NOTHING

When I had nothing

To pay grace told me that I

Had nothing to pay.

INNKEEPER

The Samaritan,

Knowing the Innkeeper, knew

He would expend more.

FLOCK

We came together,

Seventeen persons, to pray -

A flock of trusters.

DAVID

A man went to the valley of trees

Lordly face like a sword-edge.

Goliath might scorn, Goliath might spurn

Loud as wolves his howls of disdain.

Ardent man, sapient man, distinctive man

David had pierced bear and lion.

Harsh in the skull he would drive his stone,

Accurate, brash weapon on brow.

At his feet the shield-lord bowed humbly,

Fleet Philistines, hero-wrenched, fled.

HEART

Nothing is finer

Than to know the changelessness

Of the heart of Christ.

GLORIOUS

In no circumstance

Was Christ so glorious to God

As when He suffered.

JOAN WASTE

“Is it all right”, I asked her,

“For me to lead my sister

Towards the fire?”

“Our father is dead”, she said.

“So who else would I want

To give me away?”

“I could help you escape”, I claimed.

But she replied, “No. See these ropes -

I myself made them

It was gracious of my Lord

To make my poor handiwork

The bands of a Man”.

Truly, day by day, strand by strand,

Her dexterity and patience had made

The finest ropes in Derby.

“The fire is ravenous”. But she responded,

“We must all burn, by fevers or rheumatics:

As well swift as slow.”

And when I longed that God would send

Elizabeth she said she waited for

One Monarch only.

She rejoiced that she would not see

A sin-marred world - “but I will see it

When Christ is king".

And “What is light? Is it to the body

What faith is to my soul -

The expansion of perception.

You will have to let go my hand soon

But remember that a stronger hand

Holds me still.”

I led her to the stake. She did not cry

Among the faggots but spoke tenderly

And her last word was “Jesus”.

GRACE

When I was battered on a rugged shore

Grace took the oars, braved waves, and rescued me;

Grace had prepared both light and warmth before

My chartless ventures on the sullen sea.

I drew my burnt hand from the savage flame

Since grace had given me my sense of pain;

Grace salved my wounded hand, grace took the blame,

Grace held me back lest I should burn again.

Grace was the policeman who arrested me,

The coastguard who observed my zigzag course,

The fireman who has rushed to cut me free,

The surgeon who exposed my gangrene’s source.

And grace has served me that I might be shown

The throne of grace, with grace upon the throne.

THE SON AND THE SPIRIT

Firstly, a woman,

In whom that which was begotten in her

As power of the Highest overshadowed her

Was of the Spirit of God.

Then an ambience of receptors,

Like pistils for pollen,

Prepared for Him in the temple

By the Holy Spirit of God.

About thirty years progressed

Till the substance of divine approval

Anointing a praying Man

Was the Holy Spirit.

An active life followed

Each word, step or touch

Blessing to men

By the Spirit of God.

Qualified for glory, qualified

For rule - He was qualified

To offer Himself to God

By the eternal Spirit.

Risen, elevated, honoured,

At the Father’s right

He acted as Minister of grace

Giving His Holy Spirit.

He has His church now

Integrated and vital,

Welled by the love of God,

Through the One Spirit.

THE SON OF GOD

After Christ’s pathway of perfection

In secret, in man’s situation,

His place as Son in God’s affection

Was marked by God’s annunciation.

Seeing Christ did not need to wrestle

To assert control in the creation

The twelve knew, as He joined their vessel,

The Son of God by observation.

And that was good - but saints would rather,

Knowing God’s joy in the relation,

Like Peter learn now from the Father

The Son of God by revelation.

Before Christ’s toil had its fruition

God gave in the transfiguration

The witness to His new position -

The Son of God in elevation.

WEALTH

When I was as impoverished as a beggar in a ditch

The Son of God came up to me, raised me, and made me rich;

He gave me treasures far surpassing all that I had lost

And told me in His grace that He Himself had borne the cost.

When I came to the Father, impecunious and distressed,

He welcomed me, He kissed me and He clothed me in the best;

He took away the filthy rags worn from the distant land

And gave me sandals for my feet, His ring to deck my hand.

The Holy Spirit has the wealth of heaven in His care

Available for all the saints who own Christ Lord to share;

He decorates and dignifies the features of the bride,

Then helps her grace the place that she will have at Jesus’ side.

Now unto God who made us rich, whose giving is immense,

There rises our responsive praise, our nard and frankincense;

To Him who is the source of all we gladly bow the knee

And willingly acknowledge “of Thine own we give to Thee”.

COMING

He did not come with troops, with flags unfurled

And burnished swords; He came to heal the lame,

The blind and poor; and to make known God’s Name;

And show God’s love. If Jewish lips were curled

Disdainfully, and jibes or stones were hurled,

He did not act as Judge. He was the Same:

Rightly could the Samaritans exclaim,

“This is indeed the Saviour of the world!”

He came to Greek, Jew or Samaritan

In grace and vigour, as the Son of Man;

He showed, in shedding love and power abroad,

The dignity which marks the Son of God;

While heaven - before His public work begun

Parted to acclaim Him, God’s beloved Son.

JEDUTHUN

God heard amid His fresh creation

His angels’ shouts of celebration.

He had in His premeditation

A greater cause of celebration.

When Christ brought in illumination

That gave God cause for celebration.

Because of reconciliation

God bids us join His celebration.

Christ in His place of elevation

Is centre of God’s celebration.

Christ’s men by grace and derivation

Will cause eternal celebration.

"FOR LIFE"

(As the registrar said)

For life -

No remissions or paroles

As if the judge had said,

“In this case, Life means Life”.

For life -

Not the mereness of existence,

Lichen on rock,

But vivacity

Pinioned on the high winds

Of love.

For life -

That, through God’s grace,

And by His discipline,

In His ways

Another generation

Should shoulder staves for Him.

For life -

Heirs together,

Smiths together, tasters together

Of the grace

Of life.

Z

He, the Lord Jesus,

Now known in resurrection

Is the true Zion.

Y

For all of the truth

That God has made known to man

The Lord is the Yea.

X

If my language fails

Start with another and say

That He is Xavier.

(Splendid - Sp/Ar)

W

In what He has done,

What He said, and what He is

He is Wonderful.

V

No other Victim has

Emerged so gloriously as

The complete Victor.

U

He was unblemished,

Unspotted, undiverted,

Unimpeachable.

T

Not by words only

But by perfect example

He is our Teacher.

S

More excellent than

Any created being

This One is the Son.

R

I know that He lives

Who shed His blood that He might

Be my Redeemer.

Q

As the Last Adam

Jesus is active now as

A Quickening Spirit.

P

Jesus will return

To rule in prosperity

As the Prince of Peace.

O

For the expression

Of God He is the Alpha

And the Omega.

N

Though heaven was home

He was content to be called

The Nazarean.

M

His happy bondman

I willingly acknowledge

He is my Master.

L

Soon every tongue will

Confess it - but now His own

Gladly call Him Lord.