Longing for home

This life can seem a wilderness,
with Zion far ahead, –
by grace, like manna, Christ can bless –
he is the living Bread.

Though tasting much of heavenly grace
upon this pilgrim way,
yet we should long to see Christ’s face, –
he will return one day.

He wants his children to press on
and serve while living here,
empowered and strengthened, and to long
that soon he will draw near.

His coming may seem long-delayed,
we may not think it near;
but soon his power will be displayed,
his enemies will fear.     (CM)

Let truth enter in

Prepared to believe in men’s lies, futile thought,
instead of believing the truth God has taught,
with thinking affected and coloured by sin:
Don’t follow the masses – let truth enter in.

For most do not live in the light of God’s Word,
and can’t understand when true wisdom is heard;
their reasoning’s darkened, things spiritual seem
perplexing, and nonsense, a joke or a dream.

They never have tasted the life of the Lord.
Have you been enlightened, your vision restored?
Those negligently sliding away from Life’s source,
will find so-called pleasures soon leave them far worse.

Don’t lose sensitivity, hearts that take care
to listen and ponder God’s words that you hear;
if hardened, his words you don’t care to recall,
you won’t enjoy peace in your floundering soul.

The deeper one swims into selfishness, sin,
the beckoning vision, of pardon, grows dim;
so turn from the wastage of lust, foolish pride,
and draw near to Christ, know content at his side.

Corrupting ‘additions’

Satan’s crafty, sly and slick,
and distracts with many a trick
from God’s Word and into lie,
– novel rituals he’ll supply,
or revive the old or ancient,
– anything to supplement
and soon smother revelation,
truth of God for every nation:

so be ready, and aware
of the things that can ensnare.

Do we cherish some tradition
inessential as condition
for true fellowship, or even
introduce lies, toxic leaven?

Communicate God’s Word alone
to whoever has not known.

The light shines in the darkness …

The darkness could not quench the light,
which brightly shone and pierced the night;
though Herod tried, and those who hate,
who wanted to eradicate
the inconvenient light disclosing
truth and right, and wrong exposing;
and Satan many times has tried
to snuff the light out, truth to hide,
so evil, misery could reign,
and God’s escape-route lie unseen.

The gospel light was not extinguished,
evil’s attacks will soon be finished.

New year resolutions

Resolutions
Millenia spanned by sight divine –
achieving gracious plan:
his birth, his cross, his Spirit’s power –
new life, “new leaf”, for man.

I see my need for resolutions:
to want to do his will;
but I must pray, reach out for help
to progress and fulfill!

God becomes touchable body

1 John 1:1-4
The Son of God, his final Word,
now touched through incarnation;
and through this man, observed and heard,
was made the whole creation.

In the beginning he was there,
eternal in his being;
and then in Mary’s womb and care:
the Rescuer redeeming.

Tune: 8787 iambic eg  ‘Dominus Regit Me’ by J Dykes, tune of ‘The King of love my Shepherd is’

Christmas presents

His gift is best:
it cost the most,
gives rest, will last
for ever.

Full peace and pardon,
and lifted burden,
fresh start, new heart.
From where?

This gift was priced
the death of Christ:
He paid, he lives,
forgives.

So don’t resist
this therapist –
let him begin
to change you!

God now Man: real joy

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. John 1:10,11

God now Man: the angels sing
the glory of the newborn King;

but then, and now, the world refuses;
– with idle thoughts distracts, confuses.

[How inconvenient to submit,
and so receive the perfect gift.]

But he, who is, and had designed
our world, and all its life,
saw crime, and greed, and hate, and strife,
but came to save —
the Babe, the Man, God’s Word,
to take the guilt repentant sinners
had incurred.