Tag: God’s Love

Poetry Sunday—The Song of a Butterfly

Sometimes in this life we withdraw into a cocoon like shell where we will find it to be dark and lonely.  Particularly we do that when we have had our hearts broken one too many times.  For many years of my life, I believed the lie that if God really loved me; He would give me only beautiful things.  Perhaps like a caterpillar consuming all that would fulfill my heart.  God so graciously sent me the love of my life, Pedro Barba.  Yet, as human loves go

i-see-you-sarah-barba

     he was a broken vessel as well.  There were many sorrows and tears along the journey; yet, love stood firm.  There is where I began to learn of God’s unconditional love for broken vessels such as I and Pete.  Then, one day God took Pete home.  I struggled and hoped to rediscover human love; but, on that journey I found only sorrow and pain.  I withdrew into a cocoon like shell.  Yet, in the darkness there God’s gracious hand wrought a miracle of transformation.  When I finally emerged, I was filled with the strength of God’s love and the freedom to love without needing.  This poem is that story of God’s Grace to transform a selfish needy heart to one that can see and love beauty freely with no need to capture it in my hands or to own it. 


The Song of a Butterfly

By Effie Darlene Barba

A little girl had called Your name

Began to feast upon Your word

And like a caterpillar came

To cherish comfort, truth was blurred

I thought that if I did what’s right

You’d give me all my heart’s delight


Had I forgotten that it was Grace

That had saved a worm such as I

Within my heart pride took its place

Then I believed as truth the lie

That if You loved me as Your dear

You’d only fill my life with cheer


Above all else my one desire

To find the one who’d love me true

Enduring all I flamed that fire

And there He was, a gift from You

A human heart with broken soul

The pain of which did take its toll


Yet, willing heart my love stood firm

I bade you Lord to give me strength

Your love for me you did affirm

Unveiling all its depth and length

And then You took my earthly love

To be with you- Your home above


My sorrow came like bitter rain

I searched for love again to find

Attempts to love I did but feign

Until to loneliness resigned

I cannot tell you now the why

Despite Your love I still did cry


With Broken Heart-I drew within

And built a hard cocoon like shell

How was it that I thought therein?

I’d safe from pain and sorrow dwell

There within the dark cold wall

I heard God’s voice, I heard You call


In darkness there I felt Your Grace

I struggled, Lord your will to see

And there I saw Your love filled face

This gave me strength to then break free

So there I’d sealed myself to die

And now emerged a butterfly


Oh wondrous Joy I know is mine

And Love abounding in this heart

Your Mercy, Grace and Glory Shine

Upon my life You did impart

The broken moments You did will

That I might fly above the hill


And now, Dear God; Your love in me

No longer wrought with fear or need

This heart of mine has been set free

To pour forth love in word and deed

To those I meet along this way

And fly with joy in You today.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18)

The picture above is used with permission of Sarah Barba.  For copies please go to http://fineartamerica.com/featured/i-see-you-sarah-barba.html  where you can purchase copies. 

The artist that drew the picture “A Broken and Contrite Heart” featured on my header and  who designed my logo is Ronald Barba.   Feel free to email me at Artedabarba@gmail.com or purchase his art at http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/ronald+barba/all

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Poetry Sunday-In Christ, I am God’s own Beloved

 

David had sinned.  He was the King chosen by God—a man after the heart of God; yet, he had been tempted and failed. Trying to cover up that sin, he called Uriah home in hopes that Uriah would sleep with his wife and be fooled into believing that the baby she carried was his.  But Uriah was a noble man and would not sleep in comfort or with his wife while his comrades were still in battle.  So, as King; David sent Uriah into the front lines where he would certainly be killed.  David would then take Bathsheba to be his wife and all would think him a gracious King.  Grave sins, yes.  David fell before God with a broken, contrite heart as we read Psalm 51 which is David’s prayer of repentance.  Yet, the world continued to whisper about him and push him to moments of despair as we read in Psalm 69 where he says, “Reproach hath broken my heart: and I am full of heaviness:  I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”    Still, God heard his cry.    Look at verses 29-32: “But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high  I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. …The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God”.  What?  The humble will see God’s mercy and grace toward his repentant child and will be glad.  The humble will rejoice that God’s grace has restored someone.  

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We shutter and think that “I WOULD NEVER” fail God so badly as David did.  We quantify sin, as though one is greater than another and we measure ourselves as better than others.  A human state of pride; as though lifting ourselves up or condemning others lessons the darkness there within our own self-exalting, pride-filled hearts.  I learned a lot when I worked in the jail ministry.  A lot about my own heart as well.  How many times should I forgive and continue to reach out to help?  Did Christ ever give up on me?  Christ was criticized because He reached out for the sick, the sinners, the demon possessed, and the lowest among the people.  We must humbly seek to help a brother that has fallen—to reach out a hand of kindness and forgiveness.  Perhaps it is our hand that God will use to guide them.  We must not set ourselves up as judge; rather, try to see their heart and display the same grace and mercy we have been given.  This poem I write for anyone that has stumbled and fallen.  I write this poem also as a reminder that our duty as Christians is not to be judge; rather to be the hand of Christ to help a fallen brother or sister in Christ. 

 

In Christ, I am God’s own Beloved

By Effie Darlene Barba


Accused, Condemned in eyes of men

Rejected, hated for my sin

No one stopped to see my heart

Cast aside some broken part

That no one cared to see inside

The scars and sorrows that abide

A heart so filled with hopes and dreams

Of meadows green and crystal streams

Lay shattered, broken cast away

With nothing good or kind to say


Chorus

Then God’s Dear Grace that loved me so

Looked deep within and bid to know

Each crevice of my heart and soul

Each broken piece to then make whole

In Christ I am set free from sin

My guilt and shame all taken in

And bore upon that rugged cross

My strength to stand though all else loss

My sins all covered by His blood

In Christ, I am God’s own Beloved


How quickly men’s own selfish pride

Does cast away and cast aside

A fallen one—a broken heart

Who needs your hand to help them start!

Christ had come to heal the lame

To lift their guilt and take their shame

He called the sinners to His side

To know His love-in Him abide

So why do we not give our hand

To help a fallen one to stand

So, prideful man with heart so small

Be careful lest you too shall fall


Chorus

For it was God’s dear Grace that loved me so

Looked deep within and bid to know

Each crevice of my heart and soul

Each broken piece to then make whole

In Christ I am set free from sin

My guilt and shame all taken in

And bore upon that rugged cross

My strength to stand though all else loss

My sins all covered by His blood

In Christ, I am God’s own Beloved

The artist that drew the picture “A Broken and Contrite Heart” featured on my header, the portrait used today, and  who designed my logo is Ronald Barba.   To obtain your own portrait, logo, or art design please contact Ronald Barba at the email below.    If you can dream it, he can draw or design it for you.  Do you want to surprise someone with an extraordinary special gift of a personal portrait?  An idea for a book cover?  Or a new logo?  Feel free to email him at Artedabarba@gmail.com   to discuss any art projects.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Did God’s Love of the World Cause Him Agonizing Pain?

Did God’s Love of the World Cause Him Agonizing Pain?

It was the summer of 1997 when the call came at work that my son had been in a bad wreck and the ambulance was in route to the hospital. The dispatcher couldn’t tell me anything except that the car had rolled over many times and was totaled. They couldn’t tell me if Ron was ok; but, they said the ETA of the ambulance was about 20 minutes. After all, it was a rural area. As I quickly said a prayer for Ron, I called my supervisor to find someone to take over my patients and I made my way to the ER to wait. When he arrived, he was ok; except for a compression fracture of the thoracic spine. He was in so much pain that his body trembled, he was very pale and covered in a cold sweat. I urged him to let them give him something for pain; but, he refused. He said, “I deserve the pain—my fault, I took the curve too fast.” He had only been driving for a few weeks and had misjudged the curve on a dirt road. My heart bled for him. If I could take the pain from him, I would have gladly. If I could just bear the burden of his guilt, I would have. That was only one example; yet, I could tell you many more. I would gladly carry every pain, every heart break, and every burden for any one of my children; if only I could.

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So, imagine this. If I, with this human heart that fails sometimes can love my children with so much love; how much more does God love His only begotten, perfectly righteous son? [bctt tweet=”What agony must God have felt as He watched His son be rejected, beaten, and hung on the cross.”] What depth of sorrow must have been His to watch Him suffer!! He could say, “Enough” at any second and hurl all of mankind into eternal hell where these selfish hearts deserve to go. Yet, He held His hand and turned away in silence as His son took on the sins of the whole world along with all their guilt. He did it out of love for this His creation—a creation who turned their back on Him. A bunch who chose to worship self instead of Him who had made them.

Continue reading “Did God’s Love of the World Cause Him Agonizing Pain?”

How to Be Born Of Water and Spirit

How to Be Born Of Water and Spirit

It was late at night as he made his way to Jesus. The crowds had gone home to rest. He was a scholar, one of the elect of the Sanhedrin. He had spent his lifetime studying the scripture; yet, this man Jesus from Nazareth spoke as no other he had heard before. Then, there were the miracles as well. He, Nicodemus, wanted to have a moment to speak with this man who had run all the money changers and merchants from the temple; who had then taught the scripture as no other teacher had ever done. With a tone of great respectfulness as he approached he said to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2 NIV).

Spiritually Alive

[bctt tweet=”Then Jesus very passionately responds with the greatest truth that all needed to know. “]This was the greatest message of all. The good news of why Jesus had come to this earth to be the final sacrifice needed to cover man’s sin and to provide the only atonement that can give new spiritual life. It was the only message that could restore a full, vibrant relationship with God. “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3 NIV).

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How Amazing To Be Known Inside/Out And Still Chosen!!

How Amazing To Be Known Inside/Out And Still Chosen!!

When I entered first grade I was the tallest and heaviest child in my class with one little boy taking a close second. To make matters worse, I had a speech impediment that was quite obvious. Academically I excelled which did not add to my popularity in any way. By second grade, I felt the sting even greater regarding my weight; although, my speech had been improving from regular trips to speech therapy. There was one incident that will forever stand out in my mind. As we went out to the playground with a jump rope, one pretty little girl named Kay shouted, “Pretty first, fat last”. I had become accustomed to being the one never chosen. Then amazingly, a little girl named Toni said, “Pretty is as pretty does, Darlene goes first.” What? Someone had seen me inside/out and had chosen me? That was a day I would never forget.

Me second grade 001
Effie Darlene Barba, 2nd Grade; Mrs. Estes Class, Southwest Elementary School Dexter Missouri

 

“GOD KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME, EVERY THOUGHT AND EVERYTHING I WOULD EVER DO; YET HE LOVED ME WITH HIS UNCONDITIONAL PERFECT LOVE. WHAT WONDROUS AND AMAZING GRACE!!  HOW COULD I EVER GIVE HIM LESS THAN ALL MY LOVE AND ALL OF ME?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bctt tweet=”What is SO amazing!! God knew me inside and out; yet, He still chose me to be His child.”]We know very little about Nathanael as he is mentioned only twice in the Bible. He is mentioned in the first and the last chapter of the book of John. Yet, if we look at the story of Nathanael, we see that his story is very important to each and every believer. Christ saw Nathanael inside and out; chose Nathanael and that forever changed Nathanael. Let’s look at the story.

Continue reading “How Amazing To Be Known Inside/Out And Still Chosen!!”