The meaning of life –
before any strife
was ever on record,
ill-word ever heard:
life’s Origin, Source
knew its purpose, of course,
for he had created, concocted
for perfect contentment,
fulfilment,
satisfying work,
no drudgery to shirk;
was grieved when bad choosing
meant misery, losing
that sense and that sight
of meaning and purpose, sad plight –
but then gave directions
a fix-it book, and help-line
– no queueing, ‘put-on-hold’ time –
but warned of ‘solutions’
that mangle,
‘cowboy’ repairers who wrangle –
whose bungles he’ll sort out, untangle.
The Designer’s Instruction Manual
can save from the scrap-heap,
give new-life whose vigour he’ll keep
(expectation, direction anew,
though problems persist,
while temptations exist),
identify spam,
guide out of a jam,
direct to smooth running,
and strength for the shunning
of grit that will hamper
or act as a damper,
can scan, oil and test,
supplying the zest –
for after all,
He knows best.
Author: rhiannonshymns
Screwtape’s three-pronged strategy
– with indebtedness to C S Lewis
Let them think that God’s remote
– to him they do not matter,
and so they need not give much thought
to get to know him better.
Let them think there is no God,
there’s nothing else but matter,
and human wisdom has evolved
to understand things better.
Let them think there is no code,
that morals do not matter,
with no restraint, experiment,
and think they’ll feel much better.
Do anything to keep from thought
of God, who walked this earth,
by miracle had human birth,
revealing God to whom we matter,
and showed a way of life that’s better,
a God who is and was and shall be,
and soon will change this world of tragedy;
keep them from joy, discarding mutiny.
Beauty is …
quietness and gentleness,
a personal, warm smile;
wisdom without brusqueness,
discretion without guile,
firmness without harshness,
meekness without weakness,
unselfishness and kindliness,
perceptive service, righteousness.
Because of Calvary
The crimson flow,
the life leaked out to death;
in final breath
he gasped his work was now completed,
satanic scheme had been defeated,
salvation pure procured,
secured,
for all who will receive,
believe,
repent:
content –
more white than snow
my guilty stain has be removed,
I know.
“I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! …
Who’d put their hope in a dead man?
in disappointment, fear they ran.
– But now, he lives! they’re full of joy,
they boldly speak, though threatened by
those who their bodies can destroy.
They know like Christ they will arise
– good news they gladly share
(though some will scorn and some despise):
his Resurrection they declare!
His life had always held surprise
of miracles, words kind and wise,
fulfilment of the prophecies –
view God, as Man, from death arise!
And so we know he’d fully paid
the price for pardon that was laid
upon the Son, – he has returned
to show that gift by us unearned
is his to give, – he lives for ever,
his grace and rule no-one can sever!
… And I hold the keys of death and Hades!” (Revelation 1:18)
Advent Step 8) Announcement to the Shepherds
Humble shepherds told the news,
by messenger who awed,
with glory of the Lord
shining all around:
good news of greatest joy
a Saviour born, he’s Lord and Christ,
a baby boy
in manger laid.
Wondrous sound:
Glory to God in the highest,
peace, God’s favour can be found.
Then hurredly they made
their way to Bethlehem:
it was as they had heard
– they spread the word
of what they’d seen and learned,
and praised as they returned.
(Luke 2:8-20)
Advent Step 7) Announcement to Joseph
Joseph puzzled,
message sent in dream,
child so specially conceived
by God’s Spirt is to be
Saviour of his people, he
will save them from their sins,
so Joseph was to name him ‘Jesus’
(which means ‘The Lord God saves’)
and as foretold, he’s ‘God with us’,
Immanuel, God now living human life,
and Joseph was to be his earthly father,
and mother Mary, Joseph’s wife.
(Matthew 1:18-25)
Advent Step 6) Announcement to Mary
‘You will be with child …’ Luke 1:31
Awesome message,
astounding privilege,
miraculous conception,
eternal King of human birth,
Spirit Holy bringing forth;
Mary willing, serving,
humble, no thought she was deserving,
glorified her Saviour,
for all his grace and favour.
Advent Step 5) Prophecy of the coming of John, the Baptist
‘I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.’ ‘In the desert prepare the way for the LORD.’ Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3
A promised messenger to speak, prepare
the way before the coming King,
a calling voice, out in the wilderness,
‘Get ready, turn to him,
bear fruit that show repentance,
to welcome his appearance.’
No more ‘junk DNA’
The ‘brain’ of each cell
has DNA-genes,
chemical coding
builds, guides its ‘machines’.
“Ninety-eight percent
useless junk”, they thought,
“– evolution’s left-overs
it’s use is now nought”.
– “Mistakes of mutations”,
they used to say,
“in bringing its benefits,
has made junk DNA.”
*********
But now it’s revealed
it’s all much more complex:
amazed as they’re finding
that nothing seems surplus.
The control is more intricate
of all this ‘machinery’
than Dawkins predicted
from Darwinian theory.
‘We’re at the beginning
of a very long road
of finding the layers
of pathways untold.’
Geneticists say
they now are more humble.
– Upgrading a cell looks
an impossible gamble.
Mutations cause mischief
in genetic activity,
like a bug in my laptop
won’t improve its ability.
There’s plenty of scope
for small variation:
some struggle, some flourish
by natural selection;
but differences large,
of new, useful function,
have come from creation,
not random mutation.
rhiannonshymns.co.uk 
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