Rachel Whisman

The grass withers and the dream fails,
But the Word of the Lord remains forever.

The grass withers and the relationship never blossomed,
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

The grass withers and the hopes disintegrate,
But the Word of our God will stand forever.

The grass withers and the desires of the heart fade,
Yet I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

The grass withers and the trial becomes an unwanted companion,
Yet the Lord is my strength.

The grass withers at what once was full but now lies barren,
But the steadfast love of the Lord never fails.

The grass withers and that is okay
His mercies never come to an end.

The grass withers and we are but flesh
But Great is the Lord’s faithfulness.

The grass withers and He is well acquainted with that
Yet He will carry it out to completion.

How This Poem Came To Be

I was outside walking and instantly noticed that it was finally fall. Of course, the season has already changed, but the leaves didn’t begin to fall until this past week. The grass was withering right before my eyes. The leaves were dead and the trees were preparing for winter. Isaiah 40:8 came to mind, “The grass withers, the flowers fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” It propelled me to think about what is temporal and what is eternal. What have I experienced in my life that has not lasted and what has. The dichotomy of it all intrigued and encouraged me. Lots of things in life come and go, but it is what remains that gave me courage and hope to meditate on. Here are some other verses that helped out. Thinking through some of this, I can look back and be thankful that the dreams, hopes, relationships, and desires died because it made room for new dreams, hopes, and desires in the only relationship that would ever satisfy me, which is in Jesus Christ.

But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope, the steadfast love of the Lord never fails.
-Lamentations 3:21

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor be fruit on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places.
-Habakkuk 3:17-19

“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
-Philippians 1:6