Erling Thu

Category: Religion

  • Seeing glimpses of God

    To be somebody is to see glimpses of God

    at unexpected moments

    in the song of a bird

    in the sparkles of light on water

    in the scent or the sight of the ocean

    in the hint of springtime on a mild winter day

    in the innocent smile of a baby

    in the wrinkles in the face of your mother

    in the enduring love of your wife

    in the care of your neighbours

    in the green sprout of a dandelion break through black tarmac

    in an eagle soaring the sky

    in an old fashioned postcard or a modern text message on the cell phone

    Written after having read "The secret message of Jesus" by Brian McLaren

  • Longing for God

    To be somebody is longing for God

    -above everything else

    Longing for God is not longing for an experience

    It is longing for a true relationship

    It is not about having some knowledge of God

    But it is about knowing him

    -as a person

    -as a friend

    -as a confidant

    -as a companion

    Not to become high on him

    But to be conformed to his image

    Not to learn more, to increase knowledge

    But to love him more

    I am somebody when I realise

    -I am created to be a God-lover

    I am somebody when the very purpose of my life

    -is to love God

    I am somebody when I am longing for God

    -only because of love

  • My life

    Blessed be the Lord!

    He is the music of my life

    He is the song of my life

    He is the melody of my life

    He is the lyric of my life

    He is the text of my life

    He is the poem of my life

    He is the word of my life

    He is my life

    I am somebody in Him

  • Being a poem

    I am somebody because I am a poem

    Everyday I can enter into human lives

    -at the workplace and in the neighbourhood

    With grace from God to bless

    I can come as a poem

    A poem that is touching the inner longings

    -conjuring up dreaming melodies of the heart

    -painting colourful images of the soul

    A poem that is putting words on the sprouting faith

    -calling forth cries for salvation

    -giving birth to prayer for forgiveness

    I am a poem written by God

    I am a work of God

    I am a masterpiece of God

    I am God’s own masterpiece of art

    I am somebody

  • I am born again

    I am somebody because I am born again

    I have been born twice

    I have been born through my parents and by the Spirit

    Humans can only reproduce human life

    That which is human falls short of God’s glorious standard

    That which is born of the Spirit is spirit

    Only those born from above can enter the Kingdom of God

    I am born again by the Holy Spirit

    I am born into the family of God

    I am a child of God, the Eternal Father

    I belong to the Kingdom of God

    I am a Kingdom person

    I am a Spirit person

    The invisible Spirit moves me

    -through new life from heaven

    I am somebody when I am moved by the Spirit

  • Because of my birth

    I am somebody because of my birth

    I am born into the most prestigious royal family

    My father is the Sovereign Ruler

    -of the entire universe

    Because he is the almighty creator

    -of everything that exist

    My brother is the Redeemer

    -of the human race

    Because he conquered death,

    The evil powers of darkness,

    Selfishness and sin in all its fashions

    My personal assistant is the Sustainer

    -of the whole world

    Because he is the eternal life-giving spirit

    He assisted my father

    -in bringing the world into being

    He assisted my brother

    -in bringing him back from the death

    I am somebody because of my relationship

    With the mysterious triune Being

    Who loved me, chose me, and planned me

    Even before the universe existed

    Only because of his marvellous grace

    I am born into the Kingdom of Love

    Friendship with the Living One

    Turns a nobody into a real Somebody

  • Knowing the Invisible

    To be somebody is to know the Invisible

    By living in a personal relationship

    Through everyday life with him who walks with you

    -when no one else is there for you.

    You touch him

    -even though you can’t feel him with your hands

    You hear his tender voice of thunder

    -even though your ear don’t register a sound

    You see him clearly

    -even though your eyes only see the natural world

    By faith only you know the Invisible

    -for faith is the art of hearing him

    Through hope you cling on to the Invisible

    -for hope is the art of believing him

    Through love you get close to the Invisible

    -for love is the art of trusting him

    To be somebody is to hear, believe and trust

    In him who no one can see

    -even though he is ever present

    -even though he constantly reveals himself

    The Invisible can only be known in an intimate relationship

    (Inspired by some phrases in Summoned to Lead by Leonard Sweet)

  • Having a dream

    To be somebody is having a dream
    That consumes you like a fire
    Giving you no rest but
    Motivating you to make great sacrifices
    Preparing you for bold initiatives
    Stirring you to adventurous living
    As you are pursuing your dream with joyful hope

    To be somebody is having great dreams
    Nor only for yourself and your own people
    But having dreams on behalf of the underprivileged,
    And having dreams for your affluent society
    Or the many suffering groups in the world

    When you are dreaming great dreams
    Of a changed society and a better world
    You will lay down your life as a seed of hope
    As a fruit everyone will see
    That you are really somebody
    For you are not living for yourself

  • Telling your own story

    To be somebody is tell your own story
    To share your own life with others
    Trying to communicate hope, faith and love
    That comes from your convictions
    And your compassionate heart
    That the best thing in life
    Is to be like you
    Completely dependent on God
    Fully alive and aware of his presence
    Totally abandoned to his grace
    Free to enjoy his marvellous acts of kindness!

  • Unique strawberries

    To be somebody
    Is to marvel at the biological facts
    Of the spring fruit strawberries
    For strawberries are unique
    – Not only in taste and beauty
    But in their very construction
    It is the only fruit with seeds on the outside skin
    Birds and people indulge themselves
    With this unique and delicate fruit
    The birds become the source of spreading the seeds
    Thus ensuring that we will always have the fruit to enjoy
    People cultivate and grow strawberries
    Some to make a living
    And others to help people enjoy life

    To be somebody is to marvel
    At the simple facts of life
    Giving thanks to God for the details of nature
    As we worship him who keeps us alive
    In mysterious and artistic ways

    (Written after reading a comment by Jerry Mabb on my first strawberry poem.)