May 6th

“Do not turn to idols or make cast images for yourselves: I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 19:4

no need for gold, silver, marble, wood—
our idols are carved from pixels,
looping reels popping up endlessly,
borrowed faces gleaming
all on the altar of being noticed.
we scroll for redemption as
our thumbs offer restless prayers
through strangers dancing in
that wilderness of wanting more.
we were warned about this,
long before Claud, AI, et al,
yet every morning we worship
at those tiny, bright temples
cupped eagerly in weary hands.
and somewhere,
not trending, not trolling,
not offering clickbait or ads.
not seeking more sponsors
or caring about likes and shares—
God waits,
speaking so softly we must
so softly we must
shut down our devices
to hear the Voice we need.

(c) 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

May 5th

“"When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.” Matthew 6:7

bands play polished mercies,
leaders recast grief as slogans,
endless blessings nobody can touch
scroll down our screens,
and even prayer seems eager
for applause, yet you,
God of 2:00 a.m. phone calls
and kitchens serving the homeless
while the privileged sleep,
you listen to every weary breath
not well-rehearsed tongues,
you pay no attention to holy words
trying to build stairways to heaven.
you hear the mother who can
only whisper ‘help me.’
you hear the widower holding
grief’s silence like a chipped mug.
you hear children of war asking
the same fearful questions.
so, perhaps that is our lesson—
to stop filling the air with
emptiness we rehearse
until our speech is perfect
but
to let truth run barefoot,
to know that hope needs
hands, not just a pat on the back,
that love will always be heard
even if all we can do
is whisper it in our souls.

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom M. Shuman

May 4th

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” 1st Thessalonians 4:13

in that shadowy room of absence
we sit, our hands wrapped around
those memories which ache with warmth,
but we do not sit alone.
our tears are caught in the palms
of the One who stands beside graves
and calls love to return to the light.
for even now,
crushed by sorrow’s burden,
hope tiptoes quietly—
like dawn which refuses
the caress of the longest night.
for the ones who have crossed
to the other side of grace
are not forgotten by God,
and however loud grief echoes
in our empty souls,
it does not have the last word.
because love always remembers,
mercy keeps watch,
and the Shepherd walks gently,
resurrection cupped in scarred hands
like a candle lighting the way
through every shadowed valley.

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom M. Shuman

May 3rd

"Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" Psalm 150:6

it doesn’t require a praise band,
just some kids singing made up
songs at bath time.
we don’t need someone
with a degree in music,
just those birds who awaken us,
whether we want them to or not,
early in the morning.
it doesn’t have to be
practiced over and over again
until the notes are perfect,
just that lullaby offered
by soft breezes in the trees
on a spring evening.
we don’t need instruments
that are all in tune and played
by folks who have been doing
so for as long as they can remember,
it can be a symphony of
pots and pans and lids,
of empty boxes and spatulas,
of cats meowing and dogs howling—
for everything, and everyone,
can praise God, especially
without any inhibitions!

(c) 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

May 2nd

 "'You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" But I say to you,'" Matthew 5:38-39a

perhaps it is the
eye which sees
the other as enemy
which we need to
pluck out,
maybe it is the
tooth we would use
to bite another with
our hate which we
need to extract,
might it be the hand
we easily use to push
away those who only
want justice from us
which we need to lose.
indeed, we would do well
to listen to your words
rather than the taunts,
the boasts, the cruelty
of all around us.
what say you, Jesus?

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

May 1st

"But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me." Psalm 49:15

we will sit at the table,
sharing tea together,
telling of what has
been going on in our lives,
laughing at old jokes,
fighting over the very
last sandwich, and sharing
one final scone slathered
with cream and jam.
then brushing off
the crumbs and leaving
an extra-large tip
for all the staff, we
will walk outside, standing
side by side in the light mist,
until the bus pulls up
and i board, beginning
that trip through the
falling shadows on that
road which ends at
the other side of grace,
as i turn to wave goodbye
to death.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

April 30th

"Father of orphans and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation." Psalm 68:5

you open the shelter door
for the battered women
and their kids, so they find
safe lodgings and hope,
you gather the little girls
who the rigidly religious
believe have no right
to an education, and hand
them books from your library,
you use the app on your phone
to order rides for all the adolescents
who found a suitcase on the
front porch and the locks changed
so they can come and stay
at your place for as long
as they might need.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman