Una oración a mi Dios / A Prayer to My God

Alzaré mis ojos a los montes;

¿De dónde vendrá mi socorro?

Mi socorro viene de Jehová,

Que hizo los cielos y la tierra.

{Salmo 121.1-2}

“I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.”

{Psalm 121:1-2}

Mi idioma materno es inglés, pero a veces me siento como si el idioma de mi corazón sea español. Lo he estudiado desde el primer año en la secundaria, y me encanta la naturaleza poética y romántica de este idioma. Creo que es un gran privilegio y bendición poder comunicar con Dios en dos idiomas—y tener la oportunidad de relacionarse con personas que hablan inglés y las que hablan español. Este es mi primera oración poética en español, y espero que habrá más en los días venideros. Una traducción inglesa del poema sigue el texto español.

My native language is English, but sometimes I feel as if the language of my heart is Spanish. I have studied it since my first year of high school, and I love the poetic and romantic nature of this language. I think it is a great privilege and blessing to be able to communicate with God in two languages—and have the opportunity to relate with people who speak English and those who speak Spanish. This is my first poetic prayer in Spanish, and I hope that there will be more in the days to come. An English translation of the poem follows the Spanish text.

Dios, eres mi fuerza, ayuda, socorro—

Eres mi Roca; Señor, te adoro.

Ni tengo ningún otro que me ame así,

Ni haya una persona que siempre está alrededor de mí.

Mi salvación tú eres; no tengo temor

Porque por edades eternas serás mi Señor.

Tú me adoptaste—pertenezco a ti

Porque aún en mi pecado me viste a mí.

Mi vida es tuya porque me compraste;

Con la sangre del Señor Jesucristo me perdonaste.

Te rindo mis sueños, las metas de mi vida.

¡Soy nueva persona porque soy redimida!

En esta vida, a veces estoy desanimada;

Aún en tiempos difíciles, no estaré enojada

Porque sé que tu plan te dará gloria a ti

Y que me darás fuerza y gozo a mí.

Dios, eres el Rey de todo el mundo,

Pero tus pensamientos acerca de mí son profundos.

Nunca sabré por qué moriste en la cruz,

Pero, ¡estoy tan agradecida estar en la luz!

Mi vida es tuya; sé glorificado en mí

Para que todos que me conozcan te glorifique a ti.

God, you are my strength, help, support—

You are my Rock; Lord, I adore you.

I don’t have any other who loves me this way,

Nor is there a person who is always around me.

You are my salvation; I am not afraid

Because for eternal ages You will be my Lord.

You adopted me—I belong to you

Because even in my sin You saw me.

My life is Yours because You bought me;

With the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ You forgave me.

I surrender my dreams, the goals of my life.

I am a new person because I am redeemed!

In this life, sometimes I am discouraged;

Even in difficult times, I will not be angry

Because I know that Your plan will bring glory to You

And that You will give strength and joy to me.

God, You are the King of all the world,

But Your thoughts about me are profound.

I will never know why You died on the cross,

But I’m so thankful to be in the light!

My life is Yours; be glorified in me

So that all those who know me glorify You.

Yahweh, Our Refuge and Strength

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear....”

{Psalm 46:1-2a}

This poem is an adaptation of one of my favorite psalms, Psalm 46. What a comfort it is to know that God is both our refuge—a God of safety to whom we can run when we are in trouble—and our strength—the One who goes out with us into battle. It is for this reason that, even in the midst of wars, conflicts, chaos, and confusion, we can be still (v. 10) and not fear (v. 2). Our God will be exalted among the nations!

God, You are my refuge; my soul is secure,

Through every battle I know I’ll endure.

Though the earth be removed and its kings no more be,

And the mountains be cast into the heart of the sea,

Even then shall our souls have nothing to fear,

For Yahweh, our refuge and fortress is here.

In the city of God, there is a river that flows;

She is glad, for the Presence of Yahweh she knows.

Though the nations were raging and we could not rejoice,

You defeated them all with the sound of Your voice.

So come, and the wonders of Yahweh behold—

His victory is too great to be left untold!

He brings desolation, causes conflict to cease,

Makes an end of our weapons and heals our disease.

Be still…this the call from our God who’s on high,

…and know that Yahweh, your Father, is nigh.

All the nations will see what He’s done with His hand,

And our God will be praised in every land.

The Lord of the armies dispels all our fears,

For Yahweh, our refuge and fortress, is here.

To Love as You've Loved Me

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one

another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love

one another. By this all people will know that you

are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

{John 13:34-35}

This summer, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve as a day camp counselor. I have worked with many children—children of various ages, backgrounds and personalities. It pretty well describes the cry of my heart during this season of my life. No matter how wrongly my campers may treat me when I am trying so hard to love them, I must remember that the grace and love God has shown me—a wrath-deserving wretch—infinitely exceeds any minor injustices I face.

Yesterday, a camper asked me, “How come you never get mad at any kids?” I told her very honestly that, in myself, I would get mad at kids, yet God helps me to be kind to them. As John writes in his epistle, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Lord, may Your love flow through Your people for the glory of Your name and for the good of the world. Amen.

To love as You’ve loved me—O Lord, can this be?

Can deep, selfless love reach to others through me?

Can I give my life to proclaim Jesus’ name to the lost,

Lose myself that they, too, may be drawn to the cross?

Can I look in their eyes that are filled with regret,

And say, “Fear not; there is hope. God’s not done with you yet!”?

Can I see past their anger, let go of my pride,

And admit that I, too, was once broken inside?

Can I point them to Jesus no matter the cost,

Count eternal life gain and this fleeting one loss?

Can I be ridiculed, mocked and slapped in the face

If only one sinner be touched by Your grace?

Lord, I see now how selfish my sick heart can be;

My life cannot compare to Your awe-striking glory!

What have I to lose when You’re by my side,

And You’ve promised that every need You’ll provide?

To love as You’ve loved me—I know this can be,

For Jesus, my Savior, showed this love to me!

Not regarding His life, He died for my sin,

So that I may not die but live forever with Him.

His life He gave up for the sake of His own,

That they forever may worship and bow at His throne.

To the sick He brought healing, to the dead He gave life,

To the sad He brought comfort, to the blind He gave sight

So that all men might know Him, partake of His grace

And through endless ages, His mighty name praise.

To love as You’ve loved me—Lord, this help me to do

That weak, broken sinners may find new life in You.