CHRISTIAN POEMS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH

By Maurice Dyson

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Called and Chosen
You did not choose Me, but I chose you
that you should go and bear fruit…
John 15:16

The end of the age is the day we await;
Salvation has come with its glorious state;
For those who are chosen, who’ve answered the call,
A place in the glory is promised for all.

The plan of redemption was fashioned of old;
Prophetical words made the story unfold;
In all generations the plan is the same:
By trusting the One with His wonderful name.

The name that was given by royal decree
Has meaning for those who have bended the knee;
Assured in their heart by a spiritual seal,
That He who has saved them is living and real.

The end of the age will not be a surprise
For those who are watching with God-opened eyes;
For many the end will appear as a shock,
As midnight that falls at the stroke of a clock.

The end is described in a letter by Paul;
A letter well known by the church overall;
The Lord will descend in the clouds with a shout,
And those who are saved will be called from without.

The signs of the times are alarmingly clear;
By this do we know that the end must be near;
Lukewarmness is found in the churches today,
For such is the state of those drifting away.

Rewards will be waiting for works that are pure;
Attested by God that will ever endure;
A crown will be given for such that are meet,
For they will be fitting to lay at His feet.

 

Look and Live
Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole;
and it shall be that everyone who is bitten,
when he looks at it, shall live.
Numbers 21:8

Now we all have a will,
Choosing goodness or ill;
It depends if we know God the Saviour;
From the time we were small,
We have all had a fall,
For it flows from our sinful behaviour.

Yet the answer is near,
Without favour or fear:
Just a look at the Saviour believing;
For there’s nothing to lose,
If the Saviour we choose,
But a life everlasting receiving.

If there be any doubt
What this rhyme is about,
Read what happened to those who were bitten;
Like the poison of sin,
It will smite from within,
Lest we look to the Lord who was smitten.

 

Eternal Promises
Having been born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, through the word of God
which lives and abides forever.
1 Peter 1:23

The promise of God is a treasure we find
That strengthens the weary, enlightens the blind;
The content of prophecy settles for sure
The things that will perish and things that endure.

The Word of the Lord and the Scripture in sum,
Determines the kingdom and judgments to come;
The kingdom will come when the Saviour appears
And governs the earth for ten hundreds of years.

The judgments are certain as night follows day;
In fact they are only an instant away;
The moment our bodies are left without breath,
Our souls go to glory or lingering death.

When Adam defected and broke the decree,
By eating the fruit of the singular tree,
The whole of creation came under a curse,
And creatures made perfect were changed for the worse.

But knowing beforehand the weakness of man,
And seeing the fracture before it began,
The Lord made a pledge with assurance to all,
That He would atone for the tragical fall.

The gospel of God is the spiritual key
Which opens the door of the highest degree;
Because we are born with a fleshly desire,
We cannot attain to the things which are higher.

God so loved the world that He gave us His Son,
That whoso believes Him will not be undone,
But enter a life that will last evermore,
And reach its desire on that heavenly shore.

Until that reality comes into view,
Our conduct should mirror the One who is true;
The works we accomplish of silver and gold
Will echo His glory when bounties unfold.

To Him who is able to keep you from sin,
And render you faultless and joyful within;
To Jesus our Saviour the God only wise,
Be honour and glory till ages arise.

 

Resurrection
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and has become
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20

Now this is the word both historic and true,
Concerning the gospel I preached unto you,
By which you are saved and in which you remain;
Unless, after preaching, your faith is in vain.

Because I delivered to you first of all,
That which I received as the primary call;
Christ died for our sins as the Scriptures have said,
And that He was buried and rose from the dead.

And that He was seen in His new risen state,
By Peter and those who had known Him of late;
By those He had chosen to be by His side,
And carry the news to the world far and wide.

Now if Christ is preached that He rose from the tomb,
How is it you say and by this you presume,
That no resurrection has yet entered in?
If that is the case you are still in your sin.

But now is Christ risen, our Saviour and Chief;
The firstfruits of those who have died in belief;
For since by one sin came the sentence it bore,
So through resurrection came life evermore.

For just as in Adam all die it is true,
In Christ we are quickened, created anew;
But someone will ask, How do mortals revive?
And what are the bodies of those who survive?

Now God gives a body to each as He wills,
The seed to its own when it dies in the hills;
All flesh is distinguished, not paired in the least;
One kind is of human, another of beast.

Celestial bodies and those of the earth,
Have differing glories imparted at birth;
The glory inherent in sun or in star,
Is seen in the heavens albeit afar.

So also is that which is raised from the dead,
The body is sown in corruption inbred;
The natural body returns to the dust,
The spiritual body is born out of trust.

And as we inherit the image of man,
Who fell into sin when the ages began,
So shall we inherit the image of One,
Who purchased salvation when sin was undone.

A truth has been hidden but now is declared,
Concerning the future of which we have shared;
We shall not be sleeping but we shall be changed:
A wonderful hope which the Lord has arranged.

The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised,
Enclosed in new bodies divinely appraised;
And we shall be changed from this temporal state,
And put on the bodies we keenly await.

And then shall that saying be brought into light,
Unknown to the sceptics who dwell in the night:
O Death and O Hades, wherein is thy sting?
The triumph of Christ is the anthem we sing.

 

Alpha and Omega
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord, which is, and which was,
and which is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 1:8

Atonement was certain before time began,
But was not enacted till ages had ran;
So when God had waited as had been foretold,
He came down from heaven to rescue His fold.

Baptizing is something that most understand;
It could be in water or maybe on land;
However, the only baptizing we need
Is that by the Spirit as God has decreed.

Commitment may be to a person we know,
Or unto a lifestyle we cannot let go;
The Lord was committed to die on a tree;
He went there expressly for you and for me.

Decisions are choices we make every day;
Whatever the options that happen our way;
Deciding for Christ is the gateway to life,
For then He is with us in danger or strife.

Emotions respond to the spirit and soul;
Without them we would not be balanced or whole;
Emotion is just like the flow of a stream,
As when the sub-conscious calls out in a dream.

Forgiveness is needed when people are hurt;
To those who are wounded we should be alert;
When we are forgiven for all we have done,
It’s more than befitting to honour the Son.

God’s glory surpasses the state of our mind;
And yet in the Bible its record we find;
Creation, redemption, His work on the tree;
His life here among us for all men to see.

Heart-searching is crucial in questions of need;
It’s not just a matter of culture or creed;
The question that every born sinner must face
Is what have we done with the gospel of grace?

Intrusions, encounters occur as they do;
In these we might learn something vitally new;
A person we meet or who crosses our path
May speak of salvation or mention God’s wrath.

Jehovah is One who is also the Lord;
We must be connected to Him by a cord;
A cord we call faith that is founded on grace,
That nothing can break or can ever replace.

Kind-heartedness always refreshes the day;
It could be in deed or whatever we say;
We see it displayed in full measure to all
When Jesus recovered our loss at the Fall.

Law-makers are rulers appointed by men;
Forever amending their laws yet again;
But only one law is inclusive and true:
The law of Christ Jesus that we should pursue.

Miraculous deeds are reported or seen;
It happens whenever a soul is made clean;
We cannot explain it in everyday speech,
Although it is seen by its gracious outreach.

Nobilities are not confined to a class,
Inheriting titles quite lawful to pass;
A person is noble and laudable too
When giving his life for the sake of his crew.

Obscurants who can’t see their dangerous plight,
Are like the Titanic afloat in the night;
Assured it could never encounter distress,
So too unbelievers will drown, nonetheless.

Perchance it is only a tale after all;
This talk about sin and the cardinal fall;
How can we affirm what will be when we die?
These stories of God are just pie in the sky.

Quite often rebuffs are the answers we get;
A person may have a deep grievance they’ve met;
Compassion and grace should enlighten our tone;
Some hearts can be softened that once were as stone.

Reaction is common when speaking of grace;
Discarding our goodness is what we must face;
For those who respond with a heart so disposed,
Reward is their portion in all that’s disclosed.

Salvation is always the issue in mind;
It is the solution for all of mankind;
If we keep refusing to trust in the Lord,
The judgment of God will descend like a sword.

The only condition that’s healthy and clean
Is living by faith as it ever has been;
There’s light in the Word for the penitent heart,   
And peace for the mind with a life set apart.

Unless we are free from the natural way,
The bondage of sin will be holding its sway;
For those who are born of the life-giving Word,
The joy of the Lord will arise like a bird.

Vitality signifies vigour or growth;
It may be related to keeping an oath;
The Scripture encourages study and prayer,
As both are so vital in times of despair.

We are what we choose to believe as we go;
True knowledge comes only by faith even so;
Though not like the wisdom the world has to give,
Our faith and belief is the reason we live.

X-rays are the record of what they reveal;
The pictures recorded are lucid and real;
So likewise the Scriptures look into the soul;
The conscience is there to consider the goal.

Young people depend on instruction and care
From those dedicated with duties they bear;
A life so committed to God from the start
Will duly bear fruit from a reverent heart.

Zoology studies the animal sphere;
Their prominent place in the Bible is clear;
The Lamb that was slain is exalted on high;
He’s coming again for His kingdom is nigh.

 

Christ Is All In All
For it pleased the Father that in Him
should all fulness dwell.
Colossians 1:19

Since we heard of your faith and your love,
We give thanks to the Father above;
For the hope that is stored
In Christ Jesus our Lord;
As an anchor that nothing can move.

For by Him were created all things;
Whether thrones or the splendour of kings;
All dominion and power,
Which exist every hour,
Only live by the grace that He brings.

He has broken the wall that divides,
By His cross and the peace it provides;
Having once reconciled,
Every sin-tainted child;
Things on earth and in heaven besides.

He is head of the Church, His elect;
Every saint He will truly perfect;
As the Star of the morn,
He will come at the dawn,
With His bride in her garments bedecked.

 

A Call to Godliness
For this is the will of God,
even your sanctification.
1 Thessalonians 4:3

We give thanks to God always for you;
For your faith and your love working through;
For the sure confidence
In the Lord our defence,
Which confirms your election as true.

For our gospel came not just in word,
But in spiritual power it was heard;
And the life we displayed
Was of service conveyed,
And the wealth of your souls we preferred.

And you followed our steps in the Lord,
As the word through affliction you stored;
For your faith has gone out
Like a heralding shout,
Through your region and further abroad.

For our coming was not done in vain,
Though before we had suffered much pain;
For the things we report
Were not wrongfully brought,
But we preached of the Lamb that was slain.

Now concerning the times that are due,
You have no need I write unto you;
When they talk about peace
And inventions increase,
Then destruction will quickly break through.

For that day will arrive as a thief,
With tremendous disaster and grief;
You are not in the dark
Where the outlook is stark;
So I write for your balm and relief.

For yourselves are the children of light;
Unlike others who sleep in the night;
Let us join the foray,
Put our daydreams away,
And continue our faith-centred fight.

Do no evil nor harm anyone;
Run the race that is set to be won;
And in all things give thanks;
Standing tall in the ranks,
As the faithful before you have done.

May your spirit and body and soul,
Be complete and be sanctified whole;
And the God of all peace
Who secured our release
Be your stay and your consummate goal.

 

Grace
Therefore go into the highways,
and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.
Matthew 22:9

Oh, the wonderful provision,
That the Saviour died for me!
When my soul was loosed from prison
And the Son had set me free!
Now my guilt is gone and lifted;
Borne away as on the wind;
Sharing Christ with others gifted
In a life which has no end.

Was there any merit in it?
Is there any room to boast?
Had my searchings reached a limit
As I went from coast to coast?
No, it was the Holy Spirit
Who convicts of sin and hell;
In Christ Jesus is the merit,
For He has done all things well.

Oh, the grace that bought my pardon
When He hung upon the tree!
Though He travailed in the garden
Knowing that which was to be;
Who could wilfully ignore Him,
Having suffered such a price?
We shall evermore adore Him
With His saints in Paradise.

 

He Is Coming
Surely I come quickly.
Revelation 22:20

Every day that we live,
There is something we give,
To ourselves or to friends or to neighbours;
Reaching out to the lost
Disregarding the cost,
For we know they are doomed in their labours.

Just one thing could suffice,
For so high was the price;
It demanded a ransom predicted;
So the Lord left His throne
To be offered alone;
Thus He came as the Saviour afflicted.

But the grave could not hold
One predicted of old;
He is risen with promise unfailing;
He will come in the sky,
Where no darkness is nigh,
To His kingdom with justice prevailing.

 

Betrothed
I will build My church;
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18

The Body of Christ, as we read,
Began on the day God decreed;
Its members had orders
To stay in their borders,
To which they devoutly agreed.

They gathered while waiting in prayer;
Abruptly a noise filled the air;
The Spirit’s descending
On each one attending
Announced that a new age was there.

The Spirit of Truth is the guide
Of saints in the world far and wide;
Indwelling and filling
In hearts that are willing
To walk with the Lord and abide.

The church is awaiting its goal,
When it is made perfectly whole,
With Jesus who bought her,
Elected and sought her,
In grace with the love of His soul.

She now is the bride yet to be,
Which all of creation will see;
For she is appointed
To wed God’s Anointed,
With feasting in true majesty.

 

Just One Look
Behold the Lamb of God!
John 1:36

We dwell among spheres,
The length of our years,
They colour our life and our thinking;
The local domain;
The status we gain;
The service to which we are linking.

The sphere of the mind
Is where we are blind,
As mortal inveterate creatures;
Because of our sin
And darkness within,
The light of the Lord does not reach us.

Our rank unbelief
Will not bring relief,
Unless our convictions are heeded;
They surely will cry,
The day that we die,
As witness to what we have needed.

A soul in the dark
Needs only a spark:
A look to the Lord in the glory;
The sphere of despair
No longer is there:
Transformed to a life-giving story.

 

Discernment
The secret things belong unto the LORD our God:
but those things which are revealed belong unto us
and to our children for ever, that we may do all
the words of this law.
Deuteronomy 29:29

Eye has not seen what the Lord has prepared,
Nor has it entered the heart;
Ear has not heard all the things He has shared
With His beloved apart.

God has revealed these inscrutable things,
Kept from the world out of sight;
Greater are they than the glory of kings;
Deeper than aeons of light.

Man who is born in a natural state
Cannot discern what they are;
For they are foolishness as he would rate
Things he considers afar.

So is the word that the Bible contains;
It has a message unique;
Speaking of matters where righteousness reigns;
Something to value and seek.

Each day is given for us to advance;
Spiritual trophies abound;
No one will say they did not have a chance;
Glories of God can be found.

He who is spiritual judges all things,
Yet he is judged not at all;
We have a mind that Emmanuel brings,
Once we have answered His call.

 

The Cure
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear,
the dead are raised up,
and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Matthew 11:5

We are living in days well predicted
As the drugs have got many addicted;
The effect on the mind
Is a blot and a bind
That’s affecting the ones so afflicted.

There’s a cure for this daily vexation,
Any time in our mortal probation;
We are all given light,
Yet with eyelids shut tight,
We will not see our true destination.

There’s a factor beyond comprehension,
That in public does not get a mention;
As with all of mankind
We are spiritually blind,
Till the gospel has got our attention.

It is all of God’s doing completed;
It cannot be improved or deleted;
For the cross on the hill
Is the oracle still
For a soul who is lost or defeated.

Every day has its portion of factors
That can either instruct or distract us;
Yet they all play a part
In desires of the heart;
It depends on the way they impact us.

As the Fall was the cause of all cursing,
We cannot hide the ills we are nursing;
They will not go away
Till that prophesied day,
That the scriptures have long been rehearsing.

Now for those who have found the solution,
In a group or at any seclusion,
There is always God’s word
They have welcomed and heard,
And it never has proved an illusion.

It begins with the gospel related,
As to Adam and Eve it was stated;
They were clothed with the skins
So to cover their sins,
As a symbol that’s oft been narrated.

We must now trust in Jesus to save us;
With assurance and promise He gave us;
We must all bow the knee
So that we can be free,
From the sins that destroy and enslave us.

 

The Light
And this is the condemnation, that light
is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil.
John 3:19

The light we see
From mother’s knee
Is truly providential;
Yet as we grow
We need to know
The truth that is essential.

There comes a time
In any clime
When conscience is alerted;
A scripture verse,
However terse,
Declares the truth asserted.

From there we choose
The gospel news:
The gift of life eternal;
Or else reject
The simple text
And meet with wrath infernal.

 

From Death to Life
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:31

From sixty years in retrospect,
Perchance another ten,
I do recall when I was small,
Events that happened then;
We gave our teachers due respect
And never missed at school;
The war was on, the soldiers gone,
Precaution was the rule.

I started work in handicraft,
At twenty-five and six;
We learnt the trade from Mr Wade,
While making hockey sticks;
And then it came the time for draft,
I donned the uniform;
We learnt the rule at combat school,
For thus it was the norm.

When time had come to emigrate,
We gathered on the quay;
We said farewell till months befell,
As they were meant to be;
Now destined for a far-off state:
The land of kangaroos;
I’d let them know how fortunes go,
And pass the latest news.

I landed east but settled west,
For there I was to stay;
I wrote to Mum that she could come,
To where I am today;
The relatives are now at rest,
They pass away and die;
But still we trust as well we must
In God the Lord Most High.

I must relate the episode
That rescued me from death;
Upon the bike I had a strike
That almost took my breath;
Then fourteen years along the road,
When everything seemed lost,
A gospel verse removed the curse,
For Jesus paid the cost.

The final chapter thrillingly
Began at seventy-four;
At Mundaring we had a swing
But didn’t keep the score;
Then happily and willingly,
We stood beneath the pine,
And there we both affirmed the oath,
And that’s the bottom line.

I thought it was appropriate
To add a brief remark;
It should be clear why we are here,
And not be in the dark;
We go to our eternal state
The moment that we die;
The Truth must be our sanctuary,
And not the devil’s lie.

We cannot trust our common sense
Or good that we have done;
The gospel word that we have heard
Applies to everyone;
It’s no good sitting on the fence
For surely we shall fall;
The Lord’s command is now at hand,
In love He died for all.

 

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