The good news of Christ
O Lord, my feet are blistered and bruised,
My old shoes are worn and used,
My soles are broken, the skin is tough,
The ground where I walk, uneven and rough.
How often have I stubbed my toe?
At times I stumble, the going is slow,
But forward on the path I press
And still walk on in trial and stress.
I carry my weight, and a brother’s load,
This thought I bear on the dusty road:
If you, my God, can wash my feet,
The way of Christ I’ll surely complete.
Heavenly Father, thank you for life
In Christ — for minds that seek to know
The reason why we’re here — for hearts
That feel emotions, good and bad —
For wills that choose what pleases you —
For bodies of living sacrifice —
For eyes that see and ears that hear —
For limbs that reach for heaven — for lungs
That breathe the Spirit’s air — for hands
That work — for feet that move the gospel
Into the world — for knees that bow
In grateful prayer and ask of you,
The source of all that’s good, to give
Our daily bread — for yearnings of hope
That cry, “Lord, come!” and watch the sky
For signs and angels and rolling clouds.
Our Father, thank you — for today,
For now, for planting us firmly here,
Where we are at present, not
Another place or better time —
For discipline, testing, proof of faith —
For inching forward our commitment —
For faithfulness of your word of promise
On which we count — for love that dies
And lives again in Christ — Ah, yes!
Above all else, for love — Amen!
“The moment you begin to blindly beg and plead with God to move on your behalf is the moment for you to take a step back and ask yourself the following questions. Do you believe God is a good God and your Heavenly Father? Are you praying out of a place of fear that perhaps he isn’t listening or that he won’t answer you unless you prove to him how desperate you are? Calm your heart, remind yourself of the truth, and pray from a place of trust that God cares about your situation far more than you do. Pray with the sure knowledge that you are a child of God and that he knows your voice, and hears your weakest whisper.” — K. Walden.
I don’t know who the person is who said it, but the words ring true, especially that God cares far more than we do.
Lord, you know who needs the gospel truth,
To free them from the chains of Satan’s lies,
To live in perfect peace and certain hope,
To receive that purest love that never fails.
May I, O God, on hearing your surest word,
Know too who stands without the cleansing blood;
Give to your humble servant the courage of love
To speak the only message that saves the sinner.
Let me be, O Lord, no reluctant voice,
To speak that all might make the constraining choice,
Of perfect love that in the soul compels
To follow the Christ, to drink from living wells,
To come with courage to your graceful throne—
And, coming, let me never come alone.
O God, how hard to find what’s good and wholesome!
The world knows only what’s evil, vile, and loathsome;
Among your people make rule your love and kindness,
Toward race and age and wealth let there be blindness.
Let us see what you see from high in heaven,
And seek that place above where all’s forgiven.
Your way of wisdom, Lord, is my desire,
Your love of man, O God, I would acquire;
In holiness, like you I strive to live,
With free and generous heart, teach me to give.
To be like you, my Savior, my only aim,
To never end a day as I was, the same;
Perfect me, draw me upward, into the light,
To dwell forever upon your city’s height.
Regardless, Lord, of this world’s worst,
In spite of evil and harm and ill,
Let us be sure of your good will,
And always put your kingdom first.
Let none spurn faith, let none ask why
You cause the innocent early to die;
Instead, may we all marvel how,
In patience, you let us live until now.
O Lord, remove from me that flat desire
To free myself, like cunning Pilate, to please
The clamoring crowd, and cowardly fearing the ire
Of others, making political moves to appease
The popular demand. On principle let me stand:
Commitment to Christ, forever faithful, strong
In truth, to suffer for love, the Word in hand —
My eyes on you, the Lord whose patience is long.
Our Father in Heaven, your hand is out
To give redemption to fallen souls;
Obedient faith brings full remission
Of sins, to find in Jesus’ blood
The hope of life, that holy love
Whose boundless height cannot be measured,
Nor depth or width or length or cost.
Our human praises fail the price
You paid to pull us back to you.
We fall, with faces to the ground,
In all humility, in reverent fear —
The thought that you came near to us!