Relinquish Now

Relinquish Now Copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo ON, 2020

Not too far And this should give you courage.

Feel the pull Of Jesus at your heart.

You have come Right to the brink of blessing.

Timeless truth He readies to impart.

May be late But time is not the issue.

Do not rue The sand passed through the glass. Heed the calls To simple heart surrender.

Now’s the hour

To seize the hope that lasts But beware For risk is now the greatest. Satan schemes To pluck you from the door.

All his tricks Applied to see you stumble. Fears and lusts You never felt before.

Just press on Despairing of your own strength. Christ must work To bring you gladly through.

His the power To break the ties that hinder.

His the life Of righteousness for you.

We attend assemblies as our parents have done. We accustom ourselves to the language, the praying, the songs and the seasons. But when it comes to that word “salvation”, a cloudiness sets in. Saved from what? By Who? Jesus once said to some cynical questioners “Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish (John 13).

The Church gathered at Jerusalem, hearing of the Gentiles’ response to Peter’s preaching, referred to the process as “repentance unto life” (Acts 11).

But must we be dragged through the mud of humiliation? Yes clearly yes...and it will be a repentance of singular impact. Read Psalm 40 and you will observe the attitude of brokenness that always gets the attention of Holy God. Brings out His mercy as He recalls the precious blood shed in obedience by His Son; and He applies the atoning power of Calvary to your artless, sincere, trusting petition.

The popular Gospel musician Steve Curtis Chapman has lyrics saying “I’m Diving In”.

Radical Change on April 09, 2012

Centuries have listened to arguments refuting the resurrection of Christ. There is the "swooning" theory; also the "corpse secreted away" theory. The suggestion of a bunch of lies and subterfuge committed by men who were purportedly the disciples of the Greatest and Truest Man. But let us look at the these disciples. Competitive, presumptuous, argumentative, cowardly, prayer-less, impatient, fleshly in their perception of the Kingdom. They deserted Jesus and fled from the Garden. Perhaps the seven saddest words in the Evangel: And they all forsook him, and fled. (Mark 14:50) I remember Presbyterian Peter Marshall (one-time chaplain of the U.S. Senate) making the following point in his bestseller "Mr. Jones, Meet the Master". These same men after the Resurrection appear fearless, mighty in prayer, bold in the face of hostile authorities, convicting in testimony, harmonious in purpose. In effect, newly made men, and at the front of the list Simon Peter. What could have caused the overwhelming change?

Certainly not the death of their hero and the frustration of His every purpose.

He was risen, and they were charged with an energy and a confidence that were unstoppable in the bearing of triumphant News. Messiah who would suffer and overcome death, had in fact fulfilled every prophecy down to the very last detail.

Trailing the Master (Simon of Cyrene just into Town)

And I trailed the Teacher Wooden beam digging into my shoulder The One ahead bloodied And receiving scorn and jeers unimaginable.

Hail the King Save yourself Loser That cross is waiting.

But I heard no complaint No self defence Nothing but that look On the face unrattled.

In tremendous pain and fatigue Yes‌but unrattled.

And I from Cyrene Here briefly for the Feast.

Ordered by Rome to Help this malefactor.

Shameful chore.

What did he do wrong?

Women at the sidelines Weeping for crushing Dismay and injustice.

He stumbling occasionally on the rocks.

Insatiable whippings right after.

His back riddled with red.

And then the Hilltop The post and pit The uplift‌the drop.

Crucified.

And I His helper (Or did He need the help?)

And His follower Seeing odd wealth in the suffering Odd majesty.

This strange admiration...and thanks Part of my life.

Christ now and forever.

(Image by James Tissot - Earthquake at the Crucifixion)