Author: rhiannon

on Psalm 96

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Salvation! Come sing praise anew –
from judgement saved, which we were due,
new birth, new life, freedom from fear ,
blessed with a Father who will hear.
Come all, receive, with joy proclaim
creation’s God will ever reign.

Come, worship in true holiness,
in Christ’s perfecting righteousness,
declare his glorious works with awe.
Your sin and weakness grieve, abhor:
trust Christ, the sacrifice for sin,
and ever strive to live like Him.

Our God controls always, through all,
and soon full justice will install,
and everything will then rejoice,
the curse removed; so raise our voice
glad when we see His kingdom come
and His will perfectly there done.
Tune: 88 88 88 eg Carey’s by Henry Carey (tune of ‘Great God of wonders’)

Truth attacked

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Fiery darts of doubt, temptation;
shield and armour for protection:
faith in truth defeats deception,
exposing lies, dissimulation;
righteousness from His salvation;
strengthened, tell of revelation:
pardon, life, regeneration;
standing firm, withstanding Satan.

Sword of truth eradicating
strange ideas that are wafting,
crafty tales that cause much straying
and distract us from obeying,
so from joy, peace, safety slipping:
teachers true save from much tripping,
help us grow, remain upstanding
dangerous errors’ pull withstanding

cf Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church chapter 4:11-15
and chapter 6:10-20

Simeon

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(Luke 2:2:5-35)
Now he can depart in peace
– as promised, Christ he’d seen.
He’d known that One, bringing release,
was coming to redeem.

He knew the child he held was He
who’d soon bring light to all:
God’s revelation-truth they’d see –
but some would scorn and fall.

But many into Life, He’ll raise
procuring their salvation,
but Mary shall in anguish gaze
upon His crucifixion.

Simeon rejoiced, content for he
knew God was thus fulfilling
His gracious plan: so peacefully
Simeon for death now willing.

Tune: CM

Kind, wise lives

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*When welcoming guests, don’t fuss and stress
they’d rather less poshness than tense distress;
quietness, peace, and a listening ear –
friendship, a place where they troubles can share.

**Words spoken with haste are such a sad waste:
take time while you think, pray to know what to say;
don’t needlessly wound, try to help and be wise
– rebukes can be healing, such pain don’t despise.

***Lying with skill may reward, bringing gain,
sweetness from duping, defrauding again,
but pain of discovery is bitter, brings shame
and God is aware of every false claim.

cf.
*Proverbs 17:1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
**Proverbs 12:18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
***Proverbs 20:17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

The Young Child, the Wise Men and Herod

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Travelling many months to behold
the King now born, as long foretold.
The star announced and led the way –
no longer in that shed with hay,
Herod of their searching heard
– a growing rival king he feared.

Those men worshipped One so young,
gave him gifts, which very soon
helped his parents take the child
away from Herod’s hatred wild.
Safe in Egypt til told, ‘Return’:
Nazareth his childhood home.

Tune: 77 77 77 eg Dix by Conrad Kocher, tune of ‘As with gladness men of old’

Don’t feel at home

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I do not feel ‘at home’ here
an ‘alien’ now exiled,
for evil things are done here
and everything’s defiled.
There’s double-talk, hypocrisy
there’s greed, pressures, deceit
there’s malice and abundancy
of glamour that will cheat.

Our home is where we’re going
where bad things are no more.
For through His Word we’re knowing
the glory that’s in store
not that we are deserving
of such a place of love
by grace He is reserving
this home beyond the grave.

In turning and receiving
forgiveness through Christ’s blood,
repentant, for sin grieving,
He’s given us love of good.
Our hearts He is preparing
to fit in such a home,
our thoughts and will repairing,
we long for when He’ll come!
Tune: 76 76 76 76 eg Aurelia by S Wesley, tune of ‘The church’s one foundation’

Why Christmas (3)

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So quietly he came, God of the spheres
born as a babe, true ‘Superman’ to be:
our Champion to take our place appears
God takes on human form for you and me
to take our guilt, our failure, all our sin
so that new life, eternal, can begin.

Our Substitute, our Rescuer, and he
who could explain, teach of his Father, all
that we had need to understand and see
so that we would repent, for mercy call:
Jesus the loving, gracious humble King
was scorned – few found the joy in knowing Him:
now who will seek, and find the joy in Him,
in knowing Jesus, mighty, loving King?!.

Tune:10 10 10 10 10 10 Finlandia (repeat the last two lines of tune in 2nd verse)

Why Christmas? (2)

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Then violence increased and their Maker few sought
A great flood destroyed all, but Noah had been taught
– he warned, but most laughed. Later Abraham heard
the promise – must teach his descendants God’s Word
and God would bring blessing to all of the nations.
God’s prophets informed, and increased expectations
that one day God’s Saviour would come, loving King
with Light for all people, from sin to redeem.

The people were ready, but some hoped for One
who’d conquer the Romans, the rulers who’d come
with taxes and soldiers; a few were aware
their need was for One who their nature would share
but able to bring them to personal peace
with God, and from guilt and transgressions’ release,
to draw their hearts back and teach justice and love:
some waited this Saviour to come from above.
Tune: 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 Clarendon

Why Christmas (1)

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Nothing, nothing to be seen.
Only One, true God, who’d been
always, ever and content,
but he chose to make, invent
universe most wonderful,
in it planet earth, soon full,
vegetation carpeting,
man and woman to begin
tending it for him, their King,
but temptation came, and sin.

Happy place then damaged, sad.
They had not obeyed his Word.
Feeling shame and need and lack.
Could they get perfection back?
Told by God they must endure
many troubles, but the cure –
Satan’s downfall – God would bring,
for God’s Son would die for sin.
They must trust he would appear –
wait and teach with godly fear.

Tune: 77 77 77 77 77 Mendelssohn tune of ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’

Faith in Who? Why?

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Faith in a Father
whose Son walked this earth,
and showed us His kindness,
displayed His true worth.

Faith in a Father
with power to create:
promises faithful
fulfilment await.

Faith in a Father –
not nervous, blind leaps,
but trusting the One who
His Word always keeps.

Tune: 5565