Poems to Comfort the Soul

When we go through troubles, stray from God, or just feel lonely, it's good to know God's consoling grace is there for us. Our board member in charge of prison ministry writes these beautiful poems to comfort prisoners, whether in the confines of an actual jail, or imprisoned by feelings of doubt, guilt, sorrow, or suffering.

Lift Away the Thorn, O Lord

O Lord, I am not
an instrument of your love.
I am, today,
the nail in your hand,
a thorn above your brow,
a spear in your side.
I cut you dying in the flesh,
and feel not your
life-giving spirit.
Yet you love me
who I hate.
Please, lift away
the thorn, take out,
O Lord, the nail,
the spear, and give
back to me this day
my life.

--Tim Guile, Okinawa, Japan
 

 
To All Things Broken

To all things broken,
I am a brother.
To the fallen, crumpled
autumn leaf,
I am a brother.
To the splintered mirror,
I am a brother.
To the shattered heart,
I am a brother.
To countries bound
and oppressed,
I am a brother.
To all human history,
I am your imprisoned
brother.
And I am your God.

--Tim Guile, Okinawa, Japan

Healing

Come my sorrow,
come my sorrow,
come my sorrow,
come.

Long I stumbled
over the naked plain
looking for sweet grasses
of my own choosing.

But these did not fill me.
How could they?
Oh come, my sorrow,
come.

The wind, instead, off
the stoney plain, my only
friend, except the howl
of wolves.

These became my fill.
And with what was I filled?
Oh come, my sorrow,
come.

Then, huddled under a camel thorn,
He found me.
He looked and loved and
folded me into His warm arms.

No more I hunger,
no more I hunger,
no more.

--Tim Guile, Okinawa, Japan