Paying Attention – a Small Sacrifice

When we give God
Our full attention
And not mention
Our long list of needs
Just sit at His feet
And pay heed
We discover
The lover of our souls
Has His eyes upon us
As He smiles upon us
Singing songs over us with joy
Our God who formed us
Is for us
Transforms us
When we spend time with Christ
All we need
Is found when we seek
God first
He feeds us, our thirst
He attends to
As streams of life-giving
Goodness and mercy
With fullness to us overflow
---
December 2, 2015

Giving Thanks

Like the habit of counting seconds 
after the flash in the sky
to hear the sound, 
and know the proximity 
of the upward activity 

we can enumerate,
after flashes of glory,
our gratitude 
and know the nearness
of our good, gracious God 
who inhabits our praise
---
November 26, 2015
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/11/how-a-hard-hard-year-can-still-be-your-most-abundant-year-or-how-a-hard-year-can-give-you-a-good-thanksgiving/

Yada (Whatever)

We can wring our hands and moan
Or fling them high towards God's throne
Confess our gratitude for God's goodness
Despite bad attitudes and all this mess
That attempts to assail
It will not prevail
When we think upon whatever
Is good and lovely, pure
Dwell on Christ, He will assure
Us with strength and reasons to rejoice
In whatever comes our way; it's our choice
---
November 20, 2015
Inspired by:
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/11/yada-yada-yada-a-secret-way-to-cope-when-you-are-pretty-much-sick-of-the-world-the-holidays-a-crazy-life/

In the Midst of Our Mess

In the midst of our mess
We can turn to God, 
Who's there to bless
Us with mercy, goodness,
Grace and righteousness
If we only come to Him, confess
Our deepest need, His forgiveness
Which He willingly addressed
God's great love was expressed
Upon the cross as Jesus
Sacrificed His blood and flesh
Though Christ was sinless,
In the midst of criminals, He died
One cursed His name, the other cried
Out for mercy. You decide
Which side that you are on 
Choose today who you will serve
Yourself or the Lord who deserves
Glory, honour, adoration
For making our salvation
A gift we can receive
If we simply believe
In the midst of our mess
---
November 14, 2015

Hush Your Heart

Like a doe of the morning
Gentle and peaceful Thou art
Approach Him with silence
And stillness of heart
Contemplate the beauty,
The majesty and grace
Of fairest Lord Jesus
As you gaze on His face
Hold out your hands to receive
The strength He imparts
To withstand the enemy’s
Fiery darts
Seek Him now
While He may be found
Hush your heart for His whisper
He is always around
Your soul’s longing
Is found in His care
Awake and arise
To meet with Him there
---
September 17, 2015
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Mesmerizing Metamorphosis

Hanging from a sturdy leaf,
The caterpillar weaves
He curls and twirls
And spins himself within
A sleeping bag of green

In his crocheted cocoon,
He is no longer seen
But after not too long
(In other words, quite soon)
He stirs, from where he once was hiding

And now, surprisingly, behold!
A new creation has come to life
A butterfly, with wings for flight
The caterpillar is no more
He has been transformed
What a wonderous delight!
---
September 12, 2015

Go Beyond

Through the door
There is another world
A world beyond imagination

A lion, like a lamb,
Speaks gentle words to children
And those with faith like theirs
Who, by believing, 
Sees beyond

This lion, like all lions,
Is not safe,
Yet
Unlike any other
He is good; he can be trusted
He bears the scars of sacrifice
Though he is a king

Through the door
Go through the door
(Christ is the Door)
He is the King
He is good
“Follow Me,”
He says
Through the door
Come through the door
And go beyond    
---
September 1, 2015

Abide

Abba affirms,
"Beloved, be
Intertwined,
Daily devoted to
Emmanuel, evermore"
---
July 13, 2015

And The Windows of Your Soul Will Shine

Christ opened the door
And entered humanity
Stooped down to become
A part of our history

Through a virgin’s womb
He entered the world
Of a young, poor and humble
Carpenter and girl

He entered the commonplace
A stable, a manger
To befriend the common man
To save us from danger

Christ is the Door
The gateway to freedom
That we must go through
To enter God’s kingdom

Christ’s hands were hammered
To the wood of the cross
His blood shed for our sins
Bridging the gap we couldn’t cross

Christ knocks on the door
Of our dark hearts
When you hear and receive Him
His light floods your heart

And the windows of your soul will shine
---
July 3, 2015

Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound

Is it of hammer hitting nails,
Nails piercing flesh
While the crowd roars,
“Crucify! He deserves death”

Or is it a gasping breath
Praying on our behalf
“Father, forgive them
Spare them from Your wrath”

Or is it Christ Jesus
Whose authority was undiminished
While surrendering His life
Declaring, “It.Is.Finished.”

The sky black like a sealed tomb
Then silence for three days
Until, “He is risen, Christ is risen
Hallelujah, God be praised!”

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind, but now I see

And hear the sweetest sound,
My Saviour’s blessed voice
“Peace be with you, child
I have overcome. Rejoice!"
---
April 2, 2015

Are We There Yet?

On the road of life
There are delays, detours and death
But if we follow Jesus
We can relax our breath

Though things come to distract us
From our destination
Or we get stuck in a rut
And are fueled with desperation

We can certainly trust Him
To help us navigate
For we have His Word
That through fog, illuminates

And His Spirit will gently tap us
Saying, “Here, this is the way”
We can enjoy the journey
Counting blessings everyday -

Signposts that tell us
Mercy and goodness are in pursuit
So we not need race, but persevere  
While we are en route

Keeping Christ within our vision
Leaving heavy obstacles behind
We will get to where we’re going
With peace of heart and mind
---
March 15, 2015

The Samaritan Woman

She didn’t have many secrets
Or friends to tell them to
She was shamed and scorned
How long she had mourned
And longed for love to be true
Not so fleeting
In the bright light of sun
She had a refreshing meeting
With one who saw her
For who she was
He was the first
And the only one
Who could answer her questions
And quell her deepest thirst
He too was an outcast
A foreigner in this land
He crossed lines but with kindness
Receiving what she had to offer
A cup of cold water from her hand
---
March 11, 2015

A Call To Worship

Out of the land of bondage
I called My child
Hear the voice of one crying
From the desert and wild

Make way for the Lord
Make time in your day
In the silence, listen
To what He has to say

Before you fast forward
Through your list of busyness
Pause and reflect
Focus on God's faithfulness

In solitude and rest
Is where strength is found
And the joy of the Lord
To you, will abound

A song will arise
When you rise with the sun
And awake to His mercies -
The presence of God's Son
---
March 8, 2015

Psalm 46

What resources we have
In the Source of all life
An ever present help 
In times of trial and strife

He is a refuge, 
His name’s a strong tower
Fear not at calamity 
For He is mighty in power

Though the mountains fall into 
The sea, roaring with foam
There is a river of joy
Where the Most High makes His home

His Kingdom will fall not
Or be in disorder, distress
Though we may wrestle with Him
The Lord Almighty’s our fortress

Come and see what He has done
He breaks implements of war
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted near and far."
---
March 6, 2015

Confident In Christ--Philippians 3:1-14

Rejoice in the Lord,
Delight in Him
Serve God by His Spirit
Put no trust in the flesh

Consider all things loss
For the sake of Christ
For the surpassing worth
Of knowing Him, do strive

To know His resurrection power
And to suffer with Him
Becoming like Him in His death,
Humbly sacrificial

Press on to take hold
Strain to win the prize
Forgetting what is past
And reach heavenward for Christ
-----
February 24, 2015

Christ's New Creations--Romans 7:24-8:39

I ask, who will save me
From this mortal coil
This body of death, flesh
Warring, sin and turmoil

I thank God the Father
There is no condemnation
To those who, in Christ,
Have been made new creations

Who no longer walk 
According to the flesh
But by God’s Spirit -
Alive and fresh

He has set us free
From sin and death
Revived us with
Resurrection breath

I was once crippled and weak
And stumbled and fell
He breathed life and peace
Now within me He dwells

Lead me, Spirit,
To the Father
Who has adopted me
My Abba Father

Conform me to 
The likeness of 
Jesus Christ
Full of truth and love

Love so great that it reaches
Beyond trials and distress,
Persecution, famine,
Peril, sword and nakedness

Neither death nor life,
The future or the past
Nothing in creation 
No power will surpass

Because of His love
We are more than victorious
Because His love is
Eternally glorious 
-----
February 23, 2015

Cleanse Our Lips

God spoke all things into being at Creation
And we open our mouths with defamation
With barbs that pierce the psyche 
We are nothing like Thee 
We slur, we curse, 
We do the reverse
Our tongues enflamed by the fires of hell
We would be wise to listen well
And choose our words like golden fruit
Not ones that poison and pollute
Nor tear down, demoralize
But build up and vitalize
Ones like Eden’s that edify 
Words that bless  and sanctify
Remembering The Word
Dwells in our midst
As we dwell on Him
May He cleanse our lips
-----
February 18, 2015

Celebrating Communion

The celebrant 
holds out
the elements
within his grasp-
bread and wine

joyfully he says
receive, and clasp
remember Christ
His sacrifice
who for the joy
endured the cross

I take and eat,
drink in deep
the One who satisfies
and fills my soul 
to overflowing
knowing I am Thine
the Bread of Life

abiding in the Vine,
I am grafted, grateful
for this plateful
of communion-
union
with God’s only Son
whose body was broken
His blood outpoured 

with oneness,
I bless 
and thus am blessed 
my spirit lifted,
rejoicing
voicing celebration
for salvation

at the table of the Lord
-----
January 28, 2015

Father of Lights

Father of Lights
Thy Word, a lamp
Fuel my desire
To encamp
At Your feet
Light my way 
Illuminate me
Turn dark to day
May Your Spirit
Fan the flames
Of faith in me
And may Your name
A beacon be
When doubt and fear
Try to smother me
Oh, burn clear
Away the dross 
As You refine
So I might 
Reflect You, shine
For Your glory
-----
January 10, 2015

Prophecy is Unfolding (Matthew 24)

Prophecy is unfolding Before our very eyes   A new world  order  is coming    Ruled by deception and lies Do not be alarmed    When wars and...