“Forgiven”

I stood before the judge
In court, my head hung low
I was burdened down with debt
That in a hundred lifetimes
I could not ever repay

I had lived large
And up until then
Indulged my every desire
The judge would throw the book at me
And deep down I knew
That I deserved it

Just then, a stranger walked in
And interrupted the proceedings
He said something to the judge
And my handcuffs were removed
I blinked in wonderment
As the judge pronounced
That my debt had been paid in full
And I was free to go

My burden was gone! I was free!
The stranger had just paid off my debt
But why, why? I wondered
Why would he do this
For someone like me?
He surely couldn’t know
How unreliable I was
What a deceitful heart I had
If only he knew
The things that I had done
And not done
How many people I’d let down
I was so unworthy

Just then our eyes met
And without a word being said
I knew that he knew
He saw right through me
And he saw it all
He saw my wretchedness
And he knew my heart
Then he reached out his hand to me
As if to say, “Follow me”

His gaze was strong and sure
His hand was steady
He was like a rock
And despite the wretch that he saw before him
He said that I could follow

I felt His warmth
His love, His truth
The only truth that I ever wanted to know
And my heart, filled with awe and joy
My debt forgiven
My tired feet unshackled
I followed Him
And will follow forever

“Time / Be Ready”

I thank Him for His grace
For His gift to us, to me
Of time
Years’ worth of time to
Understand and accept
That I had to surrender all to Him:

My whole life
My whole heart
My whole being

All of it, every bit of it
Holding back nothing
Not my possessions
Not even my life

It took a long time but by His grace,
I accepted, I surrendered
I made it
Just in the nick of time
I’m thankful for His goodness, His mercy
And oh, His patience!
And now that I’ve surrendered all to Him
I understand the true value of the gift
Time is so very precious
And now so very short
One day soon and very soon
There will be no more
No more time to prepare, to ponder,
To run out and buy
That midnight lamp oil…
The Door will be shut

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our Bridegroom is on His way
He’s coming for a Bride
Who’s ready to leave with Him
At once
Be awake, Bride
Be ready, be dressed!
In our bridal gown, washed clean and spotless
In His blood

2Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Matthew 25 – The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

How to Prepare For Hostility

How to Prepare For Hostility.

How will the church of Jesus Christ respond when so many of those around us tell us that what we believe is repugnant? What will we do when we are the moral minority? – Read Pastor Kevin DeYoung’s blog (follow link above)

“The Proposal”

The woman gazed across the table at her dinner companion
and considered what he’d just said

She guessed it was a proposal
A hypothetical, unromantic
Marriage proposal
And… but
Something about
A Way of Life
Not the same old beliefs
Or same old ways of worship
That their mothers and fathers had taught them
He was a forward-thinking man.

He said he’d admired this Way of Life long enough
It was time, he insisted
Would she join him in this?
Build their lives together around this?
And besides, they got on so well
And he could do so much for her
He had to know.

The woman’s heart sank
She knew that he knew
That she cared for him
She was dismayed
At this pseudo proposal
And the terms of engagement.

It seemed that many times in the past
He had judged and misjudged her
He’d mistaken her belief in a Savior named Jesus
For backwardness
And her steadfastness in Him
For narrow-mindedness
And her Joy in the Lord
For naiveté

Even so ~

Despite his mistaking
Her easygoing manner for weakness
She was stronger than she appeared
More rooted and grounded than she appeared.
Despite her modest means, she knew
She was rich beyond counting!
Her real treasure was stored up ahead
She knew the Name of God
And she would serve only Him

And besides ~

She would never agree
To be one of many brides
Despite his assurance
That this wouldn’t happen between them
And she would always seek
Uncowed by anyone
The sun’s warmth on her uncovered face
Why on earth would she agree
To anything less?
She already was on
The winning side
And leaving His side
Was out of the question
Her one true Provider
Would always be there
And would always provide

She smiled a sad smile all the same
As she gathered up her things to leave
She tenderly squeezed his hand
As she gave him her answer
And she wished this forward-thinking man
Eyes to See
Then she walked out the door
Into the cool spring evening
Without a backward glance

“Gold and Eye Salve”

The Wretch had long ago lost his way
His eyes were practically
Crusted shut
They didn’t allow him to see
His own wretchedness
His nakedness or
His poverty

His understanding
Was deeply muddled
And so he wore these infirmities and shortcomings
Proudly
And loudly
Like a Crown

One day, on the road to
Nowhere
He came upon a Man
Selling Gold and Eye Salve.
“You would do well,
Said the Man
“To buy from Me
This refined Gold
And this Eye Salve”

The Wretch considered the Offer.
Could this refined Gold
That the Man was selling
Be better than his tin crown
Or would it weigh too heavily
And be an encumbrance?

While the Wretch pondered
The Man added,
“I’ll come knock at your door,
“And if you hear My voice and answer Me,
I’ll come in and sup with you
And you with Me”

The Wretch didn’t answer
He looked down at the ground
And he hemmed and hawed
His crusted eyes
And muddled head
Not really sure they wanted to see
Or know

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed , and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see . 19 As many as I love , I rebuke and chasten : be zealous therefore, and repent . 20 Behold , I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:18-20

“Navigator”

The cold rain picks up and
Chills to the bone
It’s almost
Full dark.
I walk on
Into the troubled night ahead.
I place one foot
In front of the other,
Focused on keeping on
The Narrow Way
As my feet dance around
Slippery obstacles.
My eyes sting and
The air is thick
With the rot of decay and
Sin
Laced with
The sweet, heady scent of
Seduction and
Longing.
Neon signs glare,
Side roads scream,
“This way!”
To Nirvana!
Enlightenment!!
Truth!!!
I sense… I know
They all lead to
Ultimate Destruction.
I close my eyes.
I calm my heart.
I call on He who is the Way
The Truth, the
Life,
To show the Way
To guide my feet,
Not by sight but by faith.

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter ye in the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith not by sight

“The Jester and the Old Woman”

A jester said, perhaps in jest
Old fool, why can’t you see?
Our lord and savior’s
Come at last
Open your eyes and see
He’s come to equalize the land
Transform and change the order
Enrich the poor
And heal the sick
And make us laugh again

What’s wrong with you
Hard-headed woman?
You won’t accept his gifts
You won’t acknowledge
His eminence
His kingdom come
His will be done
His smile’s a million kilowatts
A golden halo’s on his head
And best of all
He lets us do and lets us be
What’s right in our own eyes

Why won’t you bend the knee to him?
You blind and stupid woman,
Who do you think you are?
What are you waiting for?
The King of Kings and
Lord of Lords,
You say He’s coming back?
The Jester cursed and laughed at her
And this is what he said,

Where is the promise of His coming?
We’re famished now, we thirst today!
The world goes on from day to day
And we can’t wait forever
We gladly give our birthright
To the “one”, the people’s savior
Created in our image
He feeds us what we want today

***

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. ~ Matthew 24:4

“Giving honor to God, and to our lord and savior, Barack Hussein Obama” ~ Jamie Foxx, comedian, at the Soul Train 2012 Awards… and the crowd cheered

Esau – trading his birthright for a mess of pottage ~ Genesis 25:29-34

“Waiting”

Dark morning dawns and
The Crescent Moon Rising
Arrives at the station
Resplendent
At its appointed time and place

On the platform
An old woman stands with
Multitudes
Waiting expectantly
Their hour has come

There’s nowhere to run and
Nowhere left to hide, it’s
Board this train or perish and
Each soul must now decide

The woman prays for courage
Afraid, can she resist
The urgent call of “All ah-boaarrrrdd!!!”
Somehow she must persist

She knows another train is coming
The Bright and Morning Star
She prays it doesn’t tarry now
She prays it isn’t far

The cold wind’s blowing hard and
The hour’s getting late
There’s apprehension all around
Grave danger at the boarding gate

She checks her lamp oil
One more time, her
Ticket to Redemption
She looks up to the hills in hope
She shuts her eyes and waits

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28)

”Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:11)

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24: 4-5)