If it hadn't been for God

I'm part of an amazing Bible study with a great group of women whose hearts are devoted to following God. We were studying Psalm 124 and as I was praying through the psalm this is what came: 

  If it hadn't been for God 

      If it hadn't been for God 

     If it hadn't been for God

     If it hadn't been for God 

            What would have happened?

If it hadn't been for God 

What would we do? 

 He delivered us 

He has set us free. 

When the enemy set traps 

He gave us all the key 

He sets us free. 

When the floods of life 

start to sweep us away 

He gives shelter from the storm 

Strength to come through the day. 

He sets us free. 

  If it hadn't been for God 

If it hadn't been for God 

If it hadn't been for God 

 What would have happened? 

If it hadn't been for God 

What would we do? 

 When the enemy sweeps in 

With a raging tide of sin 

You have hidden us within 

And they couldn't find us. 

You set us free 

You are God who made the heavens 

You are God who made the earth 

You are the one who wins our battles 

You bring your plans for us to birth 

You set us free. 

  If it hadn't been for God 

If it hadn't been for God 

If it hadn't been for God 

 What would have happened? 

If it hadn't been for God 

What would we do?

A Prayer from Hebrews 1

Over 20 years ago, I took a very vigorous Bible study course that required about an hour a day of homework, studying the book of Hebrews.  And at the end of the the homework for chapter 1, they asked us to ask the Lord for a song or prayer that would sum up the things that God had shown us.

This is what came.  In some ways, the fact that it rhymes and scans in a rather trite pattern dismayed me.  Am I just writing rhyming doggerel?  I do not claim that this is great literature.  But it still satisfies me at some deep level, so I share it here.

A Prayer from Hebrews 1

Father,

You have spoken to us through the prophets

In portions, a bit at a time--

And the word that you spoke overwhelms me,

Your law is so awesome and fine.

You spoke to the people through angels,

Great creatures of wind and of fire.

People shook at the visions in terror,

Such fear did their speaking inspire.

And now you have spoken in Jesus,

Not a shadow, but the brilliance of Your light.

The Word that created the planets

is spoken to us in the night.

The Word that holds all things together,

Came down to destroy all our sins.

When the world is changed like old clothing,

The Word that is Jesus will stand.

A better will never be spoken,

Through Him you have reached out Your hand.

The ears that I hear with are shallow,

The eyes I can see with are dim.

Father, speak Jesus into my being,

'Til my life is completed in Him.

Informed Consent

I wrote this close to 20 years ago, but I still feel this way, and need to remind myself of this from time to time.  And because this may not be crystal clear, let me say that the shape of this poem is deliberately a little bit like an exclamation point.

Informed Consent

Yes, Lord, yes!

Yes, I know there are times it will hurt.

Yes, I know there are times it will be scary.

Yes, I know You will lead me down roads

I would never have chosen for myself.

But now, I choose them freely and fully--

Any road that You will walk with me,

That You would choose for me.

And I know You will not hurt me

Any more than you have to.

And I know that I am save

Here in Your arms.

Yes, Lord, yes!

Yes, Lord yes!

I give my full permission--

To last through days and hours

When my flesh may scream, "NO!"

Do whatever You have to do.

Come in power, Lord.

Yes!

Rags

Another old poem, but one that still rings true to me.

Rags

God, I stand before you

Dressed in the tattered rags 

Of my own attempts to get it right,

And you hold out to me

The shining robes of Jesus' righteousness.

No question which is better,

But will I make the change?

Or will I choose to cling to what is mine?

The Veil

One I wrote a bunch of years ago, that still feels real to me.

The Veil

Hey!  Jesus did it!

The veil has been torn in two

The way is open now--

You can go straight into the Father's presence

Isn't this the news my heart has been longing to hear?

No more barriers

No more walls between me and the Father.

Uh, wow!

You mean, I can go now.  Right now.

Really got to Him.  Stand in His presence.

Just the way I am.

Oh, gee.

Um.

Really.

Now?

Are you sure?

God, the God of the Universe?

He wants to see me?

My presence is requested?

In the throne room?

But, um, what about the dishes?

And that crossword puzzle I'v been meaning to get to?

And? And?

Now?

Father, help me.

Help me do it

Help me draw near with confidence.

Not lightly, but not afraid.

Not making excuses and hanging back.

Sincerely trusting in the work that Jesus finished

Sprinkled with the Blood, Washed with the Father,

Walking the Living Way that Jesus opened and that He is

Let me draw near to the throne of grace

And find there mercy, and

Grace to help

In time of need

I need you, Lord.

I need you.

Amen.

In these last days...

I had just joined a new church, after some traumatic times at the old church.  A Bible study was being offered on Hebrews, and I signed up to do the most rigorous Bible study I had undertaken for years, on a book which I had previously considered very dry and boring.  And I discovered, as I have learned again and again, that there is life to be found in all parts of the Bible if you look at them seriously and prayerfully.   

In these last days, God has spoken to us in His Son

A meditation on Hebrews 1:2-3

Jesus, You are appointed heir of all things

You're the one the Father chose to have it all.

Keep me from grabbing, clutching things to myself.

In You, I have it all.

Apart from You, there's nothing left to own.

Jesus, through You, the Father made the world,

The ages past, the present,

And all the future there will ever be

Were spoken into being through You,

And You made me.

You knew me and planned me, held me in your heart,

Before the beginning.

Jesus, You are the radiance of the Father's glory,

The light that shines forth from the blazing sun.

Help me be a true mirror,

With veils and masks stripped away,

So that I can catch your light

And shine it truly into the darkness I see.

Jesus, You are the perfect engraving

Of the Father's underlying essence,

The exact representation of His being.

I am like a coin that's blurred and fuzzy

I long to be new-minted.

Melt me in the fire of your love

And stamp your image plainly on my heart.

Jesus, You uphold all things by the word of your power,

By the spoken word that creates and brings forth life

Hold me up, Lord.

Hold me together

And speak Your powerful word into my life.

Jesus, you made purification of sins,

Cleansed, purged, made it right

The work was finished, final, and complete.

Complete it in my heart, O Lord,

Bring your cleansing, purify my inmost being.

Jesus, You sat down

On the right hand of the Majesty of the Father

Your work was finished, You entered into your rest.

Bring me too, into that Sabbath rest,

That having run the race, I may sit at your feet,

And worship You forever.

Amen.

Truth

Someone just handed me a collection of poems that I gave to friends and family in Christmas of 1998.  Some of them are ones I had lost track of, but that I find are still meaningful to me, and perhaps they will be to others as well.

This one I may have originally written as a birthday card for someone, but I found that I liked it well enough to hang onto.

Truth

When the Great Creator

thought of snails, and butterflies,

and sparkling fish scales 

in the bottom of deep blue pools,

You also were thought of

And known

No mistakes were made in your making

Inside and out,

Backwards and forwards,

You are known and loved by God.