Poem: Law of The Jungle

 Law of the Jungle

 

The vultures have come to roost

To pick the bones of a spineless society,

Being mauled by jackals of jealousy

And hyenas of hate.

 

Too late to defend

Against a pack of rabid dogs,

With wolves which come to plunder the flock

And scatter the shepherds who would not talk,

Speak out or preach

Against the destroyers of truth

And devourers of faith.

 

Too late to stop the stampede

Or the callous crows

Which caw with joy

As they shred the rights

Of those who once fought for freedom,

But forgot to keep on fighting.

 

So, a wild boar with bloodied tusks

Is squealing triumphantly.

 

But somewhere,

In the heart of this heartless jungle,

A Lion is stirring with His lioness.

 

John Stuart © 2025

Christian Poem - Harvest Lament

Harvest Lament

We plow the clouds and scatter

The people of the land,

As they are bombed and shattered
by Man’s inhuman hand.

We send the squads to conquer,
To slay and spread the pain,
the rockets and the bullets,
So we can kill and maim.

Refrain:
All this fear around us
from Man to man we send;
then beg the Lord, O beg the Lord
For all war to end.

Man only is the maker

Of things we fear afar,
he blasts the wayside village,

he sets the towns on fire;
he wins and knaves applaud him,
by him the hawks are fed;
much more than this with children,
he adds our daily dead.

[Refrain]

We beg you, then, O Father,
for all things right and good:
for peace-time and for justice,
for life, for health, for food;
no prayers have we to offer
our dreams are all in parts,
but ask that You may heal now:
our broken, fearful hearts!

[Refrain]

© John Stuart 2019

Christian Poem - Psalm 122 of Thomas

Psalm 122 (of Thomas)

1 I was mad when they said to me,
“In this house, we have seen the Lord!
2 We saw Him here without you,
    within this house, O Didymus”.

3 Didymus—born as a twin,
    full of doubts altogether.
4 To him, the disciples go up,
    the disciples of the Lord,
who were chosen by Christ,
    to give witness to the rising of the Lord.
5 For them, the promises of God were fulfilled,

    the promises to the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Didymus:
    “May they convince and love you.
7 Peace be within your mind,
    and clarity to end your doubts.”
8 For the sake of my sanity, dear friends
    I will say, “I do not believe you.
9 Unless I see in this house the Lord who died,
    I will reject your word.”

© John Stuart 2019

Maundy Thursday Poem - Remembrance

Remembrance

The night in which He was betrayed,

Jesus took unleavened bread,

And blessed the loaf before His friends,

To show a love that never ends.

“This is My Body,” Jesus said,

And handed out some bits of bread

“Broken for you,” He simply taught them,

“So all your sins can be forgotten.”

After supper, He took a cup,

And pouring wine, He filled it up.

“This is My blood, shed for Your sin,

To cancel death and let love win.”

They did not know all that He said,

Would be forever shared and read,

Through all the world, His love displayed,

This night, in which He was betrayed.

© John Stuart 2019

Gratitude - Christian Poem

Gratitude

She quietly knelt before Him

And carefully cradled His weary feet.

He had walked for miles that day,

On sandy roads and stony paths

Between the temple and the town.

He just needed to stop for a while

And give His painful feet

A well-earned rest,

A time to just let go

Of all His burdens.

She carefully brushed away

The dust around His ankles

And between His toes,

With her beautiful, luxuriant hair.

As her silky locks gently waved their way

Over His calloused feet,

He felt a peace He had not known

For quite some time.

He gratefully smiled as she applied

Some fragrant oil to His feet

And filled the room with sweet perfume.

She humbly wiped His relaxed toes

And tickled them with her thankful tears,

Touching His lonely soul

With her unconditional love.

Something beautiful had been given,

Something human had been shared,

Which He would always cherish

And eternally remember.

© John Stuart 2019

Love Covers Poem

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. (NIV)

There is no hatred dark enough

To take away the light;

There is no falsehood loud enough

To silence what is right.

Spiteful men may try again

To hush our faithful songs,

But Christ prevails and never fails;

Love covers all our wrongs.

Love covers all our wrongs.

© John Stuart 2019

Christian Poetry - Thomas Tanka

Thomas Tanka

I came here doubting,

Burying my hope within,

Expecting nothing.

Then He suddenly appeared.

My God! Now I believe Him!

© John Stuart 2018

Christian Poetry - Too Full

Too Full

My study is full of books

That I will never read.

Some were gifts,

Others bought at sales,

Or purchased at a time

When I felt their need.

I’ve opened some pages

And scanned a few chapters.

I’ve looked for quotes

And sought some illustrations,

But honestly,

Despite what people say,

You can have too many books

And not enough time to read them.

My mind is full of events

That I will never revisit.

Some were sad,

Others were painful,

Or experienced at a time

Beyond my control.

I’ve ousted some people

And shattered a few dreams.

I’ve remembered words

And fought some conflagrations,

But honestly,

Despite what people think,

You can have too many thoughts

And not enough time to review them.

My heart is full of debts

That I can never repay.

Some were sinful,

Others were foolish,

Or desired at a time

When I felt compelled.

I’m ashamed of some

And regretted more than a few.

I’ve hidden secrets

And wrestled with temptations,

But honestly,

Despite what people believe,

You can’t have too many sins

And not enough of Christ to forgive them.

© John Stuart 2018

Christian Poem - 3 Things

3 Things - Now I Am Old

Peace is possible when people

Embrace each other with respect

And set aside their agendas,

Creating a culture of conversation,

Ending fear by simply sharing love.

Hope is experienced when people

Open their hearts and broaden their minds,

Putting away old prejudices by

Emptying themselves of pride.

Love triumphs when people

Openly accept one another,

Valuing the gifts and experiences

Everyone brings to this table called Life

John Stuart (c) 2018

Christian Poetry - Time Will Tell

Time Will Tell

There is a time for everything

A sacred season for all;

A time, in which, we each are born,

A moment when we fall.

A time to plant some new ideas,

A harvest to gather all,

But a time to kill and let blood spill,

Is that our human call?

There is a time for tearing down

The walls our hate has grown,

To turn our tears away from fears

And learn to laugh, not mourn.

A time to dance this sweet embrace,

This gift of life we’ve known;

To seek the higher way of love

And never be alone.

Is there still time to show remorse

And own the pain we’ve caused;

To let our spirits speak to us,

And change the path we’ve trod?

Is there still time to learn of love

And make all war outlawed?

Is there the will, within us still,

To share the peace of God?

© John Stuart 2018

Christian Poem - When Winter Comes

When winter comes,

My soul slows down

And seeks to hibernate

In the holiness of God.

I embrace the frozen Earth,

As it divinely revolves

Around the gracious,

Crimson sun.

Cold air bites my face,

Making me thankful

To be fully alive

In such an icy season.

Darkness extends

And then contracts,

As the promise of Spring

Pushes through the frosty ground.

My soul reawakens

From its sacred slumber,

And rejoices in the splendor

Of life yet to come.

© 2018 – John Stuart

Christian Poem - Giving Back

Luke 20:25     

Jesus said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Lord Jesus,

I want to give back to You

What I have taken and given

To other things.

I want to give back Sundays to You

For they were always meant

To be little Easters,

When Christians would gather together

To sing God’s praises

For forgiving our sins

And raising You from the dead.

Give me the courage

And the fortitude

To make Sundays

Full of grace again

By placing You,

Your Church,

And Your people

At the heart

Of these holy days.

Help me to seek You,

And fill me

With Your Spirit.

Teach me

To walk in Your way

Each and every Sunday,

No matter where I am,

No matter what I’m doing,

No matter how I’m feeling,

Help me to give

Sundays back to You.

Amen.

John Stuart 2017

Poem - Whisper

Whisper

Moments of quietness

Meander too infrequently

In my timetabled life;

Too many things

Penetrate my bubble

And too much noise

Breaks the peace

Of my fragile soul.

I want to stay in touch

With God

And sit together

Silently.

I yearn to be connected

To the Great Spirit

Of all Creation,

Breathing and praying,

Waiting and contemplating,

Living and loving,

In perfect bliss.

As I enter the empty sanctuary,

Sounds around me diminish,

Noises within me are hushed.

My sought-for tranquility commences,

And I hear the Divine Voice.

“Child,” God gently whispers,

“Silence is always sacred.”

© John Stuart 2017

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