JACOB

More than a mother's love,
A divine secret,
Moved Rebecca to discern
Jacob was loveable.

"What was torn I have not
Brought to thee", Jacob attested,
The words of a man
Who did justly.

Renamed, after his wrestling,
And his maiming
He, Israel, could walk as one
Of God's nobility.

To approach God's house
- "Put away the strange gods ...
And cleanse yourselves" -
Demanded purity.

After the byways, 
Skewed routes, now
Leaning on his staff,
A true worshipper.

 

ACROSTIC PSALM

1.Abundant mercy has answered my need;
Abundant grace has given me a home.
2.Blessing was in God’s heart for wilful me;
Blessing is in my heart, put there by God.
3.Come to the earth the Saviour showed mercy,
Mercy is free since He went into death.
4.Death was the dominant power against me;
Love has acted to break that dominion.
5.Every day pressure surround man’s pathway;
Saints are succoured by great loving-kindness.
6.Faith gives us access into God’s favour;
Love gives us favour in the Beloved.
7.Grace has given me a place in glory –
Glory will accrue to the God of grace.
8.Heaven is my home through the Lord’s goodness –
How can I count His manifold blessings?
9.I was going astray like a lost sheep:
His goodness has led me to repentance.
10.Just as I am He poured mercy on me;
Just as He is He brought me into grace.
11.Kindness of God wished to make me at home
As David wished to bless Mephibosheth.
12.Love never fails, love is patient and kind;
And Jesus Christ never fails to show love.
13.Many waters cannot quench love, Christ proved;
The love which triumphed is now free to bless.
14.No one can challenge God’s rights in mercy
Nor cavil at the actions of His grace.
15.Outstretched arms are towards us in blessing;
Underneath us are everlasting arms.
16.Perilous seas cannot overwhelm me
Since I am buoyed by god’s loving-kindness.
17.Quietness pervades the people of God
Who rest in the Lord’s goodness and favour.
18.Redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus
We glory in the grace that redeemed us.
19.Sustained daily by His loving-kindness
We wait for redemption of the body.
20.Travellers on crooked paths find straight roads
As love accompanies and protects them.
21.Unworthy of life since we were sinners
We have received mercy through Jesus Christ.
22.Victory appertains to Him alone
But grace allows us to share it with Him.
23.Worthiness belongs to Jesus alone
But love allows us to share it with Him.
24.Xenophobic Jews and Greeks are made one
For love at the cross smashed the middle wall.
25.Youths and maidens faint and the old languish
But God in His kindness revives us all.
26.Zealously sing praise to God and the Lord
By whom we have blessing, favour and love.

MEPHIBOSHETH

How good it is that Christ has shown
Himself as model for His own
Through suffering and death;
But too He gave a model in
A person not immune to sin:
His saint, Mephibosheth.

"In word" he witnessed that his place
Depended on the sovereign grace
Which was so welcoming:
'What further right therefore have I -
And for what purpose should I cry
For more unto the king?'.

"In conduct" in humility
By which he showed the loyalty
With which his spirit burned;
If rebels ruled Jerusalem
His deeds would give no place for them
Until the king returned.

"In love" which hastened to accord
The true place to his absent lord
Despite the world's disdain;
"In love" which would not make a claim
For self, but honoured David's name
When he had come again.

"In faith" that waited on God's will
In days of fortitude until
The king returned in peace;
"In purity", recoiling from
The world that followed Absolom
Until God brought release.

A wisdom which is glorious
Portrayed Mephibosheth to us
For us to imitate:
Blest Spirit, may we learn this grace
Until the time we see the face
We eagerly await. 

UGLY

Babirusa, boar,

Warthog - The Lord made all things

Darksome and ugly!

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.

STATE

The eternal state -

Embrace of intimacy

Between God and men!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Off to India for two weeks - so probably won't be posting!

EPIC

IX

The whole world is one ICU

And the God of grace
Sprinkles over it His blessing.
 
So she discovered
By the constant experience of
His intensive care.
 
Confident under His hand
She knew His care would always tell,
“I see you”.





(This concludes the epic ...)