His Gaze Returned

(Originally posted March 15, 2011)

"Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky."
Psalm 85:10-11






O LORD, how often I had felt

my wantonness and disgrace;
the wretched state in which I dwelt
caused You to turn Your face.

My sins, so great and ever present
before Your throne on high,
kept love far from my darkened heart,
and grace from my dim eyes.

But You, O LORD, returned Your gaze
and saw what man cannot; 

a child meant for Your blessed Son,
whom, from suffering, He had bought.

Into His hands You presented me,
those precious hands pierced through;
a gift of love for Your obedient Son
so graciously given by You.

What love is this, O LORD my God,
that You chose the likes of me;
to write my name upon the hand
that suffered on Calvary?

You chose to take my sins so great
upon Yourself, so fair;
a child of sin turned child of grace,
brought into Your eternal care.

You now can look upon this wretch
You saved from death’s firm grasp;
as You gaze upon my remade heart,
Your Son You see at last.

Sea Of Crowns

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” (Rev. 21:1)

“But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Is. 35:9-10)



 The moonlight is cast like diamonds,
Sparkling atop the crest of the waves;
Firelight rolling in evening’s twilight,
Stretching its fingers upon the sandy shore.

God summons the moon in the heavens above
To change the constant course
Of the ever-flowing tide;
Unchanging and without flaw or pause.

Faithful to His creation, ever-mindful and aware,
God sustains the sea and the life it contains.
In return, it responds with unerring devotion
To the pulse of His beating heart.

Man’s heart learns the rhythm of the sea;
His life entwined in its cadence,
Enfolded in its melody and embrace,
And made one with his glorious Maker.

God plucks the diamonds from the crest of the sea,
Wrapping them in soft moonlight’s gleam,
And forms them into a crown of love
To place on my head for eternity.



Copyright 2006 Karen L. Brahs

Numbers 6:24-26

I seek in prayerful words, dear friend,
My heart’s true wish to send you,
That you may know that, far or near,
My loving thoughts attend you.

I cannot find a truer word,
Nor better to address you;
Nor song, nor poem have I heard
Is sweeter than God bless you!

God bless you! So I’ve wished you all
Of brightness life possesses;
For can there any joy at all
Be yours unless God blesses?

God bless you! So I breathe a charm
Lest grief’s dark night oppress you,
For how can sorrow bring you harm
If ‘tis God’s way to bless you?

And so “through all thy days
May shadows touch thee never”
But this alone, God bless thee,
Then art thou safe forever.

(author unknown)

What If?

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”   God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

Exodus 3:13-14 

What if...

You hang on doubt and refuse to hear

the still, small voice whispering in your ear;

the gentle call from womb to death

that tells of glory and blissful rest?

Your heart is hard and refuses to budge

when those who know Him tell of His love;

you turn your back with scorn and spite

from those who offer His glorious light?

What if...

You believe those who say it is not so;

there is no God to whom you can go

for relief and rest from toil and strife,

Who offers His peace and eternal life?

You build your life on things and self,

refusing the mighty hand of help'

until that day all men come to,

death stands at your side and summons you?

What if...

At that moment you suddenly see;

the question rises, "Could it be?

Have I been so blind and stubborn of heart

that now from mercy I must part?"

You now know that you were wrong;

all your life you refused the song

that swelled from heaven midst love divine,

that spoke the words, "Come, be Mine"?

And before the God you chose to deny,

you stand before Him, eye-to-eye,

with no one left to defend your cause,

exposed and naked, knowing your loss?

But, what if...

You choose just now, upon this day,

to seek the road and be shown the way

to mercy, forgiveness and boundless grace

that's written upon His beautiful face?

You come and meet the Great I AM

Who waits to take you by the hand

and bring you into His blessed fold

to give to you true life foretold?

And angels sing and saints rejoice,

"All glory is His!" they say with one voice.

"He's brought another who answered His call,

and made our God his all in all!"?

What if?

(© Karen L. Brahs, April 22, 2006) 

The Farmer and the Soil

For my brother-in-law, Scott, a farmer with a passion for the soil and the bounties it brings.

“A farmer went out to sow his seed….”
Matthew 13:3

"A farmer went out to sow his seed,"

    To work and till the land.
He stood and gazed with practiced eye
    At the fields that awaited his hand.

His memory brought back the year before,
    How the crop had blighted and failed;
The seeds had been sown and sprang from the earth,
    Then withered ‘neath the sun’s scorching veil.

Other years passed through his wandering mind,
    Of droughts, pests, and choking thorns;
The long weary days and sleepless nights,
    Then rising again with the dawn.

“This year will be different,” he said to himself.
    “The winter has brought needed rain.
 I’ll till the soil and sow the seed.
    I’ll do it all over again.”

Bending below him, reaching deep in the earth,
    He cradled the warm soil in his palm.
And to his face, he breathed deep its scent,
    The life-giving source of the loam.

From the corner of his eye he spied a rock
    Half-buried in the ground below.
Crouching beside it, he pulled and he tugged,
    For if left there, the seeds would not grow.

He climbed atop his plough that day
    And began the task at hand,
Of breaking the clods of the hard-packed soil,
    And preparing the heart of the land.

He tilled and toiled late into the night,
    For time was not on his side.
The seasons were short; the work must be done,
    Or no crop in this field would abide.

At last with weary, but satisfied steps,
    He climbed down from within the plough.
The field lifted the scent of the soil of its heart,
    And into his heart it did flow.

He loved the earth and its life-giving force;
    The bounties to mankind it would yield.
Only time would tell if his efforts were in vain
    In preparing the soil of this field.

In the morrow he would sow and lovingly tend
    The precious seeds that he placed in the ground.
The summer would wane as he watched them grow
    And fed and nourished each one.

He knew not the outcome, nor counted the cost,
    For each sown seed was dear.
He would patiently wait as each proved its worth,
    ‘Til the harvest of fall drew near.

Then with scythe and sickle he would finish his work;
     Into his storehouses he would bring
The fruit of his labor, the crop it did bear,
    And of the earth’s bounty that did spring.

The chaff and the stalk, he would sling aside;
    Its uselessness had no appeal.
It had borne the wheat and held the fruit,
    But its fate was eternally sealed.

Into the flames he would toss the stalk,
    The wind would blow away the chaff.
His storehouses were full to feed those who hungered,
    And to rest he could go at last.

But the winter is brief, a short respite,
    And spring comes ‘round again.
The farmer awakes from his wintry sleep,
    Another time to toil on his land.

A farmer went out to sow his seed,

    To work and till the land.
He stood and gazed, with practiced eye,
    Upon the field that awaited his hand.

Copyright 2006 Karen L. Brahs

Lift Your Eyes

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

Hebrews 12:2-3

When the weight of the world bears upon you,
    When trouble and despair overcome;
When weariness falls from temptations and trials,
    Lift your eyes to God’s glorious Son.

When it feels there is no one to turn to,
    Who will share in your aching release;
If you find no shoulder on which to recline,
    Lift your eyes to the God of great peace.

Cast your burdens upon His mighty shoulders;
    Run to Him, and do not delay.
Lift your eyes and your heart to your Maker,
    And look into His beautiful face.

For it’s there that your solace awaits you;
    It’s there where relief can be found.
When you look upon your Savior,
   His peace will forever abound.



Copyright 2006 Karen L. Brahs

No More To Part

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.”
Isaiah 55:6-7


There’s a song that’s sung in heaven,
A sweet, melodic refrain;
From the lips of all creation,
And the tongues of those who confess,
That our Lord, our God, our Saviour,
Has granted eternal rest.

Come ye lost, despairing and broken,
Downtrodden and weary souls;
Lift your voices, join the chorus,
For your Lord will make you whole.

And with the Saints and angels,
Whose voices ring pure and clear;
Sing adoration, praise and worship,
For the Lord your Redeemer is near.

Bow down before His royal throne;
Accept the Grace He gives.
Embrace the proffered gift of love,
For he who does so lives.

Come one, come all into His presence,
Into His glorious light;
Receive the gift of pardon
And your eyes the gift of sight.

And then upon your lips He’ll place
The song that’s in His heart.
You’ll join the chorus and their sweet refrain,
“No more, no more to part.”



Copyright 2006 Karen L. Brahs

Who Am I?

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in Your sight, O Sovereign Lord, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign Lord?

What more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Sovereign Lord. For the sake of Your word and according to Your will, You have done this great thing and made it known to Your servant.” 2Samuel 7:18-22

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord,”
That You would choose the likes of me;
What was I, but sin and disgrace,
With no right to be set free?

What lay within my heart of stone
That caused Your heart to yearn;
To whisper words of love divine
And ask my eyes to turn?

What did You see within my soul,
My flawed and sinful state;
What worthy thing did You behold,
And with great patience wait?

Why did You choose this lowly being
And break this heart of stone;
Then mold and shape it with great love,
And make it all Your own?

Why set a crown upon my head,
Unworthy, shamed and scorned;
Why share Your cup with such as me,
And with righteousness adorn?

I know not what the answers be,
Nor Your faithfulness understand;
But I’ll place my trust upon Your will,
And take You by the hand.

Let not doubt sway this new-made heart,
Nor fear cause it to fail;
With tender guidance and gentle touch,
Your mercy will prevail.

You’ve set my soul on angel’s wings,
To soar to heights unknown;
With grace and mercy You’ve chosen me,
And seeds of love You’ve sown.

Who I am to deserve such love,
Such mercy, gifts, and grace,
Will only be answered upon that day
I see You face-to-face.



Copyright 2006 Karen L. Brahs

Golgotha Hill

Come and take a walk with me,

To a place we seldom go;

A place that sits upon a hill,

Where tears of sorrow flowed.

A place that speaks of love untold,

And cries of mercies deep;

Golgotha hill stands waiting there

For weary and stumbling feet.

Upon that hill there stands a cross,

Fixed firmly in the ground;

It’s there upon this tree of Grace

Salvation can be found.

With outstretched arms and bleeding brow,

 Our blessed Savior waits;

Upon this cross He bore our sins,

And opened Heaven’s gates.

So walk with me to Calvary’s cross,

Kneel below His feet;

Gaze deep within the face of Love

That drove death to defeat.

Come often to the cross of Christ,

Where blood from fountain flows;

Where cleansing tides of righteousness

Wash o’er His children below.

The tree upon Golgotha hill,

Unhindered by man and time,

Still stands upon the Rock of Grace,

And woos with Love divine.

It waits and calls to each of us,

The journey is not long;

So come and take a walk with me

Where salvation can be found.

Copyright 2007 Karen L. Brahs

Forgotten Pocket

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God." 1Peter 1:23

Within my heart, deep in my soul,
A pocket has been sewn;
By able hands and fingers deft,
Each stitch is made my own.

Woven from wool of purest white,
It's borders they doth gleam;
Embroidered by the hand of God,
With love in every seam.

The pocket has a purpose,
Divinely sewn and placed;
For within its soft and downy depth
Are laid the seeds of Grace.

God chose the seeds and placed them there
For me to scatter and sow;
Each seed of Grace that lies in wait
Has a name to which it should go.

But the pocket, full and bulging,
Lies forgotten, forsaken, ignored;
The seeds of Grace that lie in wait
Remain where they were stored.

Its weight bears heavy on my heart,
A reminder they are there;
They call to me from deep within
To cast away my fear.

So, deep within my pocket,
I will reach with trembling hand,
And cast the seeds He gave me
Upon the hearts of men.

I'll sow the seeds that lie there,
I'll scatter them broad and wide;
Upon the hearts prepared by Him,
I'll plant the seeds He provides.

And as each one is taken
From the pocket so lovingly sewn,
I'll watch with great delight and joy
As each takes root and grows.

Forsake not these seeds of Grace
So carefully placed within;
The Lord has laid them there with purpose,
To turn men from their sin.

Reach deep, my friend, inside your pocket,
The one you forgot was there;
Cradle the seeds that God has placed,
And cast away your fear.

Sow them far and wide upon man's heart,
And share the message from above;
For the pearls of Grace are precious and few,
And created from Divine Holy Love.


Copyright 2007 Karen L. Brahs