Life is like Rugby

 

I first wrote this poem after watching South Africa win against Scotland in Edinburgh in 2012, but I was inspired to edit it after hearing Mark van Pletsen include some Rugby phrases in his sermon 'Mine' on Sunday at Life Changers Church - Milnerton.

 

Life is like a Rugby game,
You need to play it as a team.
Keep your eyes on the ball,
And play it with self-esteem.

Claim the ball when it’s yours,
Hold it tight so you won’t drop it.
Rejoice when someone scores, 

Celebrate with praise and Spirit.

You can't control the ball's bounce,
Or where the ball will chose to land. 

But play it using God's rule Book,
Even when you don't understand.

 

When you’ve claimed the ball,
Look for an opportunity gap.
But if there’s none, just pass it on,
Don’t let selfishness be your trap.

Don’t let distractions block your view,  

Keep playing strong until the end.
Watch for your every blind-side,
Stand tall when you need to defend.

We all have our special talents,
Some score a try, and can convert.
Some are skilled for drop-kicks,
Whilst others can heal the hurt.

Don’t get weary or lose hope,
Keep sight of your game’s ball,
Be there for support as props,
And play your best in every maul.

God is our Head Referee,
But He never makes mistakes.
He alerts us of our penalties,
And redeems us with retakes.

Our Church leaders at our sides,
Help us to see all of our faults.
All our fouls we hide and mask,
And the opponents that we insult.

Let Jesus be your medic,
To help heal you when you're hurt.
He can teach you the right way to play,
And give you water when you thirst.

So engage your scrums and tackles,
With praise and worship prayers.

For that is how you win the victory,

When caught in the opponents snares.

There’s no such thing as luck,
For the game’s been set in stone,
You decide with which team to play,
For you don’t play the game alone.

Life is like a Sentence

Life is a lot like a sentence,
Our name is our capital letter.
Others will get to read our lives,
So the life we write, does matter.

Life is not measured by its length,
But by the value of its content.
It’s not a sentence you are serving,
But was gifted to you as a present.

Our lives may end up long or short,
But they all have the same final end.
There may be commas in between,
When you come to each life’s bend.

Don’t see your commas as final,
For they’re just a time to pause,
A time to reflect and consider,
And to ponder on life’s because.

There is power after every comma,
When you’ve paused well and not quit.
How you write your life’s sentence,
Will be for your children’s benefit.

Live your life with righteous verbs,
Let your words be filled with truth.
Be honest in the words you write,
And share the mistakes of your youth.

Let your nouns always be concrete,
Experience life’s blessings to the fullest.
Don’t allow abstract nouns to restrict you,
From living the life you’ve been promised.

Some lives end with an exclamation,
For those whose lives left a mark.
The words that made their sentence,
Shone the light of Christ’s love in the dark.

Some lives end with a question mark,
Where we are left wondering why.
We may not understand God’s ways,
But He offers us comfort, when we cry.

Will your sentence leave a legacy?
Is your grammar moral and pure?
Let the Bible be your reference book,
To guide you, when you’re unsure.

Write out your life’s sentence in pencil,
But be sure to give God the pen.
For He knows what needs to be written,
To end your life with a pleasing Amen!

Life is like a Storm

Life can be a raging storm
Often turbulent and bleak
It can leave you sad and forlorn
Feeling battered and all weak

Winds of change can leave you shaken
Feeling exposed and vulnerable
But their purpose is to see you waken
And not leave you miserable

Clouds of doubt and confusion
Make it hard to see the way
While lightning thought delusions
Can leave you stranded and astray

Raining tears may seem to drown you
When the hurt comes thundering in
But they are meant to cleanse you
And where your healing will begin

When your blizzard heart grows icy
Love can thaw it through
Like waves swelling in the sea
It can make your life feel new

We may not know the forecast
Of when our storms will come
But we can remain steadfast
When we are anchored to God’s son

For it’s there we can find refuge
As we seek shelter till our rainbow
Whether our storms are small or huge
God uses them to help us grow