Delightful Deliberations

Delightful Deliberations Of Christ and His Kingdom

offered by Doug Blair, Kitchener ON, 2021

Room to Spare (Luke 14) And yet there was room

The lord’s banquet awaiting

Many who should have come

Made poor excuse.

Servants dispatched

To the highways and byways

Bring in the halt and lame

Seeming refuse.

Here was a giving heart

Few could right fathom

Wanting to bless and raise

Hurting and lone

Up to his cause for joy

No questions asking

Guest list adopted

As his very own.

Wouldn’t we love a Man

Steeped in such mercy?

Wouldn’t we love to give

Him some joy too?

Tell others of the Feast

And blessed community

They come as you have come

Thankful and true.

Almighty Dance Comforter needed

In this very hour

A resting assurance

And almighty Power.

My status so lonely

And full of self doubt

But you Blessed Spirit

Can sort it all out.

I knew through the Church

Of the seasons and song.

But there’s an indwelling

That you pass along.

The Voice of my Jesus

Remembered each day

And sweet sweet communion

Whenever I pray.

You’re there for the taking

I thrill at the chance

To partner with Heaven

And sing, serve and dance.

I’m rendered audacious

My God dwells inside

And fit for each challenge

I’m part of His Bride.

Upright.

The word appears so frequently in the Good Book. Blessed in all respects. Having special connection with God. Knowing that God’s righteousness counts for everything.

Forgiveness. Holy living. Confidence. Creativity in prayer.

Spiritual discernment of the message of Redemption; of New Life through repentance.

The upright man or woman is not leaning forward in impatience, presumption, personal confidence or untimeliness; not leaning backward in timidity, condemnation or self doubt.

But rather standing straight and tall, on level ground, face looking upward for the next comfort, instruction or assignment. (Psalms 64, 112, 140 and 143)

There are important missions of mercy, giving and testimony coming to the upright one. He meets them without pride, but rather with unstoppable faith in the equipment, guidance and timing given by the Lord. A partnership eternal, and as close as those two oxen under the yoke.

What Things...All Things?

All things can do And the whimsies run crazy

Every contingency

Christ has a way.

Paul the Apostle

Now there’s an adventurer

Travels and tossing

He carried the day.

Wouldn’t I thrill

As my wish is becoming

Yet just another

Rich plumb in the hand?

But hear it all

And submit to the measure

“Through Christ” one capable

Please understand.

Here is the measure

Is Christ in this venture?

Would He concur

To this path to pursue

Or rather see the trap

Flesh failed to credit?

Call on the Spirit

The One inside you.

Listen for yay or nay

Wisdom of Heavenlies

Pause as that humble child

Sovereignty led.

You are Christ’s purchase

And treasured immensely

Look to His Cross of pain

See how He bled.

(Philippians 4)

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.

Bless Your Name Hallelujah Amen

Yes praise God

In the midst of this

Might seem quite odd

To be praising loud

To extol your worth

When the hardships here

Seem the worst on earth.

But I lift a song

And the song revives

And the Christ is King

Despite all, He Lives!

And this King has me

In His powerful hands

In such trust and joy

My tried heart expands.

Might I seize the path

That the Saviour trod?

Might I bless your Name

Oh most worthy God.

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 Yes…but 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 uplift…the 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) No believer could perform the incalculable service of Calvary, but we might lift high our thankful impression of that dues-paying for our transgressions by the Prince of Men, the Messiah Jesus. The chastisement of our peace fell upon Him, and with stripes we are healed.

The Prayers in Ephesians

“Knowledge of God” As Paul once prayed A glorious resource And not man-made.

No not some maxim Or fable rehearsed No listing of ethics Or rule book’s Tough verse.

It’s something just given A partnership pledge The love of the Saviour His working knowledge.

We read the Evangels We soak in His ways We call for His input In challenging days.

Few sermons Get to this.

But no mental strain Will match the Translation Of Christ come to reign.

It is the indwelling of Jesus by the Spirit that will direct our ways and means to blessing, not some memorized list of ethics or howto’s or facts about the Gospel story. Of course we delight in the telling of the four Evangels. But Spiritual understanding is imparted and not imitated. The Master has come to live inside.