PAUL

As Paul look back upon the way
In which God smashed his carapace
Of human virtue he could see
That all had been achieved through grace.


As he looked forward to his end
With sufferings he would have to face
He was assured he could depend
On the sufficiency of grace.


And as he knelt within his cell
And found Christ's presence filled the place,
Already knowing all was well,
He gloried in abundant grace.


So his last blessing to the saints
When writing truths that were sublime
Or help against the world's constraints
Was”grace be with you” every time.

A NEW SONG

As He walked a perfect pathway 
Where sin's power was manifest,
And expressed God's grace and mercy
So that heaven could attest
That the Father was delighted
And the Spirit was at rest
There was nothing out of keeping
With the holiness of God.
 
As He walked the paths of sorrow,
Thwarting Satan's power to tempt
From the will of God His Father
And what malice could attempt
Through betrayal, and denial,
And injustice, and contempt,
There was nothing out of keeping
With the holiness of God.
 
But when John was elevated
To the mountain to behold
The celestial culmination
Of God's workmanship unfold
In the Lamb's wife - that great city
That is formed of purest gold:
There was nothing out of keeping
With the holiness of God.

The chorus of this I have "borrowed" from a book read recently. 

THE END

And then the end; when even death is quenched,

The great bereaver ultimately bereft,

All enmity, perpetually dispelled

And God has rendered Him His recompense

As under Him all things are subjected;

Thus we will see this final excellence

When He gives up to God the kingdom then

And He, the Son, is subjected Himself:

So in the sight of all the universe

God’s ultimate will grandly be expressed -

In Him God’s purpose finds its eternal rest:

God all in all, supreme and immanent.

This concludes the 120 parts of "Touching the King" which I have have been posting since the beginning of this year. As I wrote when I first finished writing it, several years ago, 

"What came with prayer, comes to you with prayer, to join with your prayer".

Grace be with you all, and thank you for the encouraging remarks.

LORD JESUS, COME

Lord Jesus, come, appear in majesty

And demonstrate Thy power where Thou wast slain.

Where once Thy shame was seen at Calvary

Now let Thy splendour be lavishly displayed.

Let Thy renown be ardently acclaimed

Upon the earth where men despised Thy Name.

Like the ascendant sun dispense Thy rays,

Glory of love and dignity of grace;

Like the transcendent sea, wave upon wave,

Unfold Thy power that all may be amazed:

Lord Jesus, come; assert Thy royalty;

Assume Thy throne; for a millennium, reign!

LORD JESUS, COME

Lord Jesus, come, amid Thy holy myriads

Bringing Thy sunshine where everything is wintry,

Bringing Thy sweetness where everything is bitter.

Blessing will flow without an intermission

And all the earth will flourish in Thy kingdom:

Gone will be pain, disease, distress and sickness;

None will be hungry, dissatisfied or thirsty

While bliss will penetrate each ecosystem

And agriculture will pullulate with richness

Even upon the highest of the hilltops.

What metamorphoses mankind will witness

When Thou art come to actuate God’s vision!

LORD JESUS, COME

Lord Jesus, come, and take Thy faithful wife

To be with Thee as Thy resplendent bride:

She is secured at an amazing price

And cherished by the vigour of love’s might

Through and despite the ravages of time.

None but Thy church can be for Thee Thy like

Nor can approach so close to the divine.

What lasting joy her presence will incite

As close to Thee where nothing can divide

And she will have Thee as her paradise;

Take to Thyself this finest paradigm

Of all Thy love acquired for its delight!

LORD JESUS, COME

Lord Jesus, come, Thy saints are waiting for Thee,

Their love ensuring a deep and growing longing:

Thou art the One whose precious blood has bought us;

Thou art the One through whom we have adoption;

Thou art the One by whom our hearts are conquered.

Thy loveliness retains us in our orbit

About Thyself the Bright Star of the Morning

Whom now we see as eminently lordly,

And justifying each title we might posit.

We long to see Thy face since Thou hast drawn us;

We long to hear Thy voice of rapture calling;

We long to praise where Thou hast been exalted.

Away for a few days to Buckie - which will probably include a needed break from computers!

If the Lord will - and He has not come to take us!

LORD JESUS, COME

Lord Jesus, come, and take us from this scene

Where we are touched by maladies which pierce;

None but Thyself can finally relieve

From every ill by which we are bereaved,

From every woe by which we are made weak,

From every sin by which we know defeat;

Only by Thee in whom we are redeemed

Can we obtain our ultimate release;

Only by Thee and what Thou hast achieved

Can we acquire an everlasting peace;

Lord Jesus, come and save us, we entreat,

From sin and death and pain and loss and grief.