Rain Upon the Rightous and the Unrighteous

Jesus said that God makes the sun shine upon the evil and the good and the rain to fall upon the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45) 

Jesus said to let the wheat and the weeds keep growing up together until the end of time. Otherwise, the wheat might be pulled up along with the weeds. (Matthew 13:24-30) 

In Athens, Paul told the crowd that we are all God's offspring (in the sense that He created us all), and used their own phrase " 'For in Him we live and move and have our being.' " (Acts 17:16-34) 

And, yet we have Christians in developed and developing nations who think it is appropriate to squeeze out those who do not share our beliefs. I ask you to reflect seriously on this.

An Independence Day Prayer

Lord, on July fourth we'll celebrate 

Independence Day in our nation. 

You gave us the truth to set us free. 

You sent Jesus to die for our salvation. 

We thank you for the precious freedom 

That we have in our nation today. 

We know this country's not perfect, 

But we honor our nation, the USA. 

We thank you for the Founding Fathers, 

Who for freedom took a brave stand. 

Many placed their very lives in peril 

To start a free country in a new land. 

I thank you for the brave soldiers, 

Who gave their lives to keep us free. 

They gave their ultimate sacrifice 

For freedom for Americans like me. 

As we shoot fireworks and celebrate 

With patriotic concerts and parades, 

We thank you for all your blessings 

And your great love that never fades. 

As we gather with our loved ones 

For picnics and barbecues and fun, 

We want to thank you for everything, 

Especially for sending your only Son! 

--Margaret Cagle 

This Christian poem may be used within Christian ministries for any non-profit purpose without requesting permission. © 2025 ChristArt, Inc. 

I'm cautious about mixing church and state. I like this poem because it celebrates each separately. It also puts Christ's saving work center stage.

Haba-Who?

Another post that isn't poetry but still involves Biblical nature aspects. A humorous synopsis of the Book of Habakkuk in 21st Century slang

Habakkuk for our times: 

Habakkuk: Yahweh God, my people are not down with doing what You ask. They're making the courts unjust. There's lots of violence and mistreatment happening 

YHWH: Chill. I got something for them, the Chaldeans [Babylonians]. 

Hab: Not the Chaldeans, Yahweh. Do you know what those jokers are like? They're really cruel. They are total jerks. You're too holy to tolerate that nonsense. Well, I'll just stay on alert ⚠️ until You get back with me. 

YHWH: OH, I've got something for the Chaldeans later on. Prepare to be amazed. Oh, and the righteous person will live by his faith. Trust Me, in about 650 years, a guy named Paul is REALLY going to like quoting that. Sorry, but he's not going to credit you for writing that down.

Hab: Cool. I'll keep in mind to praise You, even when everything goes all to heck. You'll strengthen my faith so I can leap joyfully around the slippery mountain rockfaces like a sure-footed deer. And I'm okay with that Paul thing. I think that leaping like a deer 🦌 quote might circulate. Something poetic like "hind's feet in high places." Well, if I still don't get credit for that quote, "yet will I rejoice in Yahweh; I will be joyful in God my Savior." And I won't resent my parents naming me Habakkuk, which will probably keep people from crediting my quotes to me. I feel a song coming on! [Fade out as a stringed group plays a riff.] 

A link to an original translation of part of Habakkuk's song:

Habakkuk 3: 17-19

A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing

This is the "classic" hymn for Ascencion Day, which falls 40 days after Easter (always a Thursday).  In 2026, the date is May 14th. 

A hymn of glory let us sing! 

New songs throughout the world shall ring: 

Alleluia, alleluia! 

Christ, by a road before untrod, 

Ascends unto the throne of God. 

Alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia! 

The holy apostolic band 

Upon the Mount of Olives stand, 

Alleluia, alleluia! 

And with His followers they see 

Their Lord ascend in majesty. 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! 

To them the shining angels cry, 

"Why stand and gaze upon the sky?" 

Alleluia, alleluia! 

"This is the Savior," thus they say.

 "This is His glorious triumph day." 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! 

"You see him now, ascending high 

Up to the portals of the sky." 

Alleluia, alleluia! 

"Hereafter Jesus you shall see

Returning in great majesty." 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! 

Be now our joy on earth, O Lord;

And be our future great reward. 

Alleluia, alleluia! 

Then, throned with You forever, we 

Shall praise Your name eternally. 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! 

 O risen Christ, ascended Lord, 

All praise to You let earth accord. 

Alleluia, alleluia! 

You are, while endless ages run, 

With Father and with Spirit one.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

--The Venerable Bede, AD 700s; tr. Benjamin Webb, 1854

Jesus Lives, the Victory's Won

 

Jesus lives! The victory's won*! 

Death no longer can appall me; 

Jesus lives! Death's reign is done! 

From the grave Christ will recall me. 

Brighter scenes will then commence; 

This shall be my confidence.

 Jesus lives! To him the throne

 High o'er heaven and earth is given. 

I shall go where he is gone, 

Live and reign with him in heaven. 

God is faithful: Doubting, hence! 

This shall be my confidence. 

Jesus lives! For me He died, 

Hence will I, to Jesus living, 

Pure in heart and act abide, 

Praise to him and glory giving. 

All I need God will dispense; 

This shall be my confidence. 

 Jesus lives! I know full well 

Nothing me from him shall sever; 

Life nor death nor powers of hell 

Part me now from Christ forever. 

God will be a sure Defense; 

This shall be my confidence. 

 Jesus lives! and now is death 

But the gate to life immortal; 

This shall calm my trembling breath 

When I pass its gloomy portal. 

Faith shall cry, as fails each sense:

" Jesus is my confidence!"

--Christian Fürhtegott Gellert (1715-1769); Frances E. Cox (1812-1897), adapted

*I Corinthians 15:54-57; Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 13:14

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud [Daffodils]

                                                              

I wandered lonely as a cloud 

That floats on high o'er vales and hills, 

When all at once I saw a crowd, 

A host, of golden daffodils; 

Beside the lake, beneath the trees, 

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. 

Continuous as the stars that shine 

And twinkle on the milky way, 

They stretched in never-ending line 

Along the margin of a bay: 

The thousand saw I at a glance, 

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they 

Outdid the sparkling waves in glee: 

A poet could not but be gay, 

In such a jocund company: 

I gazed--and gazed--but little thought 

What wealth the show to me had brought: 

For oft, when on my couch I lie 

In vacant or in pensive mood, 

The flash upon that inward eye 

Which is the bliss of solitude; 

And then my heart with pleasure fills, 

And dances with the daffodils.         

                        --William Wordsworth, 1804                        

                   

                            

  This poem isn't Christian, per se, but Wordsworth had quite a journey of faith.  Before discussing that, ponder this Bible verse with a parallel thought: " [Jesus continued] 'Observe the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not labor nor spin.  I say, however, that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.' "  (Matthew 6:28b-29a)

     Wordsworth was raised Anglican.  He later moved in circles of Anglo-Catholicism, meaning a movement that sought to emphasize the Roman Catholic history of the Anglican Church.  It also promoted high church, formal structure and worship.

     Wordworth fathered an illegitimate child. Though we consider this outside the bounds of Christian sexual morality, it is too common of an occurrence to say that this calls his faith into question.

     Wordsworth's religious beliefs are hard to clearly define.  He doesn't always express even religious-adjacent ideas in spiritual terms. This does not mean he never expresses his Christian faith.  Those that have referred to him as "atheist" are overlooking what his spiritual journey truly was.

Wordworth's Religion

The World is Too Much with Us

A Winter Ride

                                                                                          

Who shall declare the joy of running!  

Who shall tell the pleasures of flight! 

Springing and spurning the tufts of wild heather, 

Sweeping, wide-winged, through the blue dome of light. 

Everything mortal has moments immortal, 

Swift and God gifted, immeasurably bright. 

So with the stretch of the white road before me, 

Shining snowcrystals rainbowed by the sun,

Fields that are white, stained with long, cool, blue shadows, 

Strong with the strength of my horse as we run. 

Joy in the touch of the wind and the sunlight! 

Joy! With the vigorous earth I am one. 

Amy Lowell (1874 - 1925)