Category: Christian living

I know where I’m going!

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

I’m journeying on towards home,
where fullness of blessing is found;
though often I long to fly on,
I’m treading this life’s barren ground.
To stay I’m resigned, for I find
for now there is work to be done.
A pilgrimage on to that place
upheld by his comforting grace.

To all that I meet I must say,
‘My Father’s preparing a home¬’
‘Don’t dither, join Jesus today’.
You’ll never regret once begun.
While here now, my task is to ask:
to win some will sweeten my way.
A pilgrimage on to that place
upheld by his comforting grace.

And sometimes the journey seems slow,
I’ll surely arrive there one day.
What distance there is still to go
now none but my Father can say.
And so I’ll invite to life’s Light! –
my God now and always to know!
A pilgrimage on to that place
upheld by his comforting grace.

Tune: 88 88 88 88 eg Trewen by David E Evans, tune of ‘A sovereign protector I have’

This is based on an old Welsh hymn ‘‘Tuag adref ‘r wyf yn teithio’ (Towards home I am travelling) by O R Owen

When circumstances are difficult and puzzling

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

Called out of darkness,
freed and released:
brought into freedom,
bondage has ceased.
Now in Christ’s kingdom –
in Him we have
Light, peace and wisdom,
assurance of love.

Darkness of troubles –
ignorant of ‘Why?’ –
may come upon us,
groans and deep sigh.
We have a Father
loving and wise –
the present and future
in His hands lies.

So we can trust on
in the dark days,
prayerful and waiting
for brighter days.
Gone is the greater
blindness of soul;
God has His purpose
and loves us through all.

“Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God; “ Isaiah 50:10

Tune: 54 54 54 54 eg ‘Thine own way’ by George Stebbins

The Bible Book of Proverbs

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

A book of a father’s instructions,
desiring his child’s good health,
his Maker’s protection, provision,
prosperity and real wealth.

He knew of his own follies, failures,
and wanted to spare his child
from pitfalls and traps, deceivers,
disasters in going wild.

So much common-sense, and word-pictures –
memorable to stick in the mind,
gain wisdom, see purpose in strictures,
work well, trustworthy and kind.

Forgive – and forget?

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

We cannot ask God to forgive, count us good,
if we will not pardon those whom we should.
When choosing to not remember our sins,
it’s as if He the lot into oceans flings.

Sometimes we just can’t pretend we’ve forgot
but if we forgive, then we must try to live
not bringing to mind past injuries unkind,
so glad of the grace in our Father to be.

“Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” The Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:12-15

on Psalm 96

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

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’)

Kind, wise lives

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

*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.

Walking with the Lord

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

So much to distract and dilute
our walk with the Lord every day.
Remember, give thought to your root –
our love flows from His – His display
of constant unmerited love
can teach us to value and care
for others, approachable, give
yourself, and your own troubles share.

And pray for each other as Paul
prayed for those who had come to true faith,
and boldly with reverence call
to the Father who’s given us life:
for riches of daily support
and spiritual strengthening pray
to help all the saints he has bought
show Jesus, the Saviour each day.

Unsearchable love we now know
in part. Meditate on it, grow
more like Him, and so like-love show:
The love you receive will outflow.
More able than we can imagine
to help by His wonderful power:
be praise to our Saviour in heaven
and also on earth ever more!

cf Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 3: 14-21 and to the Philippians 1:27-2:16
Tune: 88 88 88 88 anapaestic (with initial unstressed syllable per line!) eg Covenant Blessing by T Chapman, tune of ‘A debtor to mercy alone’)

Give thanks always!

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

Thankfulness for what He’s done:
Jesus our salvation won,
now His Spirit draws our hearts
to the grace that He imparts:
out of blindness, darkness, death
to His light in glorious birth.

Nothing else to add to that –
all by Him procured, and what
some may foolishly suggest
as an “extra” do resist.
As we now have this new life,
flee from all that brings him grief.

Growing thus in godliness
life is full of thankfulness.
Daily praying, knowing love
grace and mercy far above
what we ever could deserve –
daily gifts help as we serve

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

The Kingdom of heaven

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

The King had come, His Kingdom was at hand.
The access-sacrifice was planned.
*So Satan tried to scupper, spoil, seduce –
See Jesus satan’s craft refuse.
Glory to God – His Word, the Kingdom’s Guide,
and trust Him, in His will abide.

Befriend, and bow the knee, accept His rule:
Awake, no longer play the fool!
It is good news, indeed it’s glorious –
He came to purchase life for us,
and in His service there is freedom true,
fulfilling work for me and you.

Learn of Him, He is gentle, kind and strong.
He knows our weariness, we long
to be more like Him – we’ll be hated too
as He was – He will see us through,
and what we gain is of infinite worth
– don’t choose instead vain gifts of earth.
Tune: 10 8 10 8 10 8
(*see Matthew 4:1-11)

The first day of the week

~ rhiannon ~ Leave a comment

This the day Him to remember:
rising from the grave to live.
This the day for all to praise Him
to the Saviour worship give.
Heavenly day, holy day,
I will sing this holy day.

Day to strengthen pilgrims’ progress
on their journey heaven-bound.
Day whose hours are full of blessing
if His fellowship we’ve found.
Heavenly day, holy day.
holy way to heavenly day!

Day that lasts on into glory
after earthly days are done.
Day to sing th’unending anthem
that we’ll sing when we have come
there with Him, free from sin:
today and always this I sing!

based on (much a free translation of)‘Hwn yw’r dydd’ by Watkin Hezekiah Williams (Watcyn Wyn) 1844-1905)