Sympathy Quotes

Words You have given me
to share, the joy of You
in this world, in Your love
for Your people,
by blood, by faith
Your people, of Abraham,
of the baptism
Words You have given me
Help me Lord, today
to dwell in Your Word,
Your grace, to find Your Truth
Your Love, to share
in the words
You have given me

(Poem By Raymond A. Foss)

She was free,
free of the script,
the words, the guide
she had sitting before her
Free to speak from her heart
from her experience,
from her faith.
Seeing a difference,
moving from teaching to preaching,
sharing a stronger, more relevant message
with the congregation
Free to share the words of hope
the strong words of baptism
of joining the priesthood,
you and me, when we claim our right
our adoption in the family of God

(Poem By Raymond A. Foss)

She sat beside me in the chapel this morning
as her momma began to preach
we were in the back, to avoid
distracting others, with her fidgeting;
but for a moment, she was focused
on the message in the glass
“That’s Jesus!” she exclaimed
for me to hear, smile and nod
yes, the panes of the stained glass
to my left were the story of Jesus,
His birth, Baptism, Ministry,
His death and Resurrection
She saw it clearly, even at five years old
in a moment of sharing, in the back of
the chapel this Sunday morning

(Poem By Raymond A. Foss)

The words of God, the Son,
at the beginning, the start
of his earthly ministry
After the baptism, near the Jordan.
Disciples of the first to proclaim
the coming of the kingdom,
read to lead and to follow;
but only after the fateful question
to remove false expectations
to understand the way of this Messiah
the journey of His ministry
the way that would lead to the cross

(Poem By Raymond A. Foss)

Down he fell, trusting, falling backward
into the tank, immersed by the waves
down into the cleansing waters
of the baptismal pool
telling the people
this was his
way, his
choice
being
saved
He rose
out into the
congregation
joining family
newfound church
His place of belonging
Where he can drink the word
heed the call to service to action
to change in his life, be born anew
Reclaimed by the sustainer, redeemer
the living God, creator of all, savior of all

(Poem By Raymond A. Foss)

Wow, thanks Dad, no pressure here
oh no, I can choose my own way,
decide what I want to do with my life
I can decide to be a fisherman, a landowner,
a shepherd, whatever I want to be. Not!
You told the world I was going to be a prophet
and not just a prophet, the prophet, the one
the one crying out in the wilderness, fulfilling
the prophecy of old, all those centuries before
that I would be the one to proclaim the healing
the good news before the coming of
the Messiah, the one to baptize in water
the cleansing before the baptism
of the spirit, the turning to God
in the message of the Christ
Fine, so it shall be

(Poem By Raymond A. Foss)