and persecuted by the powerful.

The apostles were in a foundering boat,

when Jesus walked by

on the water

and questioned their lack of faith.

The symbolism is missed

by most of us:

Jesus is too all encompassing

to be confined by one tiny boat.

His presence is greater than all;

He is too all encompassing

to be confined to one church,

to be confined to one race,

to be confined to one small way of thinking.

The apostles’ boat was filled

with a tax collector,

a doubter, a traitor,

sinners all, who did not

understand His teachings.

The boat is filled with us,

all unable to understand,

unable to get along,

because we are say we are different.

We have all missed the message;

we have all missed the boat.

But all is not lost;                                              

we can all become

the taxpayer, the doubter,

yes, and even the traitor.

They all finally understood;

yes, even the traitor.

It is not too late.

Let us open our eyes

and our hearts to the true message:

we are all one body in Christ.

“But the Comforter . . . whom the Father

will send in my name, he shall teach you

all things, and bring all things to your remembrance . . .” John 14:26

Too soon, we face death!

Are the soon forgotten?

Are we soon forgotten?

Too soon, I fear;

they lived and they loved.

We lived, and we loved.

Is this a sufficient memory

For others, or for us?

Only God knows the answer.

We know that Love transcends life;

Love also transcends death.

Love is the bridge between

the living still and those

who have passed on.

The only survivor is their memory;

the only survivor is our memory.

The only meaning is how they loved;

the only meaning is how we loved.

Does memory mean nothing?

Trust

“In God, whose word I praise; in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 56:4

In my house there is a special room;

its name is trust.

It has many windows and doors,

allowing many people to enter.

Those who enter this room change . . .

forever.

Those who do not enter

spurn this room, for

a lack of faith disappoints them . . .

always,

and petrifies them . . .

always.

When opinions enter this room,

they decompose.

Ideas of faith are strengthened here;

Truth takes the prize, for

God blesses all true ideas;

Trust is their name.

Only the faithful remain!

Yet all are loved!

Go and Bear Fruit

“I chose you and appointed you that you

should go and bear fruit,” John 15:16

God gives us plentiful gifts:

Love, Life, Grace.

We live with these gifts

that enrich our lives.

These gifts allow us

to Be true followers of Jesus,

to be friends with Jesus.

But being thankful not enough;

we are invited to take these gifts,

share them with others, with all we meet.

This is what Jesus means,

when he asks us to

go and bear fruit.

As Jesus was, we are . . .

created in God’s image.   

When he looks at mankind,

He is looking into a mirror.

Seeing His wonder and grace in us,

our awe is magnified by His love.

This is why Jesus commissions us to

go and bear fruit, to allow

others to see our good deeds,

which come from and

glorify God, our Father.

We Listen, but not always Hear

Jesus responds in His time  

and in ours,

as does God, but

we are impatient, misunderstanding,

because we are human,

as the apostles were.

The apostles did not hear

the parables, Jesus’s lessons in listening;

Jesus always mentions their lack of hearing;

the answers given in the parables,

they may not have known the questions.

Faith and prayer are our listening times;

God answers but we always do not hear.

We are not ready to listen;

we listen but do not hear;

we are Jesus’s new apostles.

When lying in pain,

we are unable to pray.

God feels us in pain;

Listen and hear’

we receive God’s voice through hearing,

not just listening;

His mourning prayers are made for us.

Jesus’ parables contain the answers;

all we have to do is listen, and hear!

We Rejoice before You

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again, I say, rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

We awaken to Your love

Our journeys are comforted by love,

pitted with highs and lows.

We bear the burdens of all who affect our lives;

both disappointments and victories are short lived,

when we awaken to our true relationship with God,

be that direct or through our churches.

Our journey is smoothed by His love,

less affected by external occurrences.

We can rejoice in God’s presence,

our everlasting Father.

Rejoice and be glad;

our reward is with God.

Image and Likeness of God

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.” Matthew 1:27                                                                                                 

Genesis says:

we are in the image

and likeness of God

to find God

we are in community

there is communion

in communion

His righteousness

Is in the joy

Of communion, of community

This is our hope

This is our prayer

God send us into community

To join together

We do not ask

Who to send

We go voluntarily

Because it is

The wish of God

We receive His spiritual gifts

That help us in all we do

We complement each other

Some are wise; Some heal the sick

Some teach the young; Some are prophets

These gifts are of God

As god is one body with many parts

So is community

One body with many complementary parts

Our community is a reflection of God

Made in his image

As we are.

The Voice of God

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and

 I heard behind me a loud voice

like the sound of a trumpet, . . .”  Revelation 1:10

We are blessed with spiritual gifts

Until we followed God,

We did not know this

If you follow God

Jesus will be your guide

Go into the world

Spreading his word

Help the lion hunt for its food

Protect animals in their dens

Feed the ravens and eagles

To satisfy their hunger

When you do these simple things

You Honor God’s name

Seeing your angels in heaven

Who watch over you

Protecting you with God’s unconditional love

Ripples

I believe in ripples!

Join a group of people, today!

Without a thought

change the recipe,

teach a child,

implant an idea.

change the world.

Like ripples on a pond,

our lives affect other people.

Continue to spread

God’s word to the downtrodden,

the forgotten;

bring His grace to ease their burdens;

pray with others;

join them in their suffering;

be with them in God’s light,

eternally.

I believe in ripples!

Russell Kendall Carter

2020