Where Is the Peace?

 

 

Where is the peace that comes with prayer?

Why such disquiet and consuming fear?

Where is this God to whom we pray?

Why doesn’t He just make COVID disappear?

 

Prayer changes things, is our acclaimed boast

And this we shout from coast to coast

Yet COVID just gets worse and worse and worse

And prayers appear futile in light of its curse.

 

Where is the peace guaranteed in the Word?

Paul mentions it in case you hadn’t heard,

The epistle to the Philippians chapter 4 verse 7

Is where you will find the reference written.

 

 

Where is the peace that comes with prayer?

Why such disquiet and consuming fear?

Where is this God to whom we pray?

Why doesn’t He just make COVID disappear?

 

We call for more prayer yet COVID gets worse

There is a demon within it and it is a curse,

Hence, we pray and shout and we become frantic

And try to tell others they should not panic.

 

In sharing this with a fellow Christian brother

He agreed with me it has become a bother,

He said it reminded him of the prophets of Baal

That screamed and shouted but to no avail.

 

They prayed and prayed to their so-called Baal

Who either went on a journey or his hearing failed

For he answered not a word or came to their aid,

Poor old created Baal couldn’t make the grade.

 

What an indictment given what that brother said!

Why do we behave as though God is dead?

“Let your request be known” is what verse 6 said

And repose in the peace of Almighty God instead.

 

 

Where is the peace that comes with prayer?

Why such disquiet and consuming fear?

Where is this God to whom we pray?

Why doesn’t He just make COVID disappear?

 

We set store in numbers; it is how many pray

And it is what prayer achieves not God anyway,

So, gather the prayer warriors and intercessors too

There is much praying for them all to do.

 

Tell them to be on time; it’s an urgent request,

Now the waters are troubled let us not rest,

God says it is time and His timing is always best

Let’s come together and get rid of this pest.

 

An abundance of praying has already been done

But it is quite apparent up to now COVID has won,

So, how do we measure the success of our prayer?

Pray tell, someone, if you have this wisdom.

 

 

Where is the peace that comes with prayer?

Why such disquiet and consuming fear?

Where is this God to whom we pray?

Why doesn’t He just make COVID disappear?

 

Stewart Russell © October 18, 2021

 

A Conversation with COVID

 

 

I needed to speak with COVID

But he bluntly refused,

As I approached him in my mask

He was not amused.

 

He begged me to remove it

I told him I could not,

He referred to the many who did

And I said look at their lot.

 

He spoke of his busy schedule

Regarding people and places,

And said he had no regard for people

Who could not show their faces.

 

He said I was COVID phobic

And there was not much that I knew

But he would get me eventually

And there was nothing I could do.

 

 

I asked if that was the case

Why his concern about my mask,

He turned to walk away

Then suddenly stopped and asked…

 

“Are you afraid of me?”

I found that question strange,

For after all the havoc he has caused

He would have to be deranged.

 

“Who wouldn’t be afraid of you?”

“You’d be amazed,” he replied.

“Crazy party-goers and church people

And many more besides.

 

With such support from these

I will be around for a long time

And even when I am not around

I will still invade your mind...

 

So that life without COVID

Will be a thing of the distant past

But whenever you go out in public

You will still be wearing a mask.”

 

 

He said that with a sneer

Whereupon I brought up the vaccine

But his sneer turned to laughter

And I felt I could scream.

 

It was an eerie kind of laughter

Of the kind associated with a demon

And I got the distinct impression

I was conversing with Satan.

 

Get thee behind me, Satan

Was what I was tempted to say

But I must admit here and now

I was overwhelmed by fear.

Fortunately, I kept on my mask,

And my hands were sanitized

And I had kept my physical distance

Because COVID I despise.

 

By the way, COVID was a friend

That wanted me to hug

But I stoutly resisted the temptation

Whereupon COVID just shrugged.

 

When meeting your family

That are not of your household

Refrain from hugging and kissing-

COVID is both horrid and bold.

 

 My Christian brothers and sisters

Avoid laying on of hands

For COVID slays Christians as well

As part of his plan.

 

You may say I have no faith

But I beg you please open your eyes,

The friend you converse with

May be COVID in disguise.

Converse at a six feet distance

With those not of your household

Or you may become a COVID statistic

In six feet of filled in mold.

 

Stewart Russell © February 24, 2021

A Horrible Little Creature

In the middle of the night

After feeling a bite

I jumped up with fright

And turned on the light.

Underneath the top sheet

And close to my feet,

My eyes did meet

A creature long and neat.

I began to see red

As it crawled across my bed

And with a feeling of dread

I kill it dead! dead!

My wife was a brave heart

With her paper bin art,

Its first death was her part...

Boy, wasn’t she smart?



I quickly got a shoe
A lot they can do,
Death number two
Was done by a shoe.

Now for the name

Of the source of my pain,

The villain in this game

Was of forty-leg fame.

It did not bleed

But it showed great speed,

The victim of our deed

Was a centipede.

It disrupted my night

When it gave me that bite,

So I was within my right

To end its flight.

A slice of onion

Was applied to the location,

And this took quick action

To extract the venom.

Contrary to my belief

It brought quick relief

But all sleep still ceased

 On account of that thief.

With all that said

I am now back in bed,

Though that demon is dead

It is still in my head.

I can’t even yawn

All sleep has gone,

I am the only one

And it is almost dawn.

That segmented pest

Interrupted my night’s rest

And in our little contest

Came off second best.

When there’s rain

They come out to cause pain,

On ledges or in drains

They will drive you insane.

In my bed
Centipede dead!
Still in my head
Enough said!

So I wrote this poem

To highlight the problem,

Centipedes by the dozen...

O how I hate them!

Stewart Russell © November 2019