Being no hireling He did not run away
And by His love, because He kept the faith
The mauling wolf was finally outfaced;
What was the cost? The Shepherd has been slain:
The sword of God against Him was awake.
Risen He works, showing the young His care,
Healing the sick, pursuing those who stray,
Leading the healthy where they may safely graze.
Lord, help me, as Thy sheep, discriminate
Thy Shepherd voice from voices that are strange;
Guide my thrawn feet far from iniquity
Into the flock of those enjoying grace.
"Thrawn; twisted: wry: cross-grained, perverse" according to the dictionary. Sometimes I need a Scots word to express myself properly.
The blog will be under other management for the next ten days as my wife and I take a trip to Andhra Pradesh to see our Christian friends there. Pray for us!
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
HELPER
Jehovah helped His old repentant people
And by His thunder the Philistines were beaten:
They raised to God the rock of Eben-ezer;
Upon the sea, loving but doubting Peter
Exclaimed “Lord, help me” and was sustained by Jesus.
But this is not confined to history merely:
The Lord is near and gives His help to me now
As I can tell because of my experience -
I have Thy help in overcoming evil,
I have Thy help for shepherding and healing,
I have Thy help exploring heavenly regions
And for these things - how much Thy help is needed!
And by His thunder the Philistines were beaten:
They raised to God the rock of Eben-ezer;
Upon the sea, loving but doubting Peter
Exclaimed “Lord, help me” and was sustained by Jesus.
But this is not confined to history merely:
The Lord is near and gives His help to me now
As I can tell because of my experience -
I have Thy help in overcoming evil,
I have Thy help for shepherding and healing,
I have Thy help exploring heavenly regions
And for these things - how much Thy help is needed!
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
PROVIDER
What I required as thrall to sin and grief -
That one should be ransom for my release -
Thou, Lord, provided, giving Thy life for me;
What I required that I might have relief
By precious blood with which to be redeemed
Thou, Lord, provided, bringing me into peace;
What I required on which to drink and feed -
Thy blood to drink, Thy body as my meat -
Thou, Lord, provided, so that I am replete;
What I required - to quicken and to lead
Thou, Lord, provided, the Holy Paraclete:
Whatever I require I have from Thee.
That one should be ransom for my release -
Thou, Lord, provided, giving Thy life for me;
What I required that I might have relief
By precious blood with which to be redeemed
Thou, Lord, provided, bringing me into peace;
What I required on which to drink and feed -
Thy blood to drink, Thy body as my meat -
Thou, Lord, provided, so that I am replete;
What I required - to quicken and to lead
Thou, Lord, provided, the Holy Paraclete:
Whatever I require I have from Thee.
Monday, 25 October 2010
FRIEND
Whilst wandering this bitter wilderness
Whose sand abrades and by whose rock I bled
Among dry thorns and evidence of death
I come to Thee because I need Thy help
To turn my feet from their disordered trends
Down Egypt’s way to pungent tastes and smells
My soul still craves when guided by my flesh,
Down subtle tracks forged to avoid the dearth
Whose termini would vitiate my health,
Or up the track that Hormah represents -
Fleshly essays at heavenly ascents
Since I am lost without Thee as my Friend.
Whose sand abrades and by whose rock I bled
Among dry thorns and evidence of death
I come to Thee because I need Thy help
To turn my feet from their disordered trends
Down Egypt’s way to pungent tastes and smells
My soul still craves when guided by my flesh,
Down subtle tracks forged to avoid the dearth
Whose termini would vitiate my health,
Or up the track that Hormah represents -
Fleshly essays at heavenly ascents
Since I am lost without Thee as my Friend.
Sunday, 24 October 2010
THE BRIDEGROOM
The Bride proclaims with joy: “Behold He cometh!”
Under His shadow her gracefulness will flourish
Helped by His sweetness from which she will be nourished.
She is His helpmate in this requiring nothing
But what the Spirit in grace has wisely furnished;
He is the Bridegroom and He is the Beloved.
Jesus is more than one who carries burdens
But One she knows as, in each aspect, worthy.
She knows His face, that it is white and ruddy;
She knows His voice, affectionately urgent;
She knows His heart since He revealed its wonders:
And she acclaims Him as “Altogether lovely!”
Under His shadow her gracefulness will flourish
Helped by His sweetness from which she will be nourished.
She is His helpmate in this requiring nothing
But what the Spirit in grace has wisely furnished;
He is the Bridegroom and He is the Beloved.
Jesus is more than one who carries burdens
But One she knows as, in each aspect, worthy.
She knows His face, that it is white and ruddy;
She knows His voice, affectionately urgent;
She knows His heart since He revealed its wonders:
And she acclaims Him as “Altogether lovely!”
Saturday, 23 October 2010
THE PRIEST
His priestly order, that of Melchisedec,
Is intransmissible, and has no end,
Triumphant over the tentacles of death.
In priestly garb “Holinesse on the Head”,
Light and perfection cherished within the breast,
“Harmonious bells below, raising the dead”
To bear and lead them to lasting life and rest,
In heavenly blue - thus our true Aaron’s drest.
He has approached as perfect offerer,
His offering perfection of Himself:
In power of blood which He Himself had shed
He made the way into the holiest.
(Includes references to George Herbert's poem.)
Is intransmissible, and has no end,
Triumphant over the tentacles of death.
In priestly garb “Holinesse on the Head”,
Light and perfection cherished within the breast,
“Harmonious bells below, raising the dead”
To bear and lead them to lasting life and rest,
In heavenly blue - thus our true Aaron’s drest.
He has approached as perfect offerer,
His offering perfection of Himself:
In power of blood which He Himself had shed
He made the way into the holiest.
(Includes references to George Herbert's poem.)
Friday, 22 October 2010
KING
God has secured an everlasting kingdom
And introduced another kind of kingship
By one who proved His every act was king-like
And demonstrated His expertise in kingcraft.
Jesus is King, true as no other king is
Because His blood establishes the King’s peace;
Grace is the salient principle of His kinghood
Through righteousness in which His rule is kingly.
And with Him rule the ones who are His kindred
Who know the Lord as their Redeemer-Kinsman -
Not merely His as simply fleshly kinsfolk
But made His own in an eternal kinship.
And introduced another kind of kingship
By one who proved His every act was king-like
And demonstrated His expertise in kingcraft.
Jesus is King, true as no other king is
Because His blood establishes the King’s peace;
Grace is the salient principle of His kinghood
Through righteousness in which His rule is kingly.
And with Him rule the ones who are His kindred
Who know the Lord as their Redeemer-Kinsman -
Not merely His as simply fleshly kinsfolk
But made His own in an eternal kinship.
Thursday, 21 October 2010
ALL THINGS
For we who are the members of the body
All things are ours - and who do we belong to?
We are the Christ’s, we happily acknowledge.
In love we will grow up to Him in all things
Who is the Head, the Christ, from whom the body
Builds itself up, increasingly responsive.
God gave the Christ to be Head over all things
For benefit, of His own church, the body
Which is the fulness of Him who will fill all things.
That He might have the primal place in all things
Christ is the Head of His own church, the body
For in Him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead.
All things are ours - and who do we belong to?
We are the Christ’s, we happily acknowledge.
In love we will grow up to Him in all things
Who is the Head, the Christ, from whom the body
Builds itself up, increasingly responsive.
God gave the Christ to be Head over all things
For benefit, of His own church, the body
Which is the fulness of Him who will fill all things.
That He might have the primal place in all things
Christ is the Head of His own church, the body
For in Him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead.
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
THE MAN
I love the Man who died for me
Not only for that death
But for a love of such degree,
Which gives me life and breath.
Not only for that death
But for a love of such degree,
Which gives me life and breath.
Monday, 18 October 2010
Sunday, 17 October 2010
ANSWERS
I need redemption - where can it be found?
“Through His own blood”: there is no other ground.
I need forgiveness - and I can be led
To know it since the Saviour’s blood was shed.
I need peace here, where sins and conscience toss;
God made peace through the blood of Jesus’ cross.
And reconciliation is required -
God reconciled me since His Son expired.
I wish that sin and flesh in me had died -
It is with Christ that I am crucified.
“Through His own blood”: there is no other ground.
I need forgiveness - and I can be led
To know it since the Saviour’s blood was shed.
I need peace here, where sins and conscience toss;
God made peace through the blood of Jesus’ cross.
And reconciliation is required -
God reconciled me since His Son expired.
I wish that sin and flesh in me had died -
It is with Christ that I am crucified.
Saturday, 16 October 2010
PASSOVER
"its head with its legs and with its inwards", Exodus 12: 9
What of His head? It was as finest gold,
Concordant with the glory of God’s throne.
But men bestowed upon Him many a blow:
His was the head they spat upon and smote.
But God who saw men smite Him here below
Rejoiced in Him as He rejoiced to know.
God by whose will He suffered pain and woe
Crowned Him because of all the grief He bore,
Glorified Jesus for all the grace He showed
And showered Him with wealth of heaven’s resource.
What of His legs? They are as marble pillars;
They bore Him on His gracious holy mission
Which brought God’s thoughts of blessing to their fulfilment.
Men led the Lord towards the cross to kill Him
But Stephen saw Christ glorified and risen
Standing to bless though Israel had been wilful.
Stately in bearing the Lord, once dead, but living
Comes to His own, a people who are willing.
What of His inwards? In tenderness He wept
Seeing a world impacted on by death;
But He rejoiced in simple pious men
Who were God’s gift to One whom He had sent.
And as He came towards Golgotha’s depths
His soul recoiled in perfect holiness!
And His great cry as One who was bereft -
No words can tell what its profoundness meant.
And still His inwards are towards those on earth
Whom He secured at infinite expense.
What of His head? It was as finest gold,
Concordant with the glory of God’s throne.
But men bestowed upon Him many a blow:
His was the head they spat upon and smote.
But God who saw men smite Him here below
Rejoiced in Him as He rejoiced to know.
God by whose will He suffered pain and woe
Crowned Him because of all the grief He bore,
Glorified Jesus for all the grace He showed
And showered Him with wealth of heaven’s resource.
What of His legs? They are as marble pillars;
They bore Him on His gracious holy mission
Which brought God’s thoughts of blessing to their fulfilment.
Men led the Lord towards the cross to kill Him
But Stephen saw Christ glorified and risen
Standing to bless though Israel had been wilful.
Stately in bearing the Lord, once dead, but living
Comes to His own, a people who are willing.
What of His inwards? In tenderness He wept
Seeing a world impacted on by death;
But He rejoiced in simple pious men
Who were God’s gift to One whom He had sent.
And as He came towards Golgotha’s depths
His soul recoiled in perfect holiness!
And His great cry as One who was bereft -
No words can tell what its profoundness meant.
And still His inwards are towards those on earth
Whom He secured at infinite expense.
Friday, 15 October 2010
BOW THE KNEE
One who always has existed
And will always be
Took His lowly place in manhood:
Bow the knee!
Seeing Christ who suffered for us
That we might be free
To enjoy God’s love and favour
Bow the knee!
As you read the Holy Scriptures
And rejoice to see
Christ as Helper of the needy,
Bow the knee!
Knowing Jesus, caring for us,
Raised us up that we
Might have part in praise and worship,
Bow the knee!
And will always be
Took His lowly place in manhood:
Bow the knee!
Seeing Christ who suffered for us
That we might be free
To enjoy God’s love and favour
Bow the knee!
As you read the Holy Scriptures
And rejoice to see
Christ as Helper of the needy,
Bow the knee!
Knowing Jesus, caring for us,
Raised us up that we
Might have part in praise and worship,
Bow the knee!
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
SAINTS
Not only cherubim
Whose robes are bright
Will be
For Thee
But saints in light
With Christ, conformed to Him.
Whose robes are bright
Will be
For Thee
But saints in light
With Christ, conformed to Him.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Monday, 11 October 2010
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Friday, 8 October 2010
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Monday, 4 October 2010
Sunday, 3 October 2010
THE SON
When God desired to promulgate His word
He, with a language to demonstrate His love,
Has spoken in the Person of the Son,
The Heir of all, through whom all things had birth,
The One by whom His glory is effulged
While of His substance the Son is the efflux.
Still all He was in all He has become,
A new relationship has now begun,
So that the Firstborn as brought into the world
Proved a fresh cause for angels to exult;
His place of glory exceeds them by so much
As His Name has a more exceeding worth.
He, with a language to demonstrate His love,
Has spoken in the Person of the Son,
The Heir of all, through whom all things had birth,
The One by whom His glory is effulged
While of His substance the Son is the efflux.
Still all He was in all He has become,
A new relationship has now begun,
So that the Firstborn as brought into the world
Proved a fresh cause for angels to exult;
His place of glory exceeds them by so much
As His Name has a more exceeding worth.
Friday, 1 October 2010
THE SON OF GOD
Healed, but cast out, seeing, but sorely scorned
The man once blind was glad, but yet forlorn,
Till Jesus found him and it was his reward
To have revealed to him the Son of God
And homage was his instant true response.
On God’s behalf and come from God, Christ walked
Until His power displayed, while on the cross,
The Son of God to the centurion.
The time has come when all may hear His call:
Morally dead and spiritually lost
May wake to God raised and believing on
The Son of God, each moral problem solved.
The man once blind was glad, but yet forlorn,
Till Jesus found him and it was his reward
To have revealed to him the Son of God
And homage was his instant true response.
On God’s behalf and come from God, Christ walked
Until His power displayed, while on the cross,
The Son of God to the centurion.
The time has come when all may hear His call:
Morally dead and spiritually lost
May wake to God raised and believing on
The Son of God, each moral problem solved.
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