Poems to encourage the heart

This poem is by [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=371]Jenny Daniel[/url], wife of [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=144]Keith Daniel[/url]. Her poems have often blessed and encouraged my spirit; I pray that they will also encourage you. I hope to share several on this thread.

Here is the first one:

[b]The Bearer of Your Burdens[/b]
[i]“Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain Thee.” Ps. 55:22[/i]

Why has the Lord so burdened me
With loads of pressing care
I seem to struggle daily
in the pit of deep despair

My joy is lost–I’m murmuring
Dear Lord how can it be
That I should be so floundering
So far from victory?

Why do you shoulder burdens, child
Though I am by your side
With longing that you’d understand
And in your Lord confide

You didn’t have to struggle on
Your strength was sure to fail
‘Tis only when you trust Me
You’ll brave the fiercest gale

You must have perfect confidence
That I can always be
The ‘Bearer of your burdens’
Day by day, eternally.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b]The Tongue[/b]
[i]“...the tongue is a little member...but!” James 3:5[/i]

There is a little member
Which is not hard to find
It is a mighty weapon
That cannot be confined

It can bring joy and comfort
It soothes both hurt and woe
A balm to weary pilgrims
A help against the foe

A weaker brother stumbling
Is made to turn around
A wounded sister bleeding
Is lifted from the ground

But ah - that little member
Can cause a world of pain
If not to God surrendered,
His servant to ordain

It hurts, it cuts, it murders
The lives of fellow men
It dims the light of heaven
And makes the world condemn

Ah little tongue, I beg you
Bend to thy Lord above
That on the path you travel
YOUR MINISTRY IS LOVE.

~Jennifer René Daniel

PaulWest wrote:
Dear sister,

I subscribe to the Daniels' newsletter (thanks to the gracious efforts of your family) and have been blessed by all of Jenny's poems. They are very, very pure. There's just such an awesome [i]purity[/i] about that entire family that, to use a word Brother Keith loves to use, staggers me. You do these forums a tremendous service by posting these poems.

Thank you, Joy. And the Lord bless and continue to keep you pure and holy, meet for the Master's use.

Brother Paul

Thank you, brother Paul for your kind words. I do hope that these poems bless many people. I hope to post one a day.
~Joy

[b]My Child[/b]

My child, I long that you may look
To Me, alone, as guide
I wish you’d in My Ears alone
Your hurts and fears confide

My child, ‘tis not the world’s acclaim
I covet, you may win
But rather that you’d honour Me
With victory over sin

And if the way is steep and rough
I’d have you rest in Me
With joy and peace this world can’t give
My own tranquility

‘Tis only when I’m all in all
No other God, but Me
That you’ll fulfill the purposes
Dear child, that I decree.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b]Not Peter[/b]

[i]“Peter...when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”–Luke 22:32
“Feed My sheep...”–John 21:17[/i]

Not Peter who had failed so sore
Denied his Lord and even swore!
‘Feed My sheep’–it could not be
‘Strengthening others’–no not he

Thrice before the gathered crowd
He had failed so coarse and loud
Surely he should shrink away
He who went so far astray

Sorrow, repentance, deep regrets
Oh the rash words that fear begets
Seeing his Master’s saddened glance
Oh that he had another chance

Peter, I know you failed Me sore
And I recall your boast before
Humbled you are–I still decree
Strengthen and feed My sheep for Me

Many have failed when sore oppressed
Many have failed with fear, hard pressed
Like Peter they sorrowed bitterly
Oh that the Lord would pardon me

Peter fulfilled his given task
Peter did all the Lord did ask
Sweet the forgiveness was to him
Buried the failure–that public sin

Maybe you too have deep remorse
You too have stumbled on the course
Satan would keep you in his power
Seek God’s forgiveness this very hour

And you who have never failed like him
Why should you judge the weaker’s sin
Rather lift up the erring one
Seeking forgiveness through God’s own Son

Humbled but steadfast they’ll walk aright
Never to lean on their own might
Rather to cling to the Lord as stay
Keeping them true to Him all the way.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b]His Steadfast Love[/b]

I will proclaim His steadfast Love
That sought me long ago
And in this timid heart of mine
The seed of faith did sow

The Love that brought repentance
And sorrow for my sin
The Love that swung the narrow gate
And GLADLY let me in!

The Love that kept my steadied feet
From wondering into sin
Oh what a source of inner strength
Thy Love has always been

And when I stumbled on the way
And fell–to my disgrace
What joy His Love yet drew me back
And said, rejoin the race

I will proclaim His wondrous Love
The Love of Calvary
The Love that sought a sinful world
The Love God has for me.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b]I know That He’ll Uphold Me[/b]

It seems my feet have wondered
On an awesome precipice
Yet the winding path leads upwards
and my footsteps dare not miss

There are looming clouds of darkness
There are wailing cries of woe
Yet the winding path leads upwards
And I know I there must go

I can hear the saved souls singing
Of their journey here below
I can hear my Master calling
for His voice I surely know

Thus I plant my feet more firmly
And I gaze on Him alone
For I know that He’ll uphold me
‘till my pathway reaches ‘Home’.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b]“Go and Sin No More”[/b]
[i]John 8:11[/i]

It was Thy mercy that looked down on her
Not to condemn
Thy voice the angry cries did stem
And shamefully they dropped each stone
Thus she did stand–amazed–alone

Thy Blood for her could e’en atone
Thy Grace could make her fit for ‘Home’
Oh love that sees the erring soul
And gently comes to make it whole

It was Thy mercy that looked on her
And her bosom hope did stir
For did the master not implore
Go, my child, and sin no more!

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b]‘An Open Letter’
Read of all men![/b]

[i]“Ye are our epistle (letter)...known and read of all men.” –II Corinthians 3:2[/i]

A letter for the world to see
Our life is written bold
In every action, every word
A message has been told!

What is the contents we portray
From week to week, from day to day?
Is it a round of constant strife
Or Christ in every sphere of life?

A letter–what a solemn thought
A letter–good or ill hath wrought?
O God–may mine a message be
To bring the lost to Calvary.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b]He’s There[/b]

He’s there within the darkest storm
He’s there when you are tired and worn
He’s there to take your loads from you
He’s there to give you strength anew

He does not take your cares away
He wants to bear them day by day
So lean on Him with all your might
That you might find the burden light.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b][size=x-small]Hold Fast[/size][/b]

Hold on dear child to all ‘My Word’ doth say
Hold fast dear child, to keep within the way
The Word of God thy only guide and stay
For ‘it’ the world did many a martyr slay

Don’t heed dear child the ‘tempters’ whispered word
He laughs if thou but once his whispers heard
Don’t look if he doth show thee things impure
He would to sin thee call–thee draw–thee lure

Ah child, so much I have reserved for thee
Do not forget thy Heavenly destiny
How can the world be pleasant child to thee
If they did send thy Lord to Calvary?

Take heart dear child, although the masses frown
Hold fast dear child that no-one take thy crown
Remember child, this world is not thy home
You’re passing through–to meet me at the throne.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b][size=x-small]Just to be Faithful[/size][/b]

Just to be faithful
‘tis all I ask
Not an impossible
grievous task

Just to be faithful
throughout the day
Just to be following
all of the way

That little word that
I asked you to say
Will spring into harvest
some far distant day

That little visit
you knew you should do
Has helped a poor brother
to take faith anew.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b][size=x-small]I Do Not Know the Answer[/size][/b]

I do not know the answer
Perplexed I turn to Thee
A maelstrom of conflictings
No hope to struggle free!

I fling myself upon Thee
I cling with waning strength
I will not be abandoned
Nothing my grip shall wrench

A weaned child with her mother
She cannot understand
And yet she snuggles closer
And quietly holds her hand

O Lord in deep submission
I bend myself to Thee
Despite my apprehension
I choose to follow Thee.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[b][size=x-small]The Altar is Broken[/size][/b]

The altar is broken–no longer they care
For God–or His will–or His word–anywhere
They’ve smashed every semblance of kneeling
To Thee
and naught of the altar is now left to see

Then filling their lives with things all impure
They drink of the dregs that the world doth endure:
But those cisterns were broken and sorrow set in
The follies–the sadness–the wages of sin

The altar is broken–O God can it be
This people have wondered to idols from Thee
Their shrines and high places–their idols at home
Oh God–can Thy mercy for all this atone?

The altar is broken–but whole it could be
The glory of heaven could still set us free
The altar erected–repentance accepted
Oh God for the courage to hearken to Thee.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[size= x-small][b]How Could You[/b][/size]

Ah world, how could you turn your head
When Jesus came to Earth
Ignore–despise–the miracle
The wonder of His birth?

How could you close your stubborn ears
To all He had to say
How could you blind your seeing eyes
To miracles each day?

How could you send Him to the Cross
To suffer, bleed, and die?
Ah world, it was the Lamb of God
You there did crucify!

Today your hardened hearts still close
To what He came to do
Oh World, repent, acknowledge Him
His blood was shed for you!

~Jennifer René Daniel

[size=x-small][b]What is Man?[/b][/size]

Ah what is man, that thou should’st come
And die on Calvary?
How could a Holy God endure
That awful agony?

That He who lived a sinless life
Should drink the ‘cup’ for me?
Endure the very guilt of sin
And die to set me free?

Lord Jesus, ‘Babe of Bethlehem’
And ‘Lamb of Calvary’!
Now ‘Risen Lord’–I bow myself
In gratitude to Thee.

~Jennifer René Daniel

[size= x-small][b]Follow[/b][/size]

My child, you cannot follow Me
And wander into wrong
Your very walk should always show
To whom you do belong

I know the constant call to you
Of evil, everywhere
But resolution to abide
Should never lead you there

You have to follow only Me
Determined to stay true
Or else the very call of wrong
Will surely cripple you

My child, the choice is only yours
Each step upon the way
The course you choose to follow
And who you shall obey.

~Jennifer René Daniel