A Basket of Fragments

A Basket of Fragments helpful Gospel writings/poems Offered by Doug Blair, Waterloo ON, 2020 life through Jesus; not lessons. image by James Tissot

Attending the Highest Thoughts Fixed on Delightful Mercy

Spirit Saga  What is she thinking?

Dear old woman In her one hat Comes here most Sundays Sits smiling Engaging seldom But attentive to Every development.

Here since widowhood.

Initially on her knees Lips going without sound This day’s Hannah If you will.

What climbing struggles What nagging questions What challenges in health What perseverance What anticipations of Glory?

Few know her name.

Most delighted that she arrives And presses in.

The Child In My Lap

You calculate and argue You stir up many doubts But you had best be careful No little child left out You think your way the better But see this Lad so small In comfort near my heartbeat And trusting once for all.

The bottom line is my love The sense I’d never stop And see he listens carefully Such faith I never drop.

So just get small and humble And let me sort things out The simplest path to blessing And insights most devout.

(Painting by James Tissot)

Magnify Him

The singing a joy We do it a lot And folks rush To fill the pews Perish the thought Of mere entertainment A holy rite this To bring Him the pleasure An audible kiss.

The breath in our lungs Was first His to give He taught us dependence And right ways to live.

So time and thought now Are offered the Lord.

Much bigger His measure Much richer His Word.

Yet somehow it seems Love increases all The unity charity Blessings recalled.

His Watching

Do you sense His watching The sun delights the sheep The grass is sweet this morning And what a happy sleep The lambkins skip and frolic The old rehearse the past They know idyllic springtime It cannot last Cannot last.

The trek includes the stormy And sometimes even snows And hunger and limbs aching The journey’s progress slows.

But Shepherd still is watching He feels the beat of life And speaks only encouragement And brings to end all strife.

The wolf too knows His watching He hides at forest rim And sheep know full protection And scarcely fret at him.

Oh how they must remember When days are sun or chill The Shepherd gives His life here.

And so He always will.

Never Forgotten Pageantry

The boy heard the crowds And ran to the Core The City in pageant As often before The bleating of lambs The smoke of each gift The music the doves The Psalms that uplift.

But somehow a change As Rome pushed and shoved A prisoner in shackles (One many had loved) His crime gainst religion A King some had said

And rabbis and Romans Each wanted Him dead The main street confusion The jeering and tears Could this be the rescue Awaited for years?

The Man was all bloody But no anger showed He strove to the Hilltop With His heavy load A Cross meant for torture A fate meant for shame They posted His misdeeds They posted His name.

And laughed at the memory Of all He had said The rumours of healings And raising the dead.

And die He did tamely Like others before The Empire so brutal The crowd in uproar.

Our boy saw it all His tears flowed unchecked The Saviour discredited The vile disrespect‌ But three days concluded In Empty Tomb joy.

The King hugged His followers Including the boy.

Peter’s Question Lord where could we go?

The System slithers To overthrow every

Speck of right in us Of thought or word or deed.

Jesus it’s you we need.

All the talks and walks And moments filled With Light.

Your promise that all Turns out delight.

Your Father ours Your noble powers Taught and transferred To those of us who heard.

And oh to see the hurting smile The lonely wrapped In love a while.

And some strange victory Over death.

Let our next breath Be yours and God’s.

Jumble of Grace Simple Things

Lady at church Spoke of opportunity The other day.

Customer at work Became candidate for lunch Out together.

No logical lead into this.

A mutual friend just sort of Joined their hands and hearts.

And this other woman Has few connections Boldly contending with loneliness With Christmas With happy reunions Elsewhere.

Lady acquaintance at church Knew this was right Knew this was God. Surprised herself Blessing the fellow traveler.

All players win In this jumble of Grace.

Known by the Father Since before their worlds.

Good Will Toward Men We knew it would be awkward New neighbours six doors down Facing a bleak Christmas Lay-off at the factory No signs of improvement Our Dad alone had found A way to break the ice With the Father, Harry Mother kept inside We suspected an illness Four siblings played by themselves.

But that evening Dad was late from the store Crystal clear outside Snapping cold with Four inches of fresh snowfall About two days into our Break from school Dad burst in the back door Kicking off boots Up the stairs with red face aglow.

“He hugged me, the man hugged me And wept.

Saw him in his laneway, shoveling.

Knew I had to do it.

Went over with a good chunk Of money in my pocket.

Told him that I Would be honoured.

Really didn’t want the rest Of his family to know.

Just two of us In subdued light Snow falling magically Their little spaniel at my feet Happy to make a new friend.

Ruth, you know full well Been there a couple of times Ourselves.

I think you might get a chance Soon with the woman…name’s Corinne.”

Harry’s Lunch

The old man placed his order His wait in line was long And shaded specs Betrayed the fact His vision almost gone.

But smile he did As one young kid Just chattered on and on.

Each Thursday noon He took a cab And left his lonely room To join the crowd Alive and loud And tastes of life consume.

His cooking was the meagrest Five years the wife was gone.

But here the swirl And one young girl Gave strength to carry on.

She called him by his first name Her voice held honest care She knew on cue “his usual” She helped him to his chair.

She sounded much like “Anna” In courting days long gone And years and tears just vanished And “Harry” shuffled on.

Have I Seen?

Have I seen Around the corner Young mother in wheelchair Pushed by sensitive son Legs limp and thin After the accident?

Or at the store, Frail, neatly coiffed elder Holding purchases Mere inches from the eyes Hiding her blindness?

Or young man In the one good suit, Files underarm, Seeking again today That job of promise In the wake Of broken promises?

Or single mother In the parking lot, Trying to contain Three youngsters Who cry, compete And complain?

For so long they were invisible.

But then came A Great Pain, A faltering, A disruption In schedule And in connection.

An embarrassment A helplessness A slip from the ranks All in the mercies of Providence.

And I see them now, And I feel the pulse And reach out.

With Grace beyond myself.

He Visits ...and we our greatest friend

Makeover of a Man I had come From dreams of service To an urgent tool belt life With a baby son and daughter And a treasured godly wife.

And the legal briefs Forgotten In a rush of Newfound Christ And persuasion

Then to follow What the Book says Has no price.

Yes the Lord had Changed my mainspring Changed my message Glad rescue.

And to share The rich Evangel Seemed the choicest Thing to do.

But the nuts and bolts Of hard work And the mere wage Of a trade And the caring For a family Meant the stalling Of dreams made.

Ones for preaching And for teaching Set aside or So it seemed.

Though men listened In the brief break To my joyful Needful dream Of a kindly workman’s Travels and his tending To sin’s loss.

Of His bleeding For the broken And His victory Through the Cross.

Moment

Just one of those moments I seldom know when And you have my next breath You draw me again To thoughts of your goodness To reckon my debt To see you give gladly My sure Shepherd yet.

And all of the day’s stress And all still unsure Erased by your presence Arresting and pure.

Just how can you do this With saints the world round And make it so special To each heart faith found?

But you are the Lord God And once lived like us Enduring the worst test Your Cross bought our trust.

I’m rich in your presence Released from each pain Awaiting the moment You visit again.

Three AM and Raining

Wash me with your rains Jehovah Take the pain away All the doubts and second-guessing

Weights of yesterday How they gain an unearned stronghold Darkening the mind And their cousin, sad self-pity Him I’ll often find Robbing nights of Your refreshment Tossing to and fro’ Fearing what might come with sunrise Though You love me so.

Still the rains run down our drainpipe Freshening the street Others sleep and miss the moment Father’s touch so sweet.

Seems to say “I too am crying In the moment’s test.

Speak to Me, now what’s been hurting You may have My best.”

Settled now, return to sleeping Droplets bless the ground Thank you Lord, this special visit Turned my heart around.

Hillsong Just the two of us Lord On this green country plot Raised a little bit high o’er the rest.

And the breeze says you’re here

To decipher my thoughts.

Precious time that I treasure the best.

And the wildflowers wave And the larks soar on high And the cattle just low, “All is good.”

And the City’s rushed noise Is forgotten a while As I rest in your love, as I should.

This Man Receiveth Sinners

Luke 15 1.Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

2.And the Pharisees and scribes murmered saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

That's just it. The Lord has come to minister to those who have a real sense of their deficit. If they attempt to bluff and claim selfrighteousness, then He moves on. He says that the Physician has come to minister to the sick, and to those who will acknowledge that they are sick.

Consider how Jesus dealt with the woman who came to the well in mid-day heat as recorded in John 4. Presumably she chose that time to avoid numbers of other women. She had had many husbands and was the subject of much gossip. Presently she was living common-law. All this Jesus knew by the gift of knowledge. When he stated these facts to

her, there did not seem to be condemnation in his countenance or a roadblock to the interview. He was there to dispense "living water" regardless. He was there for her alone.

There is a famous painting of this incident showing the Lord seated by a small well-lid at the base of a flight of stairs. His head appears cocked to hear the sound of one approaching from above. It is this woman of shame. He is there for her. He knows that she is coming.

The woman is so impressed with his willingness to bless that she accepts what he is there to offer. She runs off to tell neighbours that she has found the "promised One". A revival ensues in the community.

Many come and listen to His teaching for themselves. He does receive sinners. They sense that he holds a certain optimism for their redemption.

If you can come to some quiet place, and lay yourself bare for His healing, and welcome Him to make His presence known, you will not be disappointed. You will find Him friendly, and more than a match for your sin. A new life awaits.

John 6: 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

(Painting by William Hole)

Kiss on the Cheek

The story is told of Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) walking a remote country lane and discovering a beggar sitting in the grass. The poor man said nothing but held up a beaten dish.

By reflex Francis reached into his robe for a small loaf of bread, smiled and placed the food in the dish. He continued on his way. About twenty-five yards farther he stopped knowing that something was not right.

Francis returned to the beggar, sat down beside him, gently kissed his cheek and said something to the effect of "God in Heaven loves you more than you could possibly imagine. He knows all about you."

They sat quietly for a moment, and then Francis continued on his journey. One more time he turned to give a parting wave of the hand.

He saw not the beggar, but rather Jesus standing, smiling, at the roadside at that exact spot. Francis had kissed the cheek of his Master!

Fact or fiction? Does it matter? The story is worth telling as a reminder of the fact that we will be surprised with opportunities. Jesus threw down His challenge in Matthew 25:35,36: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Keep your eyes open, ambassador of the King.

Light In the depths of London town Gutters, shambles, broken down Whiskey, gin spilled on the street Pockets picked by nimble feet Sally Anne with brassy joy Catches ear of girl and boy ‘Bout a child who had no home Pure with promise; made to roam Magic ‘neath a Star so bright Come to give the downcast light.

This the hope of Yuletide charm Entered Yahweh’s strong right arm Entered shepherd for the lost

Entered hope at matchless cost. …If you take a right turn here Cross the courtyard, damp and clear Pull the gate and climb the stair You will find an urchin there She with tones so clear and bright Sings a holy “Silent Night”.

Christ-Like Offered by Doug Blair of Waterloo ON, 2020

painting by James Tissot

Is it a thing of much study?

This walking the way our Lord trod Prepared for the moments of blessing

And hearing the whispers of God? I open the Book oh so often And cram the head tighter with facts And memorize portions of richness From Gospels and Psalter and Acts.

But oh how it slips to the background And oh how the stamina fails While Jesus seemed never to waver Or fail to hear beggarly wails.

His praying so often in secret Those nights when the others would sleep Now there’s where the energy came from And there’s the communion so deep.

The will of His Father familiar The heart of a Healer sublime.

It was not in facts or in formulas.

But just Triune Love every time.

And He prayed the doors would all open For us to soak richly in this Resulting in servants transfigured And thriving in Heavenly bliss.

Be Tenacious on January 03, 2010

Holding Christ Fast (from Memoirs and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne...compiled by Andrew Bonar)

It was a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. – SONG OF SOLOMON 3:4.

HAVE YOU found Him whom your soul loves? Have you this day seen His beauty, heard His voice, believed the record concerning Him, sat under His shadow, found fellowship with Him? Then hold Him, and do not let Him go.

I. Motives.

1. Because peace is to be found in Him.– Justified by faith, we have peace with God – not peace with ourselves, not peace with the world, with sin, with Satan, but peace with God. True divine peace is to be found only in believing, only in keeping fast hold of Christ. If you let Him go, you let go your righteousness; for this is His name. You are then without righteousness, without a covering from the wrath of God, without a way to the Father. The law will again condemn you; God’s frown will again overshadow you; you will again have terrors of conscience. Hold Him then, and do not let Him go.

Whatever you let go, let not Christ go; for He is our peace, not in knowledge, not in feeling, but trust in Him alone.

2. Holiness flows from Him.-No true holiness in this world, but it springs from Him. A living Christ is the spring of holiness to all His members. As long as we hold Him, and do not let Him go, our holiness is secure. He is engaged to keep us from falling. He loves us too well to let us fall under the reigning power of sin. His word is engaged: “I will put my Spirit within you.” His honor

would be tarnished if any that cleave to Him were suffered to live in sin. If you let Him go, you will fall into sin. You have no strength, no store of grace, no power to resist a thousand enemies, no promises. If Christ be for you, who can be against you? But if you let go His arms, where are you?

3. Hope of glory is in Him.– We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. If you have found Jesus this day, you have found a way into glory. A few steps more, you can say, and I shall be forever with the Lord. I shall be free from pain and sorrow, free from sin and weakness, free from enemies. As long as you hold Christ, you can see your way to the judgment seat. “Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, and receive me to thy glory.” This gives you such joy, such transporting desires after the heavenly world! But let Christ go, and this will be gone. Let Christ go, and how can you die? The grave is covered with clouds of threatening. Let Him go, and how can you go to the judgment-where can you appear?

Isaiah 64

on December 16, 2019

I am looking for the one A yielded one, you see Who stirs himself up night and day To take a hold of me.

The Temple now in disrepair The City marred with sin.

And none who flee iniquity.

The mud they wallow in.

And so I’ve hid my face a while That some might mourn and cry “Where gone our God We feel His rod We search a brazen sky.”

I do not bring Grace cheaply I break before I bless.

Right now I seek A Watchman meek Travailing o’er this mess.

And when I hear his yearnings A grieving climate comes To cause to weep Declension deep Throughout the streets and homes.

And this will be the purging And this will be the spark I will come down And sweep this Town And brighten what was dark.

One Sleepless Night JANUARY 10, 2020 / ISSUUDOTCOMSLASHDEWANE

One sleepless night Of anguished prayer, I triumphed over sin.

One battle in The Holy War God’s promised me to win.

Kirk had felt those words like a knife. The singles group had all been so excited anticipating this Keith Green concert. Several vans full of happy friends converging on the Fox Theatre from Port Huron. The big city had always been full of adventure, but also danger, fueled by an inconsistent auto economy and racial tension.

But on this night all was forgotten as several colours merged inside the glittering building with laughter and smiles. The corporate singing had been robust, and then the mop-haired prophet took the piano for a two and a half hour’s journey into the Spirit of Christ.

Kirk had always known Church. His Dad an elder and lay speaker at an Assembly of God fellowship. His Mom a member of the choir. The usual progression. Sunday School. Catechism.

First Communion. Water baptism. Member of the young usher’s group. He remembers often being dragged reluctantly to service when his body, stressed by studies and vigorous junior college football, had simply craved more sleep.

But now the artful psalmist up front was singing of a “sleepless night of anguished prayer”. “My fight is with the one who lost the keys of hell and death to God’s most precious Son.” Repentance obviously the issue. Kirk could not remember a day or a season when he had been agitated or grieved over sin. When the Cross had screamed out to him for allegiance and change.

Hadn’t he done all the right things? Spoken the right words?

Observed all the seasons? Followed suit with the rest? And now

the host preacher was saying something about folk coming forward, joining in prayer, doing real business with God‌ He found himself in the centre aisle with others. This seemed a moment of holy hush as numbers moved toward the front. It seemed to Kirk as if something inside were saying yes you know that this is right, needful, urged of God. Repentance but without any fear or awkwardness. Born again.

Working Session Number Two Taken from book Church on the Hoist (browse for this ebook by Doug Blair at issuu.com/dewane)

Midweek evening service at Crosspoints. Beth in her stark white cast walking delicately to a front pew. Smiles and welcomes all around. Numbers significantly up. Keith taking a wooden stack-achair to a point one-third of the way down the centre aisle.

"Welcome friends to a week of bubbling, new considerations, hope...that Jesus might be honoured. I hear that you enjoyed your visit with the young pastor from Calvary Temple. That your curiosity is stirred. That this pastor could get out of the way for you to make glorious discoveries on your own. I am thankful.

On the way out you should take a copy of the list of suggestions for change being circulated. Right by the back centre door. Harry has a bunch of them.

Perhaps you have heard that things are being stirred at Craig's church. I have met with Todd Bushnell, back from vacation, and the two of us are considering how the assemblies might operate together in this period of new light. Apparently many living rooms have been opened for discussion and prayer. Many Bibles have been taken off the shelf. Friends and workmates, perhaps

unacquainted with church, are now responding to the invitation to "come, see".

We are in a time of precious privilege. We will not manipulate it or hype it. We are stepping out of the way for movements of God. I am reminded of things which I have read concerning other revivals where pastors have left the pulpit, taken an obscure seat at the sidelines, prayed and let the people confess what God was doing.

Reports are coming in that right now, as we sit here together, marriages are being healed, parents and children are coming closer, bodies are being mended, abusive habits are being kicked, anxious inquirers are sitting down over coffee to hear the Good News. This is no exaggeration. We must respect this time and keep short accounts with God concerning our stumblings.

Right now if you have a word of good report, a striking piece of scripture, a prayer request, a comment on this move of refreshment in our midst, the microphone is yours. I believe that Beth, my wife-on-the-mend will start us off..."

Getting Down to the List on August 25, 2011

Keith had just gotten home from taking the kids out for hamburgs. It was agreed that they would stay three more days with Gramma. She was loving it and in no hurry to see them leave.

Tomorrow morning would be the final trip to the Hamilton hospital. Beth was coming home. For the last hour he had been cleaning up some of his "bachelor's mess". Now it was time for rest and reflection in the quiet house. Outside, the threatenings of an approaching thunderstorm. He was reminded of the rainy morning of Beth's accident.

He took out from his desk the new "Working File" compiled from parishioners' suggestions for change at the assembly. It contained a wide range of ideas, not all of which would need big time for launching. He reminded himself not to be in a hurry to mess with the good stuff already in operation.

A theme had been formulating over the past few days: "He must get the glory. Not us." He had sensed sadly that a number of projects in the past had had a regrettable "yeah for our team" spirit about them. It would no longer be what we were accomplishing "here at Crosspoints Community Church"; rather what was Jesus accomplishing?

He almost knew the list now by heart: 1. Consider once a month a single joint service unhurried by the pace or requirements of two Sunday morning services.

2. Consider once a month allowing most of the children to remain with their parents and to participate in all the worship.

3. Launch the discussion group for college students.

4. Designate once a month for a time of testimony from the floor with a "wandering mike". What has God done? How has a piece of scripture become a personal milestone?

5. Gather a group of a dozen or so volunteers to help on a rotating basis at the local Food Bank.

6. Gather a group of six or so volunteers to help the Chaplain at the Hospital with visitation. (Beth had heard a lot about this possibility at Hamilton.)

7. Resist the temptation for summer slow-down in almost all program areas. "Time at the cottage or in travel" should no longer be an excuse for catching the Army of God asleep or otherwise occupied.

8. Re-assign a portion of the Missions budget to general operations at the Downtown House of Friendship for men in transition.

9. Arrange personal visits with those who have submitted Visitors' Cards or other notification. Forget the complimentary gifts. They need to hear from people of faith. Not a hard-sell for membership, but simply an outreach in the spirit of Christ.

10. Sponsor a Christian writing event with different age categories in the winter. Give some of the participants program recognition and publish (modestly) a few of the outstanding pieces.

11. Celebrate Holy Communion more frequently.

12. Involve more parishioners in the reading of scripture from the front. This might even chop into sermon time.

13. Allow more of the members of good standing to deliver messages instead of the Pastor.

14. Conduct workshops on the gifts and operation of the Holy Spirit.

15. Sponsor "pray for one another" evenings at the Church; also "intercede for the Community" evenings or afternoons.

16. Endorse a periodic "Church of the Ages" gathering where members of the Seniors' Bible Study would meet with some of our Young Adults to exchange insights, questions and wonder. This could be a particular delight for the Seniors.

17. Discontinue the visiting Missions work crews and offer instead cash or full-time ambassadors or exchange students to our brothers and sisters abroad.

18. Re-introduce some of our old favoured Hymn Book selections back into the worship mix.

Keith had been surprised and encouraged by the quality of the suggestions. Many of them resonated with him and with Beth and other friends invited thus far into the process.

Outside the grumblings of thunder had been replaced by a refreshing wind.

To a Friend

You are what you hold

In the Inmost Sanctum Not what friends might think Or a Teacher or Supervisor A spouse might come close.

But what recurs from within?

Grants a settled equilibrium?

Contentment?

Assurance of the right?

Un-aging.

Let it be that you are Not a handyman or athlete Or doting parent or artist Or applauded leader of men.

But rather that you are Loved of God Through Christ With blissful Mansion In the works And without expiry date.

Capice?

Send the Dog Yelping on July 18, 2011

One story of Smith Wigglesworth always brings a smile. He had been visiting a woman on some matters of counsel and she had accompanied him to the boulevard fronting her house in order to wait for his ride.

Her little dog followed them with an imperious air to a spot dangerously close to the roadway.

"Now go on back to the porch, Rusty. You shouldn't be out here near traffic." She threw in a sweeping hand gesture for good measure.

The No response. Just a cheeky look which seemed to say, 'Nope, not gonna happen.'

A second rebuke with words something like, "Now do what you're told. Scoot!"

Five perky steps in the opposite direction. Then nothing...

"Rusty, don't make me get the switch."

At this point Wigglesworth clapped those big plumber's hands, and with the booming voice which could rival Niagara, "Be gone!

Now!" A yelp. A tail between the legs. A cringing retreat to the front porch. A peeking out from behind railing pickets.

"And that Madam," Wigglesworth noted, "is how we must deal with the devil in the name of Jesus."

Grace and Supplications (Zechariah 12) 10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

What an appropriate description of the Holy Spirit is contained in this prophecy! The gifted Holy Ghost will be the initiator and sustainer of the Church. He will also accomplish a great ingathering of Jews in the latter days, when in dreadful apocalyptic events they recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah.

Spirit of Grace - Every aspect of grace is communicated through the Spirit: repentance, new birth, adoption, wisdom, love and all of its fruit, faith, equipment for service, the Word of God, intimate communion, healing and miracles, hope for the future. All of the good things of God being made available in His sovereign disposition.

Spirit of Supplications - The Holy Ghost is also the facilitator of effective prayer that we might be heard making supplications which are consistent with the will and the heart and the Name of our Lord. He urges us to cry out our needs again and again to a capable, willing Heavenly Father (read Psalm 50). He also initiates the burden of prayer in the Spirit when our situation cannot be articulated in the words of men (Romans 8:26).

What a wonderful two-way street! What a wonderful Royal Telephone! This sensitive, wooing, generous, encouraging Third Person of the Trinity.

"Telephone to glory, O what joy divine!

I can feel the current moving on the line, Built by God the Father for His loved and own, We may talk to Jesus thru’ this royal telephone.�

Trade-Off Extraordinaire

That day

The greatest Soul Who walked this orb In loving deeds Was hung up high A spectacle For fools to mock “He moans. He bleeds!”

And like a lamb Unmarked and pure He hung in sin’s dread place That Holiness Saw justice done To cleanse a needy race.

As sin The Christ knew grief Without compare As sin He bore the curse His Father’s tears A sight so rare.

And we Are told “Rejoice.

Set free” In this transaction odd.

And we Are left amazed Transformed, the righteousness Of God.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 Note: Believer, you are the righteousness of God. Get this fixed in your consciousness from one of the richest of New Testament

chapters. Stand in the thankful assurance of it when someone mocks your moderation or transformed tongue; when someone in terrible need asks for prayer; when someone rants that faith is just a crutch for losers; when someone humbled appears ready to hear the Good News.

The Hill...Psalm 22

Has it ripped you?

The Prince torn by savage hate

His kindness mocked

His priestly weight?

Beneath a Mother weeps

While placed in friend’s kind care.

A thief beside the Cross

Encounters Paradise there.

TYPE TO ENTER A CAPTION.

And holy lords rant vengeance

For every threat to fake faith’s sham

Messiah clearly God’s One Lamb

Whose blood absolves each sin

Look upon this!

Weep and win.

Consider reverently Hebrews 10

Comes the Day The Righting of Things

Comeuppance

Release is great As recompense arrives And God reverses wickedness Refreshing weary lives The sad old rants subside Does God see much of this Does He still bother to correct

The righteous feel His kiss?

But then the winds of change A day of fire and rage The godless feel the axe’s edge And suffer robbery’s wage And faithful ones will sigh As healing comes at last Like little yearlings Through the gate With joy then unsurpassed.

(Malachi 4)

Ezekiel Thirty-Four

I have watched And kept a score With shepherds of the flock

Was comfort there And selfless care Or was there just mere talk?

For lambs would fight And lambs would hurt And many hide in shame But wounds to tend And young to feed By those who bear my name.

It takes my love Not sweat of men To move the flock t’ward rest And oftentimes I kept the job Withheld from second best.

The runaways Would hear my song And yearn for my embrace The wolf would flee Yes run from me And forests felt safe place.

I seek out those Who get my heart Forgiving wayward sheep And keep things right Just as I spoke With patience kind and deep.

As She Sleeps

The half of her Is now so dark And weary souls seek rest All business done The stars have come So may her dreams be blessed.

I keep the watch As comets sweep And oceans deep roll on

The pulse is mine And right on time Refreshed she faces dawn.

The other half Has worked quite hard Producing things of worth Some new skills learned Some respite earned Good folks around the earth.

And at the change The joyful burst Of sunshine gleaming bright.

I love it all The big the small And day turned into night.

(Psalm 65)

Clean Up I want to end all hatred

And special privilege too The hungry little children Deserve to see life through The lonely and afflicted Must have a hero’s aid And drinking water wholesome From streams that I have made.

I want to see new brothers Where tribal hatred roared And spears beat into plowshares For food all can afford And harvest’s happy music With young and old in dance With kindness for the failing And healthy true romance.

But mortals cringe and covet And fear the things of loss So I must forge a new hope And I must take my Cross.

Of Several Gardens

It was late winter of 1982 and I was on the train with a client going to Toronto. We had chosen the rails in order to have some more time for me to get familiar with her case.

All went pretty well as expected in the official proceedings, but it was the trip home that changed my life. Geri was a dedicated Christian. Diminutive in size. Blonde. But with big captivating eyes and an unvarnished sincerity.

She took the plunge and started to talk with her newfound lawyer about Salvation offered through the Blood of Calvary.

At the time I was a People’s Warden at an Anglican church, with no familiarity with a Bible, but with lots of time for seasons and sayings.

Salvation was just an archaic term. The Holy Spirit unknown.

But Geri was obedient to that urging within her. She started to talk about original sin and the seed of depravity within every mortal. The solution was a blood cleansing freely offered.

The conversation aligned itself along the topic of gardens: 1) In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve had chosen to resort to their own will and to disobey God’s only command about the forbidden fruit. Sin, death and suffering entered the human race as the consequence of law breaking. Satan had set it all in place...or so it seemed.

2) In the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of His betrayal, Jesus won the battle of wills, resisting the onslaught of Satan, and consecrating Himself to arrest and to the bloody Cross by which we were saved.3) In a beautiful garden setting in the Heavenly City of the New Jerusalem, the family of

faith will come to know peace and joy incomparable and without end. And all because of Jesus’ finished work.

Three gardens. Failure. Recovery. Reward. This is the Plan of Salvation devised by the Lord before the foundation of the world. I could see, as if in a flash, the unity, balance and consistency of scripture – Genesis to Revelation.

The accord and the mission of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I was reminded of this personal milestone recently in reading a wonderful sermon by Charles Spurgeon entitled Christ, the Conqueror of Satan.

Sermon #1326 http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols22-24/vols22-24.htm I wonder what might have been if I had heard Spurgeon’s message years before 1982? Not for me to ask. Not for me to know. Our God is always the Master of timing. But here now is the message for others...the main event.