Heaven and Hell

Heaven is home. Who has not felt, at one time or another, in one situation or another, the desire for something to which they cannot give a name? Who has not experienced something which, rather than satisfying, produced a greater desire? For me, one such thing is a clear mountain morning with no sounds but birds and the wind. It stirs in me such longing that I know the only place, the only experience which could satisfy my desire is heaven. Earth is not enough. We live here for a time, but we are only strangers in the land.

What greater punishment, then, could one conceive other than eternal separation from our home and from God, from all that makes us who we are? Anyone who has experienced the desire of which I speak knows the poignant strength that it has. Who could bear knowing this desire far better than he ever knew it on earth, yet with a more certain knowledge that it can never be attained for all eternity? This is the everlasting despair of hell, the eternal punishment. Though there may be more than this knowledge only, nothing more needs to be added to make it hell.

Lord, all my desire is before you, and my sighing is not hidden from you. - Psalm 38:9

And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. - Psalm 39:7

My God, I know You hear my prayers to You.
You know all my desires and my fears,
My worries and my struggles through and through
Far better than I know them in my tears.
My God, I do not hide what I desire
E'en though I know that foolish it may be.
O God, cleanse my desires with holy fire
That they may holy be and pure for Thee.
I know that You alone can bring me hope
And so I wait for You to calm my care.
Your providence on high can help me cope
By bringing me to You, beyond compare.
O God, hear my desires and answer me,
And help me truly serve and honor Thee!

Head, Heart, Hands

As Plato says, our reason must be strong.
The highest part within us, intellect,
Must rule the appetite, forestalling wrong,
And work with spirit, which should be subject.
But oft in man the parts disordered are;
The spirit rules, or appetite instead.
This order of one's soul is quite bizarre,
For man should always by his head be led.
My reason often fails and leads me wrong,
Or does not lead at all, and I am left
With spirit ruling, leading me along,
Or appetite, which leaveth me bereft.
O God, make reason strong to rule in me!
Subdue the bad, let me submit to Thee!

By Your Grace Alone

A sinful man, a fallen human, I;
My foolishness, I see, has only grown,
And I can do no thing but humbly cry:
"No good in me but by Your grace alone."
Day after day I fail and fail again.
Try as I might, my filthy rags have blown
Like leaves and I am left in all my pain;
I would have died but by Your grace alone.
I try to do the things I think are right,
But in the end I wish I might have known!
I failed again, bemoaning now my plight;
I could have conquered by Your grace alone.
Now, nothing left but here before Your throne,
I bow and say, "It's by Your grace alone."

Levin

The meaning of my life is clear to me:
To live for God, and also for my soul.
And though I struggle oft to rightly see,
God guides me on my path to be made whole.
I know obedience to God is good
Though oft I fail to love my neighbors still;
I know I do not do the things I should,
But God will always me with His love fill.
This knowledge in my soul is rooted deep
Through suffering and trials, secretly.
My reason scoffs at prayer, but I keep
This love for God, and know that He loves me.
My life has now a meaning, strong and clear,
Endowed with good each moment on this sphere.

Clouds

This was inspired primarily by an amazing view I saw today driving up Brea Blvd. I've never noticed it before, but when the sky is clear, you can easily see the mountains up ahead, and there were clouds above them that made the whole picture incredibly beautiful. In general, I've begun to notice that clouds can be one of the most beautiful parts of nature.

A wispy, will'wy, windswept, flying cloud
Soars high above the earth without a care.
A covering, a canopy, a shroud
Which covers earth, and makes its shadows there.
Of pearl, white, and silver, also gray,
'Twill cast dark shadows, blackening the ground;
But sometimes through will shine the sun's bright ray,
A ray of beauty, light'ning all around.
And after rains, when skies are clear and blue,
The clouds remaining make for wond'rous views
Of blues and silvers; oh! For those who knew
How one could capture all those glorious hues!
I know of little better in this world
Than 'gainst the mountains' backdrop, clouds unfurled.

The Divine Court of Law

I think I picked another hard topic to cover in 140 syllables. :P I hope it's still decent.

The laws divine are broken, and by whom?
A lowly man, not angel, no, nor beast.
The Judge and lawmaker enters the room
His majesty ennobling e'en the least.
Now the Accuser stands and makes his case;
He says, "This man here broke your righteous laws.
He's vulgar, evil, damnable, and base.
He can't go free; he's full of sinful flaws."
But up stands now Defendant, Witness, all.
He speaks with voice like thunder, yet like dove:
"I take the blame for this man's sinful fall;
My suffering will take his place in love."
The man's acquitted, free to go his way,
But woe if he rejects that joyous day!