KEPT

...Soon, in the Father’s

House, but now I am kept

In the Father’s hand.

THE SYSTEM OF LOVE

From a heart rich with mercy, grace and love

The Father's purposes for us display

His grand desire to have before His face

A glorious, loved and loving company.

Thus through unbounded grace His own Son came

To save us, and, more preciously, to lead

Those justified - and powerful in His Name -

Up to the Father as a holy seed.

And in the Father's presence we can be

Not only known as sons but cause to feel

That since the Son has died to set us free

Our sonship is not nominal, but real.

For grace gives, crowning all that mercy starts,

The Spirit of adoption in our hearts.

ONE MAN

As the heavens parted

The Father’s voice sounded

And the Spirit descended

God

Was distinguishing one Man.

As the cloud surrounded

And, from its shekinah,

The Father spoke

God was

Distinguishing one Man.

Even when the sun was darkened

And darkness covered the earth,

While the Father’s voice was absent,

God was distinguishing

One Man.

Then, when a cloud received Him,

When He was taken up

And sat at God’s right hand

God was distinguishing one

Man.

When they see the Son of Man sitting

At the right hand of power

And coming with the clouds of heaven

They shall acknowledge

God is distinguishing one Man.

MY FATHER

I

(c1978)

To most it simply is their livelihood

To change the live silver until it's dead

And filthy clanging silver and they could

Just as well pass their days in making bread

Or, if they had the brains, transcripts of Greek.

Day clashing after day of scratching knives

Strung into week following tedious week

Grind out their tepid, barely half- lived lives.

He's not like this. To him the lithe white flakes

Of muscle and the delicate web of bones

Constitute his material - when he hones

His knife and soothes the flesh and bones apart

It is his magnum opus which he makes

For every fillet is a work of art.

II

(25/12/90)

Perfection was the aim: even his writing

Was evidence of reaching for perfection,

Unlike my own crabbed hand. His mind delighting

In flawlessness could show a predilection

For no one of my kind; his approbation

Seemed to evade me - rightly I confess.

Yet graciousness that salved our situation

Was further evidence of saintliness.

Those who each day saw him about his trade

Found no more apt description of him than,

In all their market, "the last gentleman".

They could not fathom that in all these days

Another Man was more and more displayed:

The Perfect Man, through faith, engaged his gaze.

III

(26/12/90)

Gentleness, humour, generosity:

He never spanked me once - in case he hurt;

And I recall one over-boisterous day

When deeds more vigorous and words more curt

Would have more aptly answered my attack.

When he told jokes you'd lose the point till after

But not feel any sorrier for the lack:

He'd spoil the tale, yet cheer you, with his laughter.

As for his generosity, that theme

Is subject of abundant evidence;

He worked long hours for substance to dispense

And used his time for visits to deliver

His many gifts - because of the esteem

Of Him he knew as the transcendent Giver.

IV

(27/12/90)

Perfection was His aim: in every day

The work of God progressed towards its end.

Natural aptitudes had lessened sway

In Father's trade; instead he could perpend - 

And grow in - thoughts of Jesus. God had pleasure

Seeing a soul advancing towards His aim,

Until He added to perfect this treasure

The final thought of "Jesus Christ, the Same".

If Father loved to see a plump and fresh

Haddock or sole come cleanly from the bone

Through skill achieved by careful toil alone

So that no trace of worthlessness was left

His Saviour's stroke which soothed him from the flesh

Was infinitely swifter and more deft.

The Lord Jesus took my father to be with Himself 32 years ago today.

FOUND

All that God looked for
in man, He found perfectly
in the Lord Jesus.

ABRAHAM

What did it mean to him

When Abraham clave the wood

Of the burnt-offering?

What did it mean to him

When Abraham laid the wood

On his son Isaac?

What did it mean to him

When Abraham built the altar

And piled the wood?

What did it mean to him

When Abraham bound Isaac

And laid him on the wood?

HYMN

Blest Holy Spirit, sent from Christ in heaven

To those who own Him as their Lord and King,

We praise Thee for the power that we are given

To move us, to Thyself, to laud and sing:

Spirit of Jesus, sent from above,

To shed out freely, within our hearts, God's love.

How low the place that Thou, in grace, hast taken

In humble love to help us praise before

Him who, for us, was once alone, forsaken;

Through Thee we now would worship and adore:

Spirit of Jesus, sent from above,

To shed out freely, within our hearts, God's love.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

If she had stood

Like a blasted tree

By the shore of the shivering sea

How had she become

Like an apple tree

Whose bows are bent with summer fruit?

She had learnt

To swerve no more beneath the knife;

To welcome One Wiser as

He chose to lop

Branch after branch.

More fruit bodied

In its own ripe season.

SHEPHERD

Through midday heat and midnight frost

He helped the weak and fed the sound.

He journeyed over barren ground

To find the wandering and lost.

He did not heed the awful cost

That through Him blessing might abound.

Praise shall eternally resound:  

Oh what a Shepherd, Lord, Thou wast!

ETERNALLY

Eternally, God

Will have for His pleasure Christ,

And Christ in His saints.

PUNISHMENT

The rich were punished

With metal - brisk swords

Or their own daggers.

The poor were punished

By wood - stocks, rods or

Slow crucifixions:

Christ took part with these.

HIS HANDS WERE NAILED TO THE CROSS

His hands were nailed to the cross

Though He only used them to bless

Those in sickness, need and distress

Whom the Pharisees reckoned as dross.

While they played at pitch and toss

To gamble over His dress

His hands were nailed to the cross

Though He only used them to bless.

He bore the deepest loss

As He hung for me, I confess;

For He suffered there to express

Greatest love where sin was most gross:

His hands were nailed to the cross.

MIND

There is a mind in

The Deity which has scope

Beyond human mind.

CHRIST

The One by whom the worlds began

Who furnished Earth by what He said

Was found in figure as a Man

Without a place to lay His Head.

By Him on good and worthless ground

The seed, the word of God, was sown

And now for His delight abound

Fruits from good ground for Him alone.

From this world's raging seas He brought

Disciples, sinners born again:

He patiently and gently taught

Till they were also "catching men".

Unending gentleness and care

For those whom men despised as least,

With constant toil for men in prayer,

Displayed perfection of a priest.

And as the perfect Victim too

He met death in the darkest hour,

Emerging as the Victor who

Quelled death and him who had its power.

Ascended high to God's right hand

He sits upon the throne of grace

Acclaimed by all who understand

He has secured their heavenly place.

And as the Chief Musician now

He moves God's service, phrase by phrase,

Touching each harp-string to endow

Eternal, orchestrated praise.

ONE ROCK

There is one rock that does not change,

Perfect and constant in its form.

While others splinter and derange

There is one Rock

That cannot alter in the storm.

While thrusting power makes them strange

This does not vary from its norm.

Rocks, overheated, rearrange,

Boil, overflow, cool and reform:

Beyond earth's fiercest fury's range

There is One Rock.

VINES

A vine was before me,

Said the saint.

It budded and it blossomed,

Its clusters ripened into grapes

And the fulness of the vintage

Was all for God.

I went down into the garden,

Said the Bridegroom,

To see if the vine budded,

If there was something

Fresh, in response to Myself.

Should I leave my new wine,

Said the saint,

Which cheers God and man,

The product of His sunshine,

His husbandry and pruning?

I will go out and savour,

Said the Bridegroom,

Of the clusters of the vine

And the best of the wine...

That floweth straight,

Said the bride,

To my Beloved.

WE BOW BEFORE THE TRINITY

Though once afar off enemies

And strangers to sanguinity,

As brought to God and taught to praise

We bow before the Trinity.

According to God's glorious ways

At home in Thy vicinity

To worship to the length of days

We bow before the Trinity.

With every heart and conscience clear

Before God's great divinity,

In reverence and godly fear

We bow before the Trinity.

Men, disparate, may now adhere

In heavenly consanguinity;

As in affection we appear

We bow before the Trinity.

Because of all that God has done

In love a new affinity

Of God and man has now begun;

We bow before the Trinity.

Acknowledging God   Father, Son

And Spirit (in infinity

Three Persons, yet forever One)  

We bow before the Trinity.

MEMORIES

I remember the relish

With which, when preaching, my father

Would name

“The blessed God”.

I often heard John Welch

Speak to his God and Father,

But one distinct word I remember:

“At-homedness”.

Twice I have heard Burton Jensen

Enunciate distinctly,

Giving each vowel its value,

“Beneficiary”.

If I could leave behind

One distinctive word

Of relationship with God -

That would content me.

PRAYER FOR MY SON

Lord, as I watch this little lamb

I ask you first to shepherd me

Since as Thy wayward sheep I am

As prone to wandering as he'll be.

Help us to feed among Thy sheep

Where both of us will know Thy care;

Protect us, water us, and keep

Our footsteps from the lion's lair.

But he himself will need to learn

The way his Shepherd had to go

And in his heart himself discern

The reason for his Shepherd's woe.

Help him to learn the Shepherd's voice

And follow in the Shepherd's way

Till he will constantly rejoice

In what his Shepherd has to say.

And bring him safely home at last

Secure eternally from harm

Where no wolves roam and no winds blast

Within the shelter of Thine arm.

The little lamb is now taller than me.

SECOND FAMILY

Jemima

The product of God’s workmanship,

Without shadow of the night

“Beautiful as the day”.

Keziah

Suitable to imbue,

To anoint, a king’s garments,

“Cassia”.

Keren-happuch

Another class of beauty,

Brightness out of sorrow,

“Horn of paint”.

Job 42: 14

 

BEHOLD HE SMOTE THE ROCK

Behold He smote the rock:

waters rushed out,

streams overflowed:

how did they doubt

His gladness to unlock

boundless resources yet to be bestowed?

He led them through alone:

He gave them food

from the rich soil;

and soon they could

suck honey from the stone;

while from the flinty rock He gave them oil.

GRACE

From eternity

God’s mind was that His grace should

Be operative.

THEIR GLORIOUS LORD

He came among them

Risen and living

Their glorious Lord

"And when they seen Him

They done Him homage"

With one accord.

He was their Saviour,

Their Friend and Teacher

Their glorious Lord  

He had encountered

In all its horror

God's judgment sword.

They stood beholding

As He ascended

Their glorious Lord;

God has enthroned Him

Giving Him honour  

His just reward.

And now we see by

Faith and the Spirit

Our glorious Lord;

And when we see Him

We do Him homage

With one accord.

Written after the death of the beloved brother quoted, whose fervency was better than his English. 

MARRIAGE

What were the guests wearing?

Each one a wedding garment,

Each one that Best Robe

Which the Father provided.

What did the Bride wear?

Fine linen, righteousnesses

Of the saints

Particular in delicate tracery.

What did the Bridegroom wear?

Ah, the Bridegroom!

“Myrrh and aloes, cassia

Are all Thy garments.”

Myrrh?

Yes, for we will not forget

The suffering way by which

The Bride was won.

Aloes?

From those His people,

Aloe trees

Which Jehovah hath planted.

Cassia?

Kezia, product of the

Second

Which He alone established.

IN CHRIST

In Christ God found

An outlet for His heart

Through which in love He might impart

Grace which will through eternity abound.

In Christ God found an inlet to my heart

To funnel love which every day

And through eternity

He will impart.

SAVIOUR

Dead in trespasses and sins

I lay - till quickened

By the Son of God.

Sin acting,

I was a leper

Until He touched me.

Sin darkening,

I was blind

Until He enlightened me.

Maimed by sin

I staggered

Until He made me straight.

In sins bonds

I languished

But He has loosed me.

He touched my ears

And tongue - that now

I may speak right.

I lived in poverty -  

He came to share it

And to enrich me.

ALLELUIA

Alleluia to the Saviour!

Bless the glorious Name of Jesus;

Come before His throne with gladness,

Do Him homage for His greatness.

Everlasting praise will echo

For the Firstborn of creation,

God's anointed priest and prophet,

Heaven's Centre of affection,

Israel's monarch and Messiah,

Judah's Prince and Sprout of Glory,

King of kings and Prince of princes,

Lord of lords and Head of all things!

Men of every tribe and nation,

Nurtured in that splendid kingdom

Open wide their mouths in anthems

Praising Jesus their Redeemer.

Queen-like His beloved assembly

Raptured by her Bridegroom’s beauty

Sits upon His throne beside Him.

Thousands upon thousands bring Him

Universal acclamation;

Victory is accorded to Him,

Worshippers are bowed before Him,

Xenia presented to Him:

Young and old in happy chorus

Zealously sing - Alleluia!

HIM

In Him

We have redemption,

Forgiveness of offences.

With Him

We have been buried,

And with Him raised and quickened.

From Him

In highest glory

The Spirit has descended.

Through Him

We, by the Spirit,

Have access to the Father.

For Him

The church, His body,

Is here in testimony.

To Him

Will soon be bending

The knees of every being.

"HE SHALL BE GREAT"

"He shall be great":

Great Shepherd of the sheep,

Whom God brought from among the dead,

By whom His sheep are borne and fed  

"He shall be great".

"He shall be great":

Great Priest within God's house

Who in His manhood supersedes,

Yet gives us help in all our needs  

"He shall be great".

"He shall be great":

Great King and Lord of all  

The lowly Babe of Bethlehem

Shall reign in God's Jerusalem  

"He shall be great".

RUNES

(Eve)

This beauty, replete, rare,

Is Woman.

(Rebecca)

Both in the willing and the working,

Captivating.

(Leah)

If not the first

This was the fecund love.

(Acsah)

Full of zest and thirst,

She springs with agility.

(Abigail)

Her soul bound with mine in

The bundle of the living.

(Shulamite)

Gracefulness and dignity,

Embrue each footstep.

(Woman of Worth)

More valuable than rubies

This woman I have found!

PEOPLE OF GOD

Their meeting has no steeple;

Their preacher has no cope;

This world's great names

Assert no claims

They have a better hope:

Wonderful, wonderful people

Wonderful people of God.

With heavenly behaviour

They praise with one accord

Their hearts unite

With great delight

For Jesus is their Lord:

Wonderful, wonderful Saviour

Wonderful Saviour from God.

The heart has One to stir it

To answer to Christ's love

Their anthem swells

For in them dwells

The Spirit from above:

Wonderful, wonderful Spirit,

Wonderful Spirit of God.

THE MAN

Into the night

- Men blundering in darkness - came

The Light.

Among absurd

Bubbles of futile noise came

The Word.

Where men, astray,

Wandered in pathless deserts came

The Way.

As men's uncouth

Hubbub of lies resounded came

The Truth.

While sturt and strife

Gave death fearful dominion came

The Life.

Amid the shock,

Breakers disrupting flotsam, came

The Rock.

Just where I am

Needing His loving-kindness came

The Lamb.

GRAVESTONE

Found the tombstone builder and couldn't resist this.

(Courtesy of Albie the Good)

But remember - "The sky, not the grave, is out goal".

THERE IS A MAN UPON THE FATHER'S THRONE

There is a Man upon the Father's throne

Sufficient for the glory of that place

Dispensing power and blessing to His own.

He who could dwell in unseen light alone

Outwith the scope of human mind or space,

There, is a Man   upon the Father's throne.

That God and all His mercy might be known

He was on earth among the weak and base

Dispensing power and blessing to His own.

Since on the cross He suffered to atone

And opened wide the floodgates of God's grace

There is a Man upon the Father's throne.

The might of sin and death is overthrown

And Christ is Leader of a heavenly race

Dispensing power and blessing to His own.

Soon all His grace and glory will be shown

And we shall see the beauty of His face.

There is a Man upon the Father's throne

Dispensing power and blessing to His own.