POETRY BY ROGER SMALLING

BAPTIZE ME

Spirit of the living God,

Fill my mouth today

And make my tongue a healing sword,

A saving fire, I pray.

Let the gazes from my eyes

Be like a drawing beam

That pulls the anxious, seeking soul

To Him who can redeem.

Let the pleading deep within

Move out into my hands

And signal to a sinful soul

Of He who breaks the bands.

Through my mouth and eyes and hands

Let suffering mankind see.

Oh, mighty Spirit of our God,

Come and baptize me.

BIRDS

What a striking, charming, clever thought

To give beauty to birds which know it not,

So that the mind of man can see

The ways of Divine activity!

Why does a peacock behave so proud,

Spreading his quills like a shimmering cloud?

Does he know the meaning of vanity?

Or is he showing God's marvelous artisty?

The sparrow travels from morning to night,

Finding its food in frantic flight.

A symbol for all of mankind to see

Our Heavenly Father's fidelity.

The gorgeous bird of paradise...

His flowing tail a strange device

For luring his reluctant mate

And God's handiwork to demonstrate.

For whom is the robin's melody meant?

Or is it a meaningless message sent?

Are melodies something that birds understand,

Or were they meant for the ears of man?

What a striking, charming, clever thought

To give beauty to birds which know it not,

So that the mind of man can see

The ways of Divine activity!

THE GREATEST OF GLORIES

The greatest of the glories, what shall it be

Through endless ages of eternity?

To gaze upon a distant star

And wonders of creation from afar?

The greatest of glories, what shall it be

Through endless ages of eternity?

The awesome power of a raging storm

Or the wisdom shown in a snowflake's form?

The greatest of the glories, what shall it be

Through endless ages of eternity?

Perhaps the mem'ry of Calvary's cross

Or of the day my chains of sin fell off?

The greatest of the glories, what shall it be

Through endless ages of eternity?

The greatest of them all to me will seem

Just to walk along with Him.

HIM

By Roger Smalling

One day I'll see that Holy face,

Full of glory, power, and grace.

I'll gaze upon that thorn-crowned head

Which ages past by thistles bled.

I'll peer into those flaming eyes

Which once had worn a thin disguise.

A thin disguise of flesh and blood

To hide the mighty power of God.

On that day I'll fall before Him,

Honor giving, to adore Him;

Fall before Him as one dead,

Then lifted up by hands that bled.

For on His thigh and on His vesture,

Name all heaven follows after,

Striking fear in Satan's hordes,

"The King of Kings and Lord of Lords."

HOW I FAILED TO WRITE THIS POEM

I thought to write a poem

On the holiness of God

And rise above the lofty heights

Where angel feet have trod.

I sat down at the table

With a prayer upon my lip,

But noticed disappointedly

A broken pencil tip.

So I took another,

But it was broken too.

I therefore took a fountain pen

And tried to write anew.

Then just at the moment

That I began to think,

I noticed that the fountain pen

Had just run out of ink.

Thereupon I heard a voice,

"A noble thought, my son.

But I ought to tell you

'Tis a work already done."

Surprised I dropped my pen and asked,

"Whatever could that mean?

Could it be that there's more truth

That yet I have not seen?"

Then I knew the answer

And it ended all my strife;

It's a work already written

In the life of Jesus Christ.

None can e'er improve on that,

What more can mortals say?

I saw the pen upon the floor,

I looked, and let it lay.

HOW

How can a King be so lowly and meek

And a Morning Star in the depths of hell?

How can a Judge utter words so sweet,

And a Holy One do a sinner so well?

How can a symbol of beauty be

In the trough of a stable born?

And how can a Babe bend a wise man's knee

And make him give praise to the Lord?

How could a God whose word is the Law

Become the servant of men?

And how could a man in whom is no flaw

Of sinners become a friend?

How can The Way take the place of the Lost

And the Truth pay the price of my lies?

And how can The Life by His death on the Cross

Render the foolish wise?

Magnificent truths I don't understand,

But convinced forever they're true,

for they're ever so old and ever so grand

And yet they're forever new.

How can a truth its own opposite be?

Only the Savior can tell.

And I'm sure He'll explain in Eternity,

So I'll trust Him and love Him until.

The Mighty Word Of God

A sword that cuts me to the heart

And pierces joints and marrow,

But giving everlasting life

And never bringing sorrow.

A living bread on which to feed

And suited to my taste;

It's more than I can ever need

And yet there's none to waste.

It's water I can deeply drink

And never thirst again.

Yet still I always come for more;

A spring that cannot end.

I love this mighty Word of God,

My sword and bread and water,

My source of life and food and drink

Today and ever after.

Ode To Holiness

Tell me, Holiness,

Elusive goal,

Why flee you at my approach?

Then seem to recede to infinity,

Until I feel my reproach?

Tell me, Holiness,

This paradox,

Why those the farthest from you,

Seem to feel no lack of your presence,

While those the nearest do?

Tell me, Holiness,

This mystery,

How you let the unwittingly wise,

Know in their souls instinctively,

That you are the highest prize?

Oh at last, when I have you in my grasp,

By whatever means God employs,

You to my thirsting bosom I'll clasp,

And drink unspeakable joys.

ODE TO THE SPIRIT

Spirit of the living God,

How I lift my heart to Thee.

How I love thy Name to laud,

And riches of Thy grace to see.

Calming Spirit, peaceful Dove;

Guiding by a silent sigh;

Spreading wide the Father's love,

With tender care and watchful eye.

What grace it is His only aim,

Never to exalt Himself.

Never seeking His own fame,

But Jesus' Name above all else.

How I love thy Name to laud,

And riches of Thy grace to see.

Spirit of the living God,

How I lift my heart to Thee.

THE SECRET PLACE

At times when I come to pray, O Lord,

I find I have little to say.

There's something that can't be voiced in a word,

A feeling that speech won't portray.

It's that secret something between us, Lord,

That only we can share;

As though we had a universe

And only we were there.

A universe within the soul

Where only we can be.

And the fountain of peace has its start

In that spot of eternity.

A place unbound by time and space

Where it's really needless to pray;

For we have a secret hiding place

Where loved ones need nothing to say.

THE SILENT WATCHER

Out on the lawn on a wintry day

Five little sparrows hopped at play.

A piece of bread had been spied from the air,

And they swooped upon their "fortunate" fare.

No one to thank,

No one to show,

Just a lucky find, you know.

A silent watcher from a curtain-blind

Got exquisite pleasure from their fortunate find.

And in a while he'll throw out some more

And delight in their gladness, as often before.

No one to thank,

No one to show,

Just a lucky find, you know.

Such is caring,

Such is love,

Like our Heavenly Father above.

WHO

Who shall be crowned the King of Kings?

To whom shall honor flow?

Who shall be called the Lord of Lords?

But He who is Servant of all?

Before Whose feet shall kingdoms bow

And deserts quench their thirst?

But He who declared "I am meek and low"

And "let the children come first"?

To whom gave God the Rod of Iron

The heathen lands to smite?

The One who for them saw Hades' fire,

And labored in prayer in the night.

To whom shall the name of Shepherd be given

But He who became a Lamb?

And who shall hold the keys of Heaven,

But One called "The Son of Man"?

Trinity

Father! Oh, Security!

Calming restful soothing sound

That says in such serenity,

In His bosom peace is found.

Father! Sacrificial love,

Infinite and measureless,

Moving Him His Son to give;

Firm but full of tenderness.

Father! Majesty and power.

The whole creation testifies,

The mighty God from hour to hour

Controls, directs and beautifies.

Father! Oh, Security!

Jesus! Holiness of God,

In form of human flesh prtrayed,

From whose mouth eternal words

Of precious truth and grace displayed.

Jesus! Ever-living Lord,

counselor and Prince of Peace,

In Him is wisdom-treasure stored;

His sole concern is other's needs.

Jesus! Every knee shall bow,

To God shall every tongue confess,

He alone is Lord of lords,

From Him, salvation's endlessness.

Jesus! Holiness of God!

Spirit! Oh, the Breath of God,

Singing solace to the soul,

Whispering through the living Word,

And setting searching hearts aglow.

Spirit! Oh, the gentle voice,

Wooing to the holy way.

Making clear the better choice

With willingness to Christ obey.

Spirit! Leading sons of God

To higher heights of heavenly praise;

By bursts of supernatural love

His grace and healing power displays.

Spirit! Oh, the breath of God! Eternal Bonds

(To Dianne, By Roger Smalling)

Distance cannot dim eternal bonds,

For time and space eternal bonds transcend.

And timeless feelings clearly flow beyond,

For naught on earth does love like ours depend.

And when the grey of age our locks adorn,

And pain of years our feeble bodies bear,

Our love shall always be as youthful sworn,

And each behold the other ever fair.

TIME PASSED

I spied old man time

passing by the agéd oak

near the manse.

He paused,

snatched a dying autumn leaf,

turned it this way and that...

pensive.

Released, the amber leaf

tumbled in the cool breeze,

lost with a thousand others

in the anonymity

of spent purpose.

I peered to see

what time would do next...

but he was gone.

Haikus

Glistening ice-knives

on wintry-clad willow boughs,

tinkling fresh and cool

*******

Crystalline Jesus

on rich man’s marble mantel.

Is He happy there?

*******

Autumn amber grass

waves greeting to passersby.

Lonely highway flows.

White clouds on blue sky

Drifting lazy, calm and free

Restful summer day

*******

A droning preacher

on a warm summer sunday.

My purgatory.

*******

DESERT HAIKUS

Claws of scarlet dusk

drawing the curtain of day

to horizon’s maw.

*******

Glittering globe of

star-bathed peace on desert sands.

Far, silent; yet near.

********

Pastel creeping dawn

whispering new adventures.

Waking to freshness

********

White clouds on blue sky

Drifting lazy, calm and free

Peaceful summer day.

********

Golden butterfly

flitting on crimson flowers.

Blossoms touched by charm.