Walls make for good neighbors, and it’s true:
To know what and where is theirs and ours,
As lines are useful in the traffic lane,
To separate the space for trucks and cars.
Let me respect, O Lord, the private domain
Of others’ lives—keep me from prying which sours
A friendship—let Christ’s perfection be my view.
Trash and Treasure Both
Trash and treasure both
Shall perish, and we as well—
Save us, Lord, by grace!
Daily Heft
Faithful, consistent, unfailing—this,
O Lord, is what you are and what
I want to be—never amiss
In duty, doing what I ought,
Loving, kind, committed—waste
Not, want not, nothing in the wind,
Feet firmly planted, no foolish haste,
Nor laggard, but with a focused mind
I’d serve, with never a selfish thought,
I’d daily heft my cross—with gladness,
Redemptive pain, approval sought
From you and only you—I’ll banish
Desire for shallow human praise—
Your truth my company’s colors to raise.
Expectant prayer
On the Mt Juliet website, Wayne Miller writes about prayer, based on Psalm 5:
I read about a Christian lady, in her deep trouble had prayed to God for help. Her requests were answered. She then wondered aloud, “Why am I always so surprised when the Lord answers my prayers!”
David made it a daily practice to lay his requests before the Lord. In fact, our text indicates, every morning he approached God with his prayer list. David seemed to possess full, total, and complete confidence the Lord would answer his prayers.
Do we, like David, pray regularly—or only in emergencies?
Read the rest of the article here.
Tomorrow a Mystery
O Lord, tomorrow is a mystery,
And even the next hour reveals no secrets,
So let us in this moment, in the present,
Serve our Lord and Master and fear your Name.
We trust in your control of our years and days,
Believe you guide the world to its proper end,
We know in Christ that all things come together,
In all man’s doings you will be glorified.
Our joy is this: our treasures await us in heaven,
The Lord is at the door and soon will come,
Your power is hope, your promise never fails,
And perfect love will hold us till the last.
Let passion die
The violence of sin, O Lord, grows and masks its evil. Satan’s servants appear as angels of light, hiding death in their robes, concealing the face of eternal suffering. Caricatures of life and pleasure, they steal the young and rob the old of joy.
Unmask them, Lord, for who they are! Rip away their disguises! Let sin be seen for what it is, raw rebellion against your good and perfect will, self-destruction that cannot be undone!
Let us recoil from the Adversary’s enticements. Give us eyes to see behind the temptation, beyond the moment of pleasure. Save us from the pain and heartache of transgression.
Let passion for this world die, and cause to live in us an eternal zeal for good.
Another Unsoiled Day
Why let me waken from my nightly sleep?
O Lord, why give me another unsoiled day,
Like bread fresh from the oven, ready for butter,
If not to serve and love and glorify your Name?
What we think is nothing
We think, O Lord, to find joy in small and simple things, only to discover afterwards that they were the great things. For simplicity is never small, clarity never minimal. Thank you for the great light which we have in Christ. He shows us the kind word, the moment of solidarity, the act of generosity, that offer a lifeline to the perishing. What we think is nothing might be to someone all there is. Make us aware, heavenly Father, of your power in us.
To You, Glory
To you, O Lord, belongs the glory,
Without our egos in the way;
What wonderful news is Jesus’ story,
How pure his light’s unconquerable ray!
To you, O God, belongs the power,
Who raised the Son from among the dead;
Salvation’s plan in that dark hour,
Upon the Cross when Jesus bled.
To you, O Father, we ascribe
All glory, honor, love and praise;
To you may every people and tribe
Their happy, grateful voices raise.
Words Fail
Heavenly Father, words fail to express
The deepest gratitude, the sharpest need,
But still we know how much you bless,
How deeply you love, how wisely you lead.