WRITING

You may write as an old dip pen,

Repeatedly immersing yourself,

Repeatedly leaving a trail.

You may write as a fountain pen

Having drunk deeply yet

Discretely contained the ink.

You may write as a ballpoint

Emptying ink from within.

Or you may write as a pencil,

Sharp, blunting with use,

Sharpened - shaved to sharpness -

The wood discarded, the lead

Cut, and the spoor left

Yourself scrawled on the page.

WORDS

Words are tools

to form meanings

to be given to readers

or hearers.

Words are a path

by which meanings

may travel from mind

to mind.

Words are animals,

semi-trained, which become

meanings when tongue

or pen releases them,

Words are cogs in

the machinery of language

conveying energy

as meanings.

Words are drugs

whose influence grasps

meanings from

inarticulate sound.

WALLS

It is not difficult to rhyme:

You let the feet all run along

And in a very little time

You have a thing that’s like a song.

But, when you attempt free

Verse - where do you dis-

Sect the lines? Should

Your weight fall on

This foot, or on

That?

Traditional verse is like a wall

Built by a brick upon a brick

With rhyme to save it from a fall

And if it’s done well it is slick.

It takes practice to

Weigh, stone against stone,

So that its own weight

Makes a dry-stone dyke

Stand. That is free verse.

Allow me a diversion.  If you write verse the writing of verse is fascinating, and it's a theme in itself.  Here's one, and I'll maybe have a few more this week.

TWO THINGS

These two things we may
Count on: the purpose of God
And the love of Christ.

US

Before divine power wrought

Divine affection thought

of us.

In mercy Jesus came

To bear both sin and shame

for us.

Now from His glorious place

He comes to show His grace

to us.

He's gone in to prepare

A place that He will share

with us.

Where He with joy will raise

An anthem to God's praise

by us.

SUITED

saints are living stones
suited for Christ's assembly
by divine calling

VICTOR

If Satan offered natural resource
In face of Christ's apparent need of food
The Lord displayed that He had amplitude
Because the word of God was His recourse.
If Satan proffered next the world's resource
It and its power were readily eschewed
Since a dependent Man gladly pursued
A way that owned God as His only source.
Religiousness was Satan's last resource
In imitation of what God found good
But for the Lord, whose spirit was imbrued
By faith, this last temptation had no force.

So Satan left Him for a time - and found
The tide of grace was sweeping his domain;
So when he challenged Jesus yet again
It was with force, the power of death, and fear.
He could not understand One who was bound
By love with which force could not interfere.

The altar's horns were of itself; it stood
Four-square; it bore the heat; and God had seen
Under the copper was acacia wood.

21 October 2012
This is a sonnet and a half

THE HEART OF GOD

Thinking of God, and noticing His ways,

As shown to me by Jesus, His own Son,

My soul has been not only moved to praise,

That I should know the ways of such a One,

But moved to love, considering the heart

(Filled with desire that when these ways were done

I, as myself a son, should have a part

In His eternal presence, being too

Integral in Christ's glorious counterpart  

The splendid bride, joined to the Bridegroom who

Gave all for her) which, from profound affection,

Conceived and used these ways to carry through

Those whom He loved into complete perfection,

Washed from their sins, cleared from the power of sin,

Knowing His love, in Christ, the Resurrection

And in the arms of God, who drew them in

To His own countenance. No other mind

Could, straining to its greatest heights, begin

To think of such a plan as this, designed

By such a God; no other heart required

Such a conception for its unconfined

Expanse of love; no other love inspired

Such love as that by which God's sons are fired.

ASCENT

I

Homelessness: Adam's condition,

Ousted from Eden, He took part in

From His moment of birth. A beast has its earth;

A bird its nest; even the sun its tent;

He had nowhere to lay His head.

He must pass by foot the land's length,

Becoming wearied, requesting refreshment,

His feet roughed by shards of stone.

Though always purposefully advancing to that ultimate  

Homelessness; friendlessness  

That through anguish for men He should secure

Never to be lacked, God's concept of home.

II

Selflessness: always the sheep,

All wanderers and all in need,

Brambled, fallen, or sickening,

Occupied His days. Touching,

Searching and healing He cared for them;

Whatever the distance, the hour, the depths,

Like the urgent benighted fisher

He was on call and on duty. Tenderly

He bore the lambs; patiently

Led the sheep; constantly was door

To their fold: both in metaphor and fact

He laid down His life for the sheep.

III

Tirelessness   season after season:

Ploughing the clogging soil (smelling

Freshness of clods); sowing good seed

Broadcast, tending, daily

Enduring that day's work, sustained

By the joy lying before, the vision

Of gold grain rippling in the breeze,

Foresight of the glory of the harvest.

IV

Blamelessness   what these hands

(Blessing, healing, suffering) did,

What the pure heart felt, what

The descendent mind thought, perfected

For priesthood, ascent to the mount of God,

A stance in His holy place. Hands

Filled, consecrated, from God to men,

To God from men He served   to what

Extent? By the eternal Spirit He,

Spotless, offered Himself to God.

V

Fearlessness   our Hero went

The downward track, face set

Steadfastly; unencumbered by

A great man's armour He advanced

Against both death and its wielder

In the name of God whose ranks they defied:

By death death has been wrested

Into His victorious hand. Shielded

By the Conqueror's shield, defended

By His sword, victors by His victory

We cleave to our Deliverer.

VI

Peerlessness   whether the descent

To the lower parts of the earth, whether

Ascent above all heavens;

Or simply child, man, carpenter,

Preacher and sufferer, not one

Can compare: how rightly therefore,

His worth proved, He has the place

We could not give though knowing He

Deserves it   accommodated on the Father's

Throne, coronated in His affections:

And among His brethren, those equipped

To surround His glory, refracting

To the magnification of His splendour.

VII

Tearlessness   He will preside

Where not cheeks only but eyes

Will have received God's personal attention;

There, Minister of the Sanctuary, He,

Sweet Psalmist of Israel will orchestrate

Response. Under the King's direction

Instruments He has made will answer

To long years tautening and tuning,

To provide God what He first desired:

Amid the praises of His people - a home.

NOW MUCH I'M LOVED

On me, God’s grace has beamed;
By blood, I am redeemed;
To me His kindnesses have streamed:
How much I’m loved!

For me, the Saviour died;
For me, was crucified;
And now, for me He’s glorified:
How much I’m loved!

He suffered to atone,
But now, upon the throne,
He cares for me, with all His own
How much I’m loved!

He has prepared the place
Before the Father’s face
Which we will share, through boundless grace:
How much I’m loved!

Though here the world outside
Should raise an evil tide
With me, He says, He will abide:
How much I’m loved!

And as His word may be
Abiding now in me
Increasingly He’ll make me see
How much I’m loved!

GLORY

"The glory of God
and the glory of Man go
together in Christ".

GOD'S PLEASURE

All the elements
of a world for God's pleasure
are found in Jesus.

WALK WORTHY

That coat of skin God 
Designed suits you for
Your thorned path: walk worthy
Of the glad tidings.

Your festival robe, your
Holy turban, remake you
For priestliness: walk worthy
Of God.

Truth-girt, helmeted
With salvation, in your full
Equipage: walk worthy
Of the Lord.

dapper in your best
Robe, ring on hand,
Sandalled: walk worthy
Of the calling.

Philippians 1: 27
1 Thessalonians 2: 12
Colossians 1: 10
Ephesians 4: 1 

VOLITION

When the Spirit took
A subject place is was of
His own volition.

JESUS IS MY SAVIOUR

Jesus is my Saviour, Jesus is my Friend,

Jesus is my Shepherd, guiding to the end;

Jesus is my Master, Jesus is my Lord,

Jesus is my Shield and very great Reward;

Jesus is my Sunshine, Jesus is my Day,

Jesus is my Leader in the heavenly way.

Do you know the Saviour? Do you have a Friend?

Do you know the Man on whom you can depend?

Do you know the Master? Do you call Him Lord?

Are you bound to Jesus by faith's eternal cord?

Do you walk in sunshine? Do you know the day

Which goes and brightens to eternity.

He will be your Saviour if you trust in Him:

He will give you sunshine which will never dim;

When you know the Master, when you know the Lord

You with those who love him will sing with one accord:

"Jesus is my Saviour, Jesus is my Friend,

Jesus is my Shepherd guiding to the end!"

MOSES

Muscle was needed. The throb of thighs,

Shift of feet on the mountainside. Strain

Of gaining the crags of Sinai's summit,

The gentler tops of Horeb, or the heights

Of Pisgah. This was your route of approach

To the nearness marked in advance for you -  

And the friendship. So that rest, peaceful security,

Was something valuable as you were with Jehovah

Since you arrived through harsh experience

But softened since experience with Him, His eagle

Winging to Himself to be through long tramping

More than any other "among His priests".

And only through such experience could you be His people's shepherd,

Leashing their waywardness, cajoling, using your rod -  

Mindful always that it could become a serpent but using it

More as provider of water - till their princes could dig with their staves.

But the desert was not all harshness

Since from its drought songs echoed

As splendid punctuation. While dearth

Parched tongues and the sultriness

Enervated your doctrine bathed

Like the rain, your speech flowed,

A refreshing dew. A gentle smirr

Sprouted the tender herbs,

To make the grasses pullulate

Lush strands skyward -   

Patience, with God, made song.

THE OPERATIONS OF GOD

All this world's vigour is dismayed,

All this world's wisdom is denied;

Fresh power and wisdom is displayed

In Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

Secured at infinite expense

Many, deriving from that One

Share - while He has pre-eminence -

The place, and Spirit of God's Son.

Esteeming the descending mind

Which moved Christ Jesus as He came

From glory to the depths we find

Our minds conforming to the same.

In the affectionate control

Of Him, who fills the Father's heart,

With grateful voices we extol

The God whose work sets us apart.

Chosen before time had begun,

Redeemed, forgiven, given grace

In Christ, in God's Beloved One,

We bless God for our favoured place.

TO CATRIONA

Care, child, for the lambs

You will have in your trust.

Value the blameless Lamb

Led dumb to the shearers.

Spin the gnarled fleece

To taut, fine, warp.

Drench the tight threads

Till warm dyes permeate.

Weave loose weft and tight warp

Into a seamless garment.

Hem, embroider, finish

In fine stitching.

Lastly, my daughter,

Wear it with good grace.

We were - a little late - celebrating her 30th birthday yesterday.

MOTION

Whenever God means
To put people in motion
He firstly feeds them.



The thought I have gleaned, although I have shaped it.  As often.

JESUS THE LORD IS RISEN FROM THE TOMB

As lightening flashes shattering the gloom

In the disciples hearts the message came  

Jesus the Lord is risen from the tomb.

And still in souls by grace preserved from doom

The message and effect remain the same  

As lightening flashes shattering the gloom

They come and move the heart till we have room

For nothing but the glory of the Name 

Jesus. The Lord is risen from the tomb

And comes among His own as the Bridegroom

Who gave Himself and thus secured His claim.

As lightening flashes shattering the gloom

He will return   before He will consume

Those who reject Him   for us who proclaim

"Jesus the Lord is risen. From the tomb

He is now free. And soon He will assume

The public place that suits His worth and fame."

As lightening flashes shattering the gloom

Jesus the Lord is risen from the tomb.

GETHSEMANE

The deep agony

Of Christ told itself out in

Few, yet mighty, words.

THE FATHER'S DELIGHT

After the secret years when Christ excelled

In virtue, largely for the Father's sight,

Praying, He was baptised and thus impelled

The Father's exclamation of delight.

Upon the holy mountain where Christ prayed,

After the years of service among men

In which God's grace was perfectly displayed,

The Father's joy in Christ was told again.

After the fulness of Christ's work was done

To expiate, redeem, forgive and save,

Enraptured by the beauties of the Son

The Father's glory raised Him from the dead.

VARIATIONS: C

i

And how did Abel know how

To offer righteously? How did Enoch understand

How to please God? How did Abraham see

Christ's day? Or how did Moses judge

What was the reproach of Christ? Faith

Was their secret: by it they looked forward to

Christ, Leader and Completer of Faith.

ii

Whence is the joy that stirs these people's lives

As if a harvest had filled them with delight?

What power has risen to obviate decline

And all the forces that caused them to divide?

Those walking in the darkness have seen a light;

Those dwelling in death's shadow have seen one shine.

iii

After the time of concealment,

Necessary famine, or gloom,

His delight was to let them know

Himself, his love and his supplies:

Greater than all of secret dreams

These were what designated him

As the Revealer of Secrets.

VARIATIONS: B

i

Pullulations of plants, actions

Of animals,expenditure

Of energy   all source themselves

On one centre of light and heat:

Hyssop and cedar, ant and man

Sustained in sap or blood, flowing

Because of one emanation.

ii

Thus all the people found a man:

"Go to Joseph" was the king's counsel.

The great administration flowed

From the granaries his wisdom had built.

By this foresight, and this organisation,

He acquired the name "Sustainer of Life".

iii

The Originator of Life having been killed

Out of that death whose power could not hold Him

Issues the life we dwell in now as His.

Death has no claim on those who are His kin;

The darkest tomb His victory has lit;

He holds death's keys and leads us out to bliss.

VARIATIONS: A

i

He found a man in whom his heart could trust

Who would accomplish each detail of the work;

Joseph was he to whom all men could turn  

He could supply the answer to their wants;

And so he named him as Saviour of the World.

ii

As made perfect through suffering,

Suitable in every detail,

Holy, harmless and undefiled,

Tested and tempted in all things,

He has encountered the darkness,

The Leader of our Salvation.

iii

See, it sinks in red splendour,

Invading the sovereignty of darkness;

See, it departs into the winter,

Leaving earth in its barrenness.

It comes, the morning looms,

Night's shroud is torn;

It comes, the summer brims,

Saved by its healing power.

THE SUPPER

We gather, Lord, to call to mind

Thyself and all Thy worthiness;

Thou hast secured all God designed

For those whom He desired to bless;

Our souls and spirits lifted up

We break the bread, we drink the cup.

We gather, Lord, till Thou shalt come

As testimony in the scene

When, mid this world's opprobrium

Thy death and sufferings have been;

Our souls and spirits lifted up

We break the bread, we drink the cup.

We gather, Lord, unto Thy Name

In fellowship that will not cease

United in the single aim

Of righteousness, faith, love and peace

Our souls and spirits lifted up

We break the bread, we drink the cup.

We gather, Lord, to furnish Thee

With opportunity to show

Thyself and all Thy love whilst we

Remain in pilgrimage below:

Our souls and spirits lifted up

We break the bread, we drink the cup

A MAN

A Man has followed a lonely way -
Like a clear stream unaffected
By the surrounding soils,
Reflecting and scintillating under
The blue of heaven - God
Was glorified in that life.

A Man has come to a lonely cross -
There, the object of smiting,
Man's malice against goodness; then
God's righteous sword smiting
The Substitute - God
Was glorified in that death.

A Man has risen from amongst the dead -
Risen, since death's grip is shattered,
Raised by the glory of the Father
Who loved; made alive -
In the Spirit - God
Was glorified in that rising.

A Man has ascended above all heavens -
Captivity has been led captive,
He has been made both Lord and Christ,
The Father has rejoiced to give Him
A place on His throne - God
Was glorified in that ascension.

A Man on the throne has given -
The Holy Spirit of God,
The knowledge of divine purposes,
The grace and gifts required
To sustain His people here: God
Is glorified in that giving.

A Man is coming to reign -
The earth will blossom for Him,
The blossom will fertilise,
The fruits will swell and ripen
In luscious abundance - God
Will be glorified in that dominion.

NAME

I had not invented that
Name.  I might have gone for
Destroyer as well as Creator,
Attributed duality to
Him.  Or might have posited
His absence, perhaps blaming 
Him for it.  But love insisted
On His presentation; grace,
Coming to us, avowed
Another was.  One, once known as
I AM, is known as "Father".

THOUGHTS ON MICAH XIV

(Chap 7: 18)


“Who is a God like unto thee?”; our souls
Bow to the God who blesses and forgives;
Each one who knows His graciousness extols
The only One through whom their spirit lives.


God's will desired that all His saints should be
Within His presence in the grace He gives
To say, “Who is a God like unto thee?”

 02/09/12
Nandyal


This concludes the "Thoughts on Micah"

THOUGHTS ON MICAH XIII

(Chap 7: 9)


“I shall behold his righteousness” in One
Who walked a righteous path; and who has proved
God's righteousness upon the cross: God's Son,
By whom the power of sin will be removed.


And in the multitude who God will bless,
As both His purpose and His grace behoved,
Through Christ “I shall behold his righteousness”.

27/08/12
Coimbatore (Jenney's Residency)

THOUGHTS ON MICAH XII

(Chap 7: 8)


My enemy, do not gloat over me:
Although I fall I shall arise. My eyes
Shall see the light because the Lord shall be
A light to me. You will not seize His prize.


Since He has taken my iniquity,
Through grace, although I fall, I shall arise;
Do not gloat over me, my enemy.

14/08/12