Community Imperative God's Family Planning copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo, ON, 2017
Into Fellowship Should I take this gamble? Should I reach out now? Been so long in disconnect That I scarce know how. Oh but I know Jesus deeply Feasting on His word Leaning oft upon His Spirit Many treasures heard. Lately it's a Triune message God is all of Love Caring, sharing Three-in-oneness Partnership above And He yearns to place This richness with The sons of Grace Do they know His Son's Submission with a tear-washed face?
Do they know His Son Would only speak what Love allowed? How He blessed Where Father told Him In that needy crowd? And the Spirit came as promised Thrilling Paraclete Meant to indwell faithful servants Charge their tongues and feet. And I see in these blessed Partners Loving, being loved Working “for” and giving “unto” So to church I'm moved. Reasons past for my reluctance I have heard this call Hebrews 10 has hit the target Let God's will enthral.
Love We are told in John's First Epistle that God is love, and can be nothing else. (1 John 4: 10-14) This love was moved to give in the first instance when we were yet enemies to the message of the Cross of Calvary. Indeed there was never a time before God loved, and never a time when He was without objects for His affection. In ages to come He will be still loving, and will invite us to enter into and remain and thrive in such love. In the out-playing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Acts of Apostles we are given snapshots of the interplay, intimacy and complete accord of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At the conclusion of Jesus' momentous comments and promises in the Upper Room meal, He prays that all believers will be one just as the Father and He are one. He promises to send another Comforter, the Holy Spirit to energize the Church, to bring to remembrance all of His Word, to equip for ministry and to evangelize with power. The Father sends the Son to manifest His will, plan and nature. The Son lives a life sinless and submitted to the mission of the Cross. The Father and the Son send the Spirit to inaugurate the Church, and to gift it for wholesome living and community. Hence we see the love of God as Giver, Given and still Gifting. A tremendous Unity, but still three persons having to exercise will, choice and preference each for the other. And how do we characterize such love? It is without limit. It goes to death and back. It does not expect recompense, but it yearns for intense engagement, that it might still give and illuminate. It satisfies hunger, loneliness, misunderstanding, physical and emotional need. It does not condemn, but rather exhorts from a posture of positive encouragement. It reassures that whatever pain is encountered along the journey, there will be absolute joy and no regret at journey's end. (Psalm 16).
8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. And that apparent end is only a beginning. It helps us immensely in confidence and in sense of belonging to realize just how harmonious are the mission and participation and outlook of the Triune Members. They are the prototype and they are the material for our participation, joy and success in Love. To recognize how they compassionate and cooperate in all things is to be well on the way to Heavenly Glory. It is also to manifest it in simple, pious living to others who might care to join in the journey. The Old Testament is full of references that “God is One”. And that would be one progressive JudeoChristian revelation of Divinity, as men and women were enabled to comprehend it...and appropriate it. Jesus stumps the Pharisees in Matthew 22 (vv. 41- 46) as He asks how it is that Messiah could be both David's offspring and God, according to Psalm 110. The answer to the riddle is standing right before them, and smiling.
Unite My Heart You must do it You must draw me To that place of perfect peace Where your truth Becomes my balance And your smile my heart’s release. I am tired of Double motives And the soul pushed to and fro’ I would rather
Listen to you For directions where to go. And the past proved You are worthy To receive my utmost trust. What a marvel! Heaven stoops down, Daily shepherds wayward dust. Other fears now Duly quieted By the one fear of your law And the comfort Of your keeping Fills this settled heart with awe.
Paraclete in Oils
He's broken for the pouring And leaves that little flask And freshens many a hurting face With more than they might ask. No, not so altogether So high and mighty on self He's crushed, He flows Outpouring, knows The life's not on the shelf. It's in the distribution The wasting, so it seems, As Adam lost the rib The cost for love Beyond his dreams. And Eve was nothing lesser Nor greater from the start Just depths to plumb
That each might come To share the Triune Heart. Note: I can almost hear man saying to woman, white saying to yellow, liberal saying to straightened, vigorous saying to handicapped, “You are so amazing. Tell me more. How might I help. Forget about me. You, Friend, are where it's at. And as I dig for the precious ores, I find the infinite swirling love of Father, Son and Spirit. And I am fulfilled.�