PRAYER

(To a Brother)

The finest commendation is the first:
That Jesus, as come into manhood, prayed;
Thus in a perfect Man a perfect thirst
For speaking to the Father was portrayed.
And since then generations of His saints
Sought for their Father or their Lord to tell
Their needs and thoughts - and even their complaints -,
Were listened to, and knew that all was well.
Since Jesus as a Man could understand
Our need for prayer He made it His command;
The Father has expressed His love to hear
The voices of His sons as they draw near;
So let us go, leaning on another,
To confidently speak to Him, my brother.

HEAD

His head is the only head
Which God’s crown of glory fits;
For the thoughts in it -
The mind - attained the level
Of the glory of God
Whether men crowned it with thorns
Or love anointed it.

FACE

Angel's who behold Christ's visage
In its majesty and grace
Know a sinner has repented
By the joy in Jesus' face.

STANDING

The Son of God, who did God’s will,
The Son of Man, who came to die,
The Son of David, Christ, stood still
In answer to a beggar’s cry.

The Man who is the Lord of all,
Who soon will reign in equity,
Stood prisoner in the judgment hall
Of one steeped in iniquity.

He stood as the Victorious One
Within the circle of His own
Bringing His peace since all was done
By which the Father might be known.

Soon He will come to claim His right
And stand upon the sea and land;
All shall be set for His delight
And all shall prosper in His hand.

SHEEP

“My sheep,” said Jesus,
“Know, my voice, and I know them,
And they follow me”.

PROGRESS XV

But where God wished a sanctuary
He quickly found idolatry
As Israel's fervour failed;
Though you may have the greatest light
You need still to maintain its height
For it will be assailed.

The time was long, the bondage sore,
The word occasional before
Recovery came in;
Oh Christian soul, do not relax
For joys will wane and sorrows wax
As you make way for sin.

For when the conquest would restart
God found a man after His heart
Who would do all His will;
As Christ in beauty fills our view
Abundant blessing will ensue
Through what He will fulfil.

David, through all life's storms and calms
Distilled experience into psalms
For God's unending praise;
And Christ now, as He moves and tends
Our souls wakes worship which ascends
In anthems that we raise.

Affection and affliction shared
In the material prepared
For what his son would build;
Love answers love to bring us near
While suffering shapes how we appear
So that God's house is filled.

See the resplendent house unfold,
With all its plenitude of gold,
Which Solomon has made;
See the grand place that Christ has wrought,
Formed by the persons He has brought
And sumptuously arrayed.

The ark that graced the desert sand
And led them in the promised land
Is finally at rest;
Christ is before the Father's face,
Appreciated in His grace,
And in Him we are blest.

Trumpets and singers in accord
Proclaim the glory of the LORD:
The house fills with the cloud;
Now glory fills the courts above
And sons praise with united love,
Reverent, but uncowed.

Let hallelujahs now resound
Unto the LORD for He has crowned
The work He had begun;
Praise Him by whom all was conceived,
And now the matchless deed's achieved,
Determined, dared, and done.

END

The final two lines have been taken from "A Song for David" by Christopher Smart

PROGRESS XIV

Gilgal's the first place they approach;
They're circumcised; and the reproach
Of Egypt's rolled away;
The circumcision of the Christ
In moral working has sufficed
To clear a heavenly way.

Another cause to celebrate
Was when the sons of Israel ate
The old corn of the land;
The heavenly Man sustains the thought
Of heavenly persons who are brought
To take a heavenly stand.

Led by the ark the people go
Around the walls of Jericho
Daily, for seven days;
No other ensign is unfurled
Than Christ, to overcome the world
Which seeks to thwart God's ways.

They shout, and the ensuing fall
Of Jericho's surrounding wall
Brings Rahab forth to life;
In conflicts which the soul endures
It rests in this: God's love ensures
His spoil from any strife.

Defying what God had decreed
Achan was lured by fatal greed
For things that were accursed:
Although the world's defeated now
Its things still harm when we allow
Temptations as at first.

Directed by Jehovah's hand
Israel battle for the land
God promised long ago;
Combat in prayer; let grace abound;
And, by the Spirit's power, gain ground
From our insidious foe.

Caleb, whom God had caused to live,
Called for the place they were to give
Despite the Anakim;
The Lord provides a heavenly place
Now, through the Spirit's power, and grace,
For those who trust in Him.

At Caleb's challenge Othniel took
Debir, the city of the book,
And Achsah was his prize;
Now vigorously overthrow
Man's wisdom - and God's love will show
Fresh blessings to your eyes.

When Caleb gave a southern land
He blessed, at Achsah's fresh demand,
Upper and lower springs;
In spiritual or moral thought
It's by the Spirit that we're brought
To life in holy things.

PROGRESS XIII

Joshua has assumed the lead;
Victuals are cooked on which to feed;
The ark fills Israel's view;
Christ formed in you may be your guide;
Christ is the food God will provide;
Christ is the Way for you.

Although the Jordan overflows
The priest-borne ark serenely goes
Into the watercourse;
The One who is the Prince of life
Has boldly entered into strife
Against death's awesome force.

O Jordan, why do you retreat
The moment that these priestly feet
Rest in your water's flow?
O death, why do you taste defeat?
The work of Christ is so complete
It quells our ancient foe.

Now as the Israelites embark
As following Jehovah's ark
The river's bed is dry;
With Christ our Saviour we have died:
Baptised, we are identified
With One who came to die.

As Israel stands on Canaan's shore
'The Jordan flows on as before
With undiminished tide';
Now we enjoy our heavenly tryst
As 'buried we, and raised with Christ
Stand on the other side'.