This poem grew out of my “Word of the Year” for 2016.  To state the obvious, my word for that year was ‘Whatever’.  As I revisited it, I realized it can be God’s “Word of the Year” too.  In fact, I really cannot say whatever to God apart from Him first having said whatever to me!  I hope this poem conveys that sentiment…and reshapes your thoughts toward the word ‘Whatever’.

Whatever

One day a man passed by a church,

And heard the choir’s endeavor;

It turned his head, but not his heart,

He shrugged and said, “Whatever.”   

One day a man went to a church,

Where once he’d said, “I’ll never!”

The pews were hard, but denser still,

The mind that thought, “Whatever.”

One day a church walked by a man,

In search of ‘whosoevers’;

They shared God’s love in word and deed,

And told of His ‘whatevers’.

“Whatever you ask, you will receive,

Though My will pulls the lever;

Whatever you do, as unto Me,

My hand will bless forever.”

“Wherever you go, I’ll be with you,

I’ll not forsake you…ever.

Whenever you fall, I’ll pick you up,

My love you cannot sever.”

The man now listened with his heart,

But softly asked, “Whatever?”

“Whatever I’ve done…I still may come?”

God smiled and said, “Whatever!”

One day a man became the church,

His motto was, ‘Whatever’;

“Whatever You ask, that I will do,

Your name proclaim forever.”

“Whatever I think, it will be true,

And noble and just and pure;

Whatever I speak, I’ll but confess,

Your grace and mercy are sure.”

“Whatever I ask, I’ll ask in faith,

And say, ‘Thy will be done.’

Whatever I face, I’ll face with You,

From trials I will not run.”

One day the Church became its people,

Its walls were felled forever;

And all who gave it shape and form,

Were known to say, “Whatever.”

Scriptural Whatevers:

John 15:16 – “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

John 14:13 – “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Matthew 21:22 – “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

I John 5:14-15 – “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything, according to His will, He hears us.  And, if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

I Corinthians 10:31 – “Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Colossians 3:23 – “And whatever you do,  do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.”