PROGRESS IV

Remember as you have to fight
The treacherous Amalekite
Moses' uplifted hands;
Though flesh is struggling to deter
Your soul's advance, remember where
Your Intercessor stands!

Not only was a better sphere
In mind - but that you should be near
Through all the LORD has wrought;
Not only did the Lord give grace
To bring you to a better place -
It's to Himself you're brought.

Israel, that, in holiness
To Him, you brave the wilderness
God gladly will record;
Christian, espoused, a virgin chaste
That you have followed in this waste
Is pleasing to the Lord.

Despite the terrors that you saw
When challenged if you'd keep the law
You readily concurred;
Enamoured by the truth of how
Christ died you gladly made a vow
That you would keep His word.

But Israel, through bitter days
You will discover all God's ways
Beyond you to fulfil;
Young Christian, in God's ways you must
Find there is nothing you can trust
In self to do God's will.

But as you bow to God in awe
Learn that the focus of the law
Concerns the Hebrew slave;
Consider love's avowed intent
Which bound Christ Jesus till He went
To cross and death and grave!

In lands of plenty or of dearth
Ensure an altar made of earth
Is raised for sacrifice;
Be diligent in all your days
That God is served as both your praise
And supplications rise.

And if your altar is of stone
Ensure it's formed from that alone
Unmarred by human skill;
One overcame death and reproach -
Through Him you must have your approach
Apart from human will.

PROGRESS III

But, moving in the wilderness,
You find the water bitterness
Until God shows you wood;
How bitter to your unchanged taste
To find your passage through this waste
Till Christ is understood.

Knowing the God whose healing balms
Move now to Elim's seventy palms
And plenitude of springs;
Knowing the Lord heals sin's complaints
Enjoy, among His fruitful saints,
The life His Spirit brings.

To meet your need He will supply
A food descending from on high
To help you as you move;
Christ's graces in humility
Will give you growth and energy
As you must daily prove.

It tastes like coriander seed
And honey-cakes, yet worms will breed
Unless you eat it fresh;
Dwell upon Jesus and His way
On earth - and do it every day
Or you allow the flesh.

If you are suffering from thirst
See the abundant waters burst
Forth from the smitten rock;
Because Christ bore the stoke for you
Life in the Spirit comes to view
Which flesh can never block.

PROGRESS II

When from the land of toil and woe,
Under God's hand you safely go
When Moses speaks - take heed!
Trusting in something greater than
The sin and wilfulness of man
Follow where Christ shall lead.

You shall not leave the place by stealth
But clearly laden with great wealth
Egyptians give to you;
Young Christian, onward, leave this place
Unburdened, and enriched by grace
For all that will ensue.

Though Egypt's troops are swift and proud
Because your shelter is the cloud
They cannot snatch you back;
The world may claim you as its own
But He through whom God's grace is known
Will guard you from attack.

See Moses lifting up his rod
And, through the providence of God,
The Red Sea's bed is dry!
See, Jesus in His victory
Has made, despite our enemy,
The way by which to fly.

Sing to Jehovah now, since He
Threw horse and rider in the sea
And vanquished all your foes;
Oh praise the Saviour who has wrought
A work to save, though you were caught
By sin's constraining woes.

Sing - He who gave you liberty
Will bring you to His sanctuary
Upon His holy hill;
Sing - He who saved you by His grace
Will bring you to His holy place
According to God's will.

PROGRESS I

This is a work in verse in 100 stanzas. Since that is a bit indigestible I will split it over the next week or so. It gives two histories, the first three lines of each stanza being from Israel's history, and the next three lines from the history of a soul, drawing upon that. Its like two stories that rhyme with each other. I had in mind the way in which some psalms and other biblical poems have a parallel between halves of verses:
I will bless Jehovah at all time;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.


O Israel, as you groan and cower
Beneath the lash of Egypt's power
The LORD has heard your cry;
O sinner, in the thrall of sin
Through deeds without and guilt within
The Lord has heard your sigh.

Jehovah, who has heard your pleas
Now urges you that you should seize
And take yourself a lamb;
The Lamb of God who heard you plead,
Comes - grasp the Man who knows your need,
In person the I AM.

Upon your doorpost you must smear
The blood to shield you as you fear
Jehovah's judgement-sword;
To save you from God's wrath you must
Have precious blood in which to trust,
The blood of Christ the Lord.

God sees the blood and passes on -
But in your dwellings feed upon
The lamb that's roast with fire;
The Lamb whose blood has met your need
Is now the One on whom to feed
To nurture and inspire.

And eat it with unleavened bread
And bitter herbs, as Moses said
Under the LORD's command.
Before the Lord with contrite heart
And with a longing to depart
From evil, called one, stand.

Shod for the journey take your way
From Egypt's bondage in array,
In order, yet with haste;
Go with a purpose that is new
Through faith, for what was life to you
Will now become a waste.

13/01/05

Although Winter grips
Green sprouts between his fingers -
Snowdrops are coming!

I'm afraid I've got out of kilter with the seasons.

12/01/05

As the wind gallops
I am glad of the stout home
God gave to swathe me.

11/01/05

When all else has failed -
When we have failed - the Lord will
Act for us Himself.

10/01/05

We stand by a grave
In the full consciousness of
A resurrection.