Before

Before you get entangled in the Christmas lights

Run to The Light of the World

Before your inner glutton feasts on Christmas lunch

Run to the One born in the House of Bread (Beth-lehem)

The Bread of Life that will always satisfy 

Before you panic over christmas gifts and what to get

Think about the Greatest Gift of all time

Your Redemption

Before you panic over guests coming over

Think of those who have no one

Before you get caught up in the hustle and bustle

Sit quietly at the feet of the King, 

Ponder on the miracle of Christmas

The King of the universe, born as a baby

Riana Odendaal

December 2015

Bread of Life

On that blessed morning

As Mary gave birth to her baby boy

and lay Him in the manger

the Bread of Life, born to give us life,

in the House of Bread (Beth- lehem)

The star pointed wise men from the East

to where the Light of the World,

 the Bright Morning Star

lay in human flesh

to come and Worship the newborn King

May we also now come

and Worship Him

as we reflect and ponder on 

the miracle of Christmas

The Messiah born

to bring us Life

- eternal life with Him.

Riana Odendaal

December 2014

God's olives

An Olive
Perfect, round, purple
Purple for Royalty.
Crushed, pulped
Oil oozing out
precious oil.
olives galore crushed together
for the oil needed.
Oil to go into lamps
to light up dark corners of the world
Jesus placing us olives
(or had-been olives)
in strategic places
to shine His Light
in a dark world
that need to see Him.



Riana Odendaal
November 2015

Rahab

Rahab

A lady of the night
part of a pagan culture,
homemade gods
and little to none eternal sight. 

In the world around them strange things happen
three days of darkness in Egypt recorded some years ago
just before that, bloodrivers and flies galore
The deep Red sea split
Egyptian army drowned, whilst
Millions Israelites with camels, cows and all in tow
walked safely to the other side.

These strange folks are now moving closer
closer to her city, her comfort zone
the Jordan river went to stand on a heap
and overflowed its banks further upstream

She sits and up and take notice of these Israelites
and their God that does all these strange and wonderful things
Their God is so unlike their homemade gods
Like someone she can believe in, have faith in. 

Forsaking her idols
and trusting in this new God
not really knowing Him but starting the journey
a journey of a lifetime
forgiven and set free
to love and follow after,
from now and forever more
the God of Israel
the God of the universe

Her story can be yours too.
Put your trust in God, and God alone. 

Riana Odendaal

September 2015

Prayer (Philippians 4)

All around me I see things that need be prayed for

a friend is ill, another looking for work, 

yet another we pray they seek You,

and so my prayer time became a shopping list

and my heart feels that prayer is so much more

Yet your servant Paul wrote to us

to remember You are near

You are with us

and in light of that amazing truth

to bring our requests

with thanksgiving

to the One who knows all 

and is ultimately in Control

We need to consider our heart,

our motive, when we bring again our needs 

Do we believe You are near us, and in control

and leave our requests at your feet?

or do we continue to fret

and not accept Your peace

Your peace that surpasses all our understanding

Riana Odendaal

2015

Isaiah's glimpse of God's holiness

I stood in the temple
a glimpse of glory caught my eye
blinding brightness of glory
A God greater than all
The Lord sits on His throne and in control

Seraphim
flaming angelic beings fly around
constantly declaring to one another
God is Holy

Isaiah saw himself in light of who God is
and his shortcomings
and in confessing
God's mercy was displayed

The heavenly altar of sacrifice
holy coals of mercy
the flaming angel
used tongs to carry a coal
to touch Isaiah's lips

Free and forgiven
he could hear the call so clear
and answered without hesitation
Here am I, send me.
what can I do for you, Lord?
anything to display my gratitude....
use me.



Riana Odendaal
August 2015

Hope

the mundane, everyday, grinding of life

on other days disappointments, despair creep in

the news tell more bad news, strifes

war between families and war between nations

such is life

and so it continues

hope is what we seek

hope is what we need

and hope is to be found

One day The King of Kings 

will come back

in can be in the twinkling of an eye

at the sound of the trumpet

any moment, any day

You will have hope - if you are on His side

so get to know Jesus today

to get the gift of eternal hope

extended to today's grinding life

and hope to face tomorrow

because Jesus is alive

and will come back One day 

as King of Kings which everyone will acknowledge. 

Riana Odendaal

August 2015