poetry | Craig T. Owens

June 2026
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Christ’s Passion

April 6, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

Good Friday is almost too heavy for me to comprehend. It’s only “good” as we view it now, after the resurrection of Christ. Looking at Calvary at the moment is so humbling.

See how the patient Jesus stands,

Insulted in His lowest case!

Sinners have bound the Almighty hands,

And spit in their Creator’s face.

With thorns His temple gored and gashed

Send streams of blood from every part;

His back with knotted scourges lashed,

But sharper scourges tear His heart.

Nailed naked to the accursed wood

Exposed to earth and heaven above,

A spectacle of wounds and blood,

A prodigy of injured love!

Hark! how His doleful cries affright

Affected angels, while they view;

His friends forsook Him in the night,

And now His God forsakes Him too!

Behold that pale, that languid face,

That drooping head, those languid eyes!

Behold in sorrow and disgrace

Our conquering Hero hangs, and dies!

Ye that assume His sacred name,

Now tell me, what can all this mean?

What was it bruised God’s harmless Lamb,

What was it pierced His soul but sin?

Blush, Christian, blush: let shame abound:

If sin affects thee not with woe,

Whatever life is in thee found,

The life of Christ thou doest not know.

—Joseph Hart, 1759

“Believer in Jesus, can you gaze upon Him without tears, as He stands before you the mirror of agonizing love? He is at once fair as the lily for innocence, and red as the rose with the crimson of His own blood. As we feel the sure and blessed healing which His stripes have wrought in us, does not our heart melt at once with love and grief? If ever we have loved our Lord Jesus, surely we must feel that affection glowing now within our bosoms.” —Charles Spurgeon

I hope you will join me in soberly and lovingly contemplating the amazing love of our Savior Jesus!

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Charles Spurgeon, Cross, crucifixion, Good Friday, Jesus Christ, Joseph Hart, passion, poem, poetry. Leave a Comment »

Sex, Marriage & Fairytales

January 27, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Another great word from Jeff Bethke—

Another cure to the fairytale relationships that end up more like a horror story, is in Craig Groeschel’s outstanding book Love, Sex, And Happily Ever After.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Jeff Bethke, love, marriage, poetry, sex. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—My God Came Down The Stairs

November 17, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

This is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.

My God Came Down The Stairs

It is not our earnestness that brings us into touch with God, nor our devotedness, nor our times of prayer, but our Lord Jesus Christ’s vitalizing death; and our times of prayer are evidences of reaction on the reality of Redemption, so we have confidence and boldness of access into the holiest. What an unspeakable joy it is to know that we each have the right of approach to God in confidence, that the place of the Ark is our place, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness.” What an awe and what a wonder of privilege, “to enter into the holiest,” in the perfectness of the Atonement, “by the blood of Jesus.”

Oh, long and dark the stairs I trod,

With stumbling feet to find my God:

Gaining a foothold bit by bit,

Then slipping back and losing it:

Never progressing, striving still,

With weakening gasp and fainting will,

Bleeding to climb a God: while He

Serenely smiled, unnoting me.

Then came a certain time when I

Loosened my hold and tell thereby.

Down to the lowest step my fall,

As if I had not climbed at all.

And while I lay despairing thereby.

I heard a footfall on the stair,

In the same path where I, dismayed,

Faltered and fell and lay afraid.

And lo! when hope had ceased to be,

My God came down the stairs to me.

From Christian Disciplines

I am so grateful my God came down the stairs to me!

I am so awed that I now can come into His presence with confidence!

I am so humbled that God would save a sinner such as me!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: atonement, God's love, Jesus Christ, Oswald Chambers, poem, poetry, prayer, redemption, salvation. Leave a Comment »

He’s Here To Keep

November 16, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Going through my youngest son’s writing journal for his classroom, I came across this gem that he wrote:

My Dad’s out of town

I feel alone

I’m feeling really down

He can’t reach the phone

All of a sudden the phone rings

And my heart sings

I pick up the phone

He said, “Only one more day”

And in his voice was a great tone

He said what I wanted him to say

One more time of sleep

And then he’s here to keep

Dads, listen to me: Your kids want you.

For your kids you spell “love” T-I-M-E.

Give them all the time you can. They want you for keeps.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Dad, love, parenting, poetry, time. 4 Comments »

God Made You You

September 20, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

God doesn’t make mistakes.

Ever!

That means you are not a mistake. You might make a mistake (or, if you’re like me, maybe lots of mistakes), but you are not a mistake.

God had you in mind before He created this universe. He knew the perfect time to send you to Earth. And He knew just what you needed to be.

You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

STOP comparing yourself to others.

STOP beating yourself up.

STOP doubting how special you are.

Even the fun and entertaining Dr. Seuss got it:

Today you are you! That is truer than true!

There is no one alive who you-er than you!

“You are most attractive when you are yourself, simply because real is attractive.” —Howard Hendricks

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Dr. Seuss, Ephesians, God's plan, God's purpose, Howard Hendricks, poem, poetry, quote, self-esteem, uniqueness. Leave a Comment »

I Am Debtor

July 1, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

A poem penned by Robert M’Cheyne in 1837:

When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see Thee as Thou art,
Love Thee with unsinning heart,
Then Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

Even on earth, as through a glass
Darkly, let Thy glory pass,
Make forgiveness feel so sweet,
Make Thy Spirit’s help so meet,
Even on earth, Lord, make me know
Something of how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Savior’s side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.

What are you going to do with how much YOU owe?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: God's love, poem, poetry, Robert Murray McCheyne. Leave a Comment »

Memorial Day

May 30, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I’m so grateful for the men and women who have put themselves on the front lines to keep us the land of the free and the home of the brave! One day a year is far too short a time to honor our fallen heroes, so let’s make sure we start today, and remember them all year long.

Thank you soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines! Because of you, we enjoy our freedom today. May God bless you!

This is a poem by my friend Barney Fritcher entitled “They Stand”—

They stand at attention saluting our flag,

or they place a hand over their heart.

They’ve stood together on foreign lands,

each one has done their part.

They’ve defended this nation and some have died

to ensure that you’ve kept your rights.

They’ve watched as their buddies fell to the ground,

and they’ve slept in the jungle some nights.

They’ve crawled in the mud while covered with blood,

our children, our daughters, and sons,

and never, not once did they go on strike,

saying they did not get enough funds.

Many days they have gone without sleep

as they fought for this country we love.

Thousands of them have lost their lives

and went with our God up above.

To us, they are heroes, but to them it’s their job,

they do what needs to be done,

defending this country that we so love,

even down to the last one.

We give them a day to memorialize them,

to honor them for all that they do,

but a year would not be honor enough

for the service they give that is true.

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,

men and woman that are so grand.

They serve this nation of America,

and forever, together they stand.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Barney Fritcher, Memorial Day, Patriotism, poem, poetry, United States of America, US armed forces. 1 Comment »

The Measure Of A Man

May 13, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

An anonymous poem that should make any man or woman ponder the impact of their legacy…

Not “How did he die?”

But “How did he live?”

Not “What did he gain?”

But “What did he give?”

These are the units

To measure the worth

Of a man as a man

Regardless of birth.

Not “What was his station?”

But “Had he a heart?”

And how did he play

His God-given part?

Was he ever ready

With a word of good cheer,

To bring back a smile,

To banish a tear?

Not “What did the sketch in the newspaper say?”

But “How many were sorry when he passed away?”

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: death, funeral, lifestyle, poem, poetry. Leave a Comment »

A Collection Of Wednesdays (book review)

April 25, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

A Collection Of Wednesdays is written by Amy Gaither Hayes, who describes herself as, “I am not One Who Must Write; I am One Who Can Write When She Must.” The One Who Can Write When She Must has delivered a book that is part memoir, part observation, and part poetry.

Arranged into fourteen distinct sections, Amy sometimes tell a story about her life, and sometimes shares with the reader what she is observing around her each week. Then each section is wrapped up with a couple of poems she has written about that particular subject. Her writings are an honest, fresh look at how we process the people and events in our lives who have gone into shaping who we have become (and are becoming).

The title of the book comes from Amy’s weekly writing time, which I think would be an appropriate way to read this book: one section each week, giving yourself time to reflect on not only Amy’s insights, but your thoughts about your own past, present, and future.

I am a Zondervan book reviewer.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: book review, poem, poetry. 1 Comment »

Can You Hear Him?

April 22, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

They said she’s not worthy

with words so unkind.

They said she’s not respectable;

God said, “She’s Mine.”

I hear the voice of Jesus,

I hear the voice of my Lord,

I hear the voice of my Savior

saying, “My child, I adore you.

I hear you call My name in desperation.

I hear you call My name in praise.

I hear you call My name in worship.

I hear each time that you pray.

I know that you love Me.

I know that on Me you depend.

It’s for you My Son I did send.”

So lift your hands and heart toward heaven

when life seems unable to bear.

There’s a wooden Cross on Calvary

proving Someone cares.

Listen to the voice of Jesus.

Listen to the voice of the Lord.

Listen to the voice of the Savior.

A home in heaven will be your reward.

—Betty Ann King, I Hear Him

I pray that today you can hear Jesus calling your name and saying, “You are mine; I paid an incredibly high price to show you how much I love you!”