poem | Craig T. Owens

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Poetry Saturday—Confession

February 4, 2017 — Craig T. Owens

No, not despairingly

Come I to Thee;

No, not distrustingly

Bend I the knee;

Sin hath gone over me,

Yet is this still my plea,

Jesus hath died.

Ah, mine iniquity

Crimson has been;

Infinite, infinite,

Sin upon sin;

Sin of not loving Thee,

Sin of not trusting Thee.

Infinite sin.

Lord, I confess to Thee

Sadly my sin;

All I am, tell I Thee,

All I have been.

Purge Thou my sin away,

Wash Thou my soul this day;

Lord, make me clean! —Horatius Bonar

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: confession, forgiveness, Horatius Bonar, poem, poetry, prayer, redemption, sin. Leave a Comment »

Streams In The Desert (book review)

January 31, 2017 — Craig T. Owens

God said, “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). This verse perfectly sums up the dominant message in Lettie Cowman’s book Streams In The Desert.

Everyone has been there: things haven’t gone as we planned … we’re not sure how we could have ended up in such a dry, barren place … it seems like nothing is working out right … we begin to think that even God has lost sight of us. But it’s in this painful, desert place that God is ready to do something unheard of!

Lettie Cowman knew the pain of sickness and disappointment and thwarted dreams. Yet in the midst of her desert place, as she poured out her raw emotions, she began to see a river springing up in her wilderness. This book is a heaven-sent blessing to anyone in those dark, barren places.

Each day you will get a glimpse of God’s spring, as Lettie shares her personal discoveries, insights from Scripture, quotes from other desert wanderers, poems of reflection, and even prayers for help. Each day’s short reading is thirst-quenching and soul-satisfying.

If you are going through a desert place, get a copy of this book for yourself. If you have a friend who is struggling, buy a copy for them, and find times to get together to discuss each day’s reading. There’s a reason why this book has stood the test of time and has been an immense help to so many throughout the years.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible study, book review, devotions, difficulties, encouragement, help, L.B. Cowman, Lettie Cowman, poem, poetry, quotes, trials. 5 Comments »

Poetry Saturday—Desire

January 28, 2017 — Craig T. Owens

Thou, who dost dwell alone;

Thou, who dost know Thine own;

Thou, to whom all are known,

From the cradle to the grave—

Save, O, save!

From the world’s temptations;

From tribulations;

From that fierce anguish

Wherein we languish;

From that torpor deep

Wherein we lie asleep,

Heavy as death, cold as the grave—

Save, O, save!

When the soul, growing clearer,

Sees God no nearer;

When the soul, mounting higher,

To God comes no nigher;

But the arch-fiend Pride

Mounts at her side,

Foiling her high enterprise,

Sealing her eagle eyes,

And, when she fain would soar,

Make idols to adore;

Changing the pure emotion

Of her high devotion,

To a skin-deep sense

Of her own eloquence;

Strong to deceive, strong to enslave—

Save, O, save! —Matthew Arnold

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: death, Matthew Arnold, poem, poetry, prayer, pride, salvation, soul. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Call Back

January 21, 2017 — Craig T. Owens

If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back—

’Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track;

And if, perchance, Faith’s light is dim, because the oil is low,

Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go.

Call back, and tell me that He went with you into the storm;

Call back, and say He kept you when the forest’s roots were torn;

That, when the heavens thunder and the earthquake shook the hill,

He bore you up and held you where the very air was still.

Oh, friend, call back, and tell me for I cannot see your face,

They say it glows with triumph, and your feet bound in the race;

But there are mists between us and my spirit eyes are dim,

And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him.

But if you’ll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry,

And if you’ll say He saw you through the night’s sin-darkened sky

If you have gone a little way ahead, oh, friend, call back—

’Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track. —Lettie Cowman

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: courage, encouragement, faith, L.B. Cowman, poem, poetry. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—The Hour Of Prayer

January 14, 2017 — Craig T. Owens

Lord, what a change within us one short hour

Spent in Thy presence will prevail to make!

What heavy burdens from our bosoms take;

What parched grounds refresh as with a shower.

We kneel—and all around us seems to lower;

We rise—and all, the distant and the near

Stands forth in sunny outline brave and clear;

We kneel: how weak!—we rise: how full of power!

Why, therefore, should we do ourselves this wrong,

Or others—that we are not always strong?

That we are ever overborne with care;

That we should ever weak or heartless be,

Anxious or troubled, while with us is prayer,

And joy, and strength, and courage, are with Thee? —Richard Trench

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: God's strength, poem, poetry, prayer, Richard Trench. 1 Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Jesus Is

January 7, 2017 — Craig T. Owens

To the artist… Jesus is the One altogether lovely.

To the architect… Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone.

To the astronomer… Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness.

To the baker… Jesus is the Living Bread.

To the banker… Jesus is the Hidden Treasure.

To the biologist… Jesus is the Life.

To the builder… Jesus is the Strong and Sure Foundation.

To the carpenter… Jesus is the Door.

To the doctor… Jesus is the Great Physician.

To the educator… Jesus is the Great Teacher.

To the engineer… Jesus is the New and Living Way.

To the farmer… Jesus is the Sower and Lord of the Harvest.

To the florist… Jesus is the Rose of Sharon, Lily of the Valley.

To the geologist… Jesus is the Rock of Ages.

To the horticulturist… Jesus is the True Vine.

To the judge… Jesus is the Righteous Judge, Judge of All.

To the juror… Jesus is the Faithful and True Witness.

To the jeweler… Jesus is the Pearl of Great Price.

To the lawyer… Jesus is the Counselor, Lawgiver, Advocate.

To the journalist… Jesus is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.

To the optometrist… Jesus is the Light of the Eyes.

To the philanthropist… Jesus is the Unspeakable Gift.

To the philosopher… Jesus is the Wisdom of God.

To the preacher… Jesus is the Word of God.

To the sculptor… Jesus is the Living Stone.

To the servant… Jesus is the Good Master.

To the statesman… Jesus is the Desire of All Nations.

To the student… Jesus is the Incarnate Truth.

To the theologian… Jesus is the Author and Finisher of Faith.

To the toiler… Jesus is the Giver of Rest.

To the sinner… Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

To the Christian… Jesus is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, the Redeemer, and Lord. —W. B. Dunkum

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Jesus Christ, poem, poetry. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Prologue

December 31, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

O, ’tis for the Rebellion a dark time.

For those they have the death Star all destroy’d,

Imperi’l troops did from the ashes climb

And push the rebels closer to the void.

Across the galaxy pursu’d with speed,

The rebels flee th’Imperi’l Starfleet vast.

A group with Luke Skywalker in the lead

Hath to the ice world known as Hoth flown fast.

Meanwhile, the cruel Darth Vader is obsess’d

With finding young Skywalker. Thus he hath

Through ev’ry point of space begun his quest

By sending robot probes to aid his wrath.

In time so long ago begins our play,

In war-torn galaxy far, far away. —Ian Doescher

For Christmas I received the innovative The Empire Striketh Back—Star Wars Part The Fifth by Ian Doescher, in which the entire movie is retold as William Shakespeare would have told it. For both Star Wars and Shakespeare aficionados, a delightful read!

It’s fun to read the Lucas version and the Doescher version of the Prologue side-by-side, so check out the film version here…

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: George Lucas, poem, poetry, Star Wars, video, William Shakespeare. Leave a Comment »

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

December 25, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

That first Christmas was supposedly a silent night and a holy night. Maybe there was some singing angels involved, but at least their message was about “peace on earth.”

Sometimes that idea of “peace” at Christmas time can make us feel like hypocrites. Sometimes it seems as if there is more turmoil than peace, and more ill-will than goodwill.

Even Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem called I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day starts out in celebration, but then shifts to the dark words, “And in despair I bowed my head: ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said, ‘for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.’”

If you have had a hard time finding peace this Christmas, this short message will bring you hope and encouragement, so that you can truly say, “Merry Christmas!”