Poem - Hallelujah to The God

Pretty much the sequel to "The Pharisee Game".

TITLE: HALLELUJAH TO THE GOD

Can everyone break into
A loud resounding chorus
Of hallelujahs?

No they can’t

Because they were told not to sing
Until they surrendered
To a different tune
With different lyrics.

Hallelujah to the God
Who sent His Son to die
For him but not him,
For her but not her.

Hallelujah to the God
Who says love thy neighbour,
Except for that one.

Hallelujah to the God
Who prefers one denomination
Over another.

Hallelujah to the God
Who can be boxed in
And understood by human intelligence.

Hallelujah to the God
Who brings oppression
And fear.

Hallelujah to the God
Of the Pharisees.

Well I am sorry,
But I cannot
And will not
Sing this song.

Hallelujah to the God
Of Unconditional love.

Hallelujah to the God
Of peace and reconciliation.

Hallelujah to the God
Who brings life in all its fullness.

Hallelujah to the God
Who works for the good of His children.

Hallelujah to the God
Who brings freedom.

Hallelujah to the God
Who builds one church.

Hallelujah to the God
Of rich and poor
Old and young
Male and female
Gay and straight
Of every tribe
And tongue
And nation.
Of the global North
And global South.
Hallelujah to the God
Who says Come as your are
From wherever you are
And find rest for your soul.

Hallelujah to THE God.

Poem - The Pharisee Game

It's a passion of mine to reclaim the word 'reform' when it comes to Churches in Northern Ireland. A total 're-look' at what Jesus prioritised and what He criticised. And above all this, how he loved people. The following poem was written both out of frustration at how people are treated and hurt, but also out of hope that there are genuine hearts seeking to love.

Just because you can't comprehend it,
Doesn't mean you're free to condemn it.
Don't act the expert on what you don't know,
And stop putting on this authority show.
It's not all about what you think or perceive,
And the truth doesn't stop at what you believe.
Let's see if you can open your mind
To accept those of a 'different kind'.
And don't try to 'fix' them or 'pray it away',
Just invite them in and ask them to stay.
You see externals but God sees the heart,
Of the bigger picture we see only a part.
Jesus paid it all so that no-one should die,
And they could know God and have eternal life.
But we evangelicals rebuild the walls
That keep people out of God's 'Kingdom for All'.
The doctrines and rules of our denominations
Is breaking down God-with-human relations.
Jesus said people who love come from God,
So I can't help but find it a little bit odd,
That many who know the grace of the Cross,
More quickly condemn and leave people lost.
What's more important at the end of the day;
The state of their souls or the fact that they're gay?
Your priorities seem a bit off to me,
When Jesus came to set people free.
Free from all sin, all guilt and all shame,
But you keep playing the Pharisee game.
You let your debatable point of view
Warp what is undeniably true.
That Jesus loves all without any condition,
And he made a way out of perdition.
I'm pleading with you to open your eyes,
And to be His disciples and answer the cries,
Of the outcast, the broken, the poor and alone
Don't be the ones to keep throwing stones.
This side of heaven you won't know in full,
So just place yourself in His hands as a tool,
That by your hands and feet His will can be done,
And through your heart His Kingdom will come.