Deep Secrets

 I've been reading The Passion Translation of the Bible lately, and it draws out the sense that God intends for us to know Him deeply, immediately, and intimately.  When a Bible study that I participate in came to 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, I was touched and began scribbling down this song.

Things beyond our ability to imagine—

These are the many things God has in store 

For all his lovers.

But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit.

Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries

Through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things.

—1 Corinthians 2:9-10 

Deep Secrets

Deep secrets, mysteries unbounded

Lord, take me deeper, over my head.

Love all around me, more than I can fathom.

How can I know things that cannot be known?

You give your Spirit

Over and around us

Give us the mind of Christ.

How can a bucket ever hold the ocean?

Still, help me know more of the mystery of grace.

Deep secrets, mysteries unbounded.

Lord, take me deeper, over my head.

Love all around me, more than I can fathom

How can I know things that cannot be known?

O Lord take me deeper than I've ever known.

Deep secrets, mysteries unbounded.

Lord, take us deeper, over our heads.

Love all around us more than we can fathom

How can we know things that cannot be known?

O Lord take us deeper than we've ever known.

Kingdom Call

This is a song I wrote quite some time ago, but it has recently floated up to the top of my awareness. 

I'm not entirely sure what it means to pray "Thy Kingdom come..."  It is surely more than this, but maybe not less.

Lord we want to know You better 

Long to see You face to face 

Let Your presence overwhelm us 

Help us understand Your grace 

     

        We are praying for Your kingdom 

         That Your will be done on earth 

         Let the kingdom call within us Come to birth. 

 Father, bring a revelation 

So our hearts and minds can see 

Who You are and what You've promised 

Come and set Your people free 

        We are praying for Your kingdom 

        That Your will be done on earth

        Let the kingdom call within us 

        Come to birth.

I'm not entirely sure what it means to pray "Thy Kingdom come..."  It is surely more than this, but maybe not less.

Having the Mind of Christ

I've been thinking about the passage in Philippians (Philippians 2:5-10) that talks about having the mind which was also in Christ.  I guess I don't have a very accurate word for word memory of Scripture, because I was remembering this passage as starting, "Each one of you should have this mind which was also in Christ..."  That's not accurate, but the chorus I started with stuck with me, and I like it.  What does it mean to have the mind of Christ, the way Paul talks about it?  As I wrestled with it, this is what I came up with.

Each one of us, each and every one of us

Should have this mind which was also in Christ 

Each one of us, each and every one of us

Should have the mind of Christ

He did not claim his rights, he left God's throne in heaven

He did not come to rule, he came to be a servant.

Although it cost his life, he did as God directed.

So every knee shall bow, in earth and up in heaven.

Where Can I Go

In Psalm 139:7-14,  David is feeling a bit trapped by the omnipresence of God.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

    Where can I flee from your presence?

8 

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

    if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 

even there your hand will guide me,

    your right hand will hold me fast.

11 

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

    and the light become night around me,”

12 

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

    the night will shine like the day,

    for darkness is as light to you.

I recently did a prayer dance in Tucson, Arizona.  For about four days, we danced towards a tree that represented God and then turned around and danced blessing out to the world.  One of the insights that nearly overwhelmed me during the dance was the thought that while the branches of the actual tree I was dancing with only covered about half of the space in the dance area, in reality I am never out from under the presence of God.  From that and from David's psalm came this song.

    Where Could I Go?

Where could I go and not find Your presence?

To the top of the mountains or under the sea?

Over the ocean or down in my cellar

Your presence is there and you still find me.

If I went out to space, well what would I find?

You're the God of the universe, not just mankind.

If I peer through a microscope isn't it odd?

A world that is tiny, and filled with the glory of God

In the eyes of a stranger or voice of a friend

Your love reaches out to me, love without end.

Every person around me, familiar or strange

Is a picture of God, and I welcome the insight it brings.

Of course there are times when I don't feel Your care.

When I look all around and see dust and despair

But my numbness of spirit or hardness of heart.

Have nothing to do with the fact that You're there.

A God Who Cares About Sparrows

I am a Princeton graduate, and I have spent my life (mostly) doing things that are not particularly important in the eyes of the world.  I've tried to do those things well, raising (with my husband) our three children, teaching Sunday school, writing and organizing Vacation Bible Schools, being a good friend and neighbor to the extent that I can.  I've worked some as a teacher at various levels and as a secretary.  I write poems that (mostly) nobody reads, and songs that (most of the time) nobody hears.  It is not that I believe these things don't matter, but to the extent that they do matter, they matter to God and in the context of God's kingdom, not to this current world system.  And so I wrote this song.

Sparrows

In this world, I am not important

I teach Sunday school, and helped to raise my family.

I doubt I'll ever stand before thousands,

But let me say, "That's all right with me."

       Because I know a God who cares about sparrows

        He clothes the flowers, and he calmed the seas.

        He holds everything together.

        He knows my name and he cares about me.

Now in this world you may be rich and famous

Or hanging on by your fingernails.

Jesus said that we don't have to worry

And he's the one who puts the wind into our sails.

    Because there is a God who cares about sparrows

    He clothes the flowers, and he calmed the seas.   

    He holds everything together.

    He knows your name and watches over you and me.

 I guess the idea of asking God to show us our "next right steps" is a 12-step catch phrase.  I'm not a 12-step participant myself, but I hang with such folks a fair amount of the time, which I guess is where I picked up the phrase.  I found the chorus echoing in my heart for a bunch of weeks, and then the verses came together pretty suddenly.

I'm not a hundred percent sure I believe that we don't get long term visions that "last through the years".  But I am sure that knowing the next right steps, and walking in them is one of the more important things that God can help us to see.

                            Next Right Steps

                                                        Next right steps, next right steps

                                                        Father won't you show us our next right steps.

                                                        Next right steps, next right steps

                                                        Father won't you show us our next right steps.

                                            Well, I seem to want a vision that would last through the years

                                            To fill me up with confidence and calm all my fears

                                            But I'm slowly learning you don't work that way

                                            You give strength for the journey

                                            And bread for today

                                                        Next right steps...

                                            Now if we want a vision that will carry us through

                                            We don't need to know the what or how we just need who

                                            We need to know the Spirit who can show us the way

                                            And to trust that Jesus loves us at the end of the day

                                                   

                                                        Next right steps...

The Well

 I wrote this about 22 years ago, but I found it recently in my papers, and I think it is still relevant.

The Well

An imaginary conversation with God

Oh, God.  How kind of you to come.  I want to show you my prayer life.  Please come and look.  Isn’t it pretty?

What is THAT?

It’s a wishing well.  Look.  See how nicely I made it. It has a roof, and a bucket, and the walls are neatly cemented.  There’s even a dipper for people who want to take a drink.

What’s it for?

For wishing, of course.  When I want something, I take a coin, and make a wish, and throw it in. Other people can wish for things too.  Not everyone has a wishing well as nice as this one.  I’ve worked very hard to make it nice.  Everyone can see how nice my wishing well is. And look, I use really good coins. There’s fasting, and worship, and good deeds, and tithing. See how they sparkle and glitter? Everyone can see what a good wishing well I have.

And does this wishing change anything?

It makes me feel like I’ve done something. That’s what prayer is all about isn’t it?  Everyone knows prayer is a good  thing.  And sometimes good things happen, after I’ve wished forthem.

Yes, sometimes good things happen.

I know the wishing part may not work too well.  But this is still a wonderful well. Look at the water, here for anyone to drink.

I see.  It doesn’t look very deep.

Well, no.

Or very fresh.

No. But it’s better than nothing, you know.

Maybe. Where does the water come from?

Oh, well, now. Here and there. Sometimes I get some from someone else’s wishing well.  Sometimes it rains.  Of course, the new roof keeps out most of the rainwater. But the roof is pretty, don’t you think? It helps me keep everything under control.  Only the water that I put in goes into this well.

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

O God.  Umm, this doesn’t look very much like that, does it?

[silence]

God, what do You want me to do?

I want to dig a well. A real one.

Aaah…Just where did you say this well was going to be?

You heard.

God?….A real well is going to mean an awful lot of work.

I’ll do the work.  But you’re going to be with me.

There’s going to be an awful lot of mud and stones. Plaes where it’s hard to dig. I’m not sure what we’ll find under the surface.  I’m a little scared of what we’lll find under the surface.

Don’t worry. I already know everything that we’re going to run into. I’m a master well-digger. Trust me.

God? It could get dark being at the bottom of a real well. And scary.  And lonely.

“I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you.” I’ll be there.

Yeah, but nobody else will be.

Does that really matter?

No.  No.  No.

O God, forgive me for thinking that my fancy wishing well was prayer.  Come, dig a well in my heart. Let me go to the depths of my being with You, so that out of my heart can flow streams of your living water. Come Holy Spirit. Have Your way in my life and in my heart.