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Never Make Light

Holy Father, may I never make light
of the faith given me by parents
and pious men and women in the church.

Help me to respect their commitment
to doing your will in every way,
in spite of — or because of — their faults.

Keep me from judgments, for I, too,
err and fail in many ways,
which my children and descendants will see.

May they judge me by my good intentions,
and my desire, like those before me,
to walk in the light, as Jesus did.

Remove from me the critical spirit,
the caustic jokes, demeaning humor —
In me breathe thanks for earnest faith.

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Your Gentle Breeze

Come to me a word, O Lord,
a word of faith and love and power,
to lift me up and place me high
upon a safe and solid place.

You see my zeal for You, O Lord,
as God who leads the hosts of heavens —
your hunted servant nearly dead,
among a people who spurn your Name.

They turned their backs upon the covenant,
refused to obey, and served false gods;
Their worship’s vain, by man’s traditions,
they seek to silence and maim your servants. Continue reading “Your Gentle Breeze”

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This Life of Contradictions

This life of contradictions, full
of nonsense, fallacious reasons — charged,
impassioned pleas — hard, stubborn will —
a soul by pain and suffering forged.

Like Earth with lava at its core —
volcanoes rise, the ground quakes —
within the soul boil fear and ire,
abruptly and often, the surface cracks.

In Heaven is calm, the city of peace —
no siren’s scream, no surging sea —
O Lord! Above, where passions cease,
— prepare a place for me.

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In Charge

Words are not sufficient
to express my gratitude
for patience on your part
toward slow decisions to change.

I give you thanks, O Lord,
for powers I’ve never known,
and ask that thorns of weakness
be gone, and in their place,
a strength of mind and heart.
Three times and more I’ve pleaded,
desiring to overcome,
but met with heavenly silence.

Yes, grace, I know, is mine,
sufficient to the task,
but I’d prefer, if possible,
another path to victory.
Can I not choose my struggles?
I did not ask for these!

To you, O God, I render
all claims of being in charge.
To you, my will, my life,
my future, is in your hands.

Give peace in fiercest battles,
calm in troubled waters.
Be present, O my Father.

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We Turned to You

For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2.25.

Father and Guardian of our souls,

We turned to you and truly converted
From failed adventures, to follow Christ.
Give us sight for the surest path,
Enliven our feet to walk in faith
By the power of your Holy Spirit.

As wandering sheep far from shelter,
In cold and wind and wild confusion,
We know not where our notions lead us.
Throw light upon us, lead us safely
To tender pastures by eternal waters.

At every turn, on every rise,
Call out to us to keep our focus
Upon your leading, upon our Lord,
When storms or inner stirrings distract us.
Your chastening rod to truth return us.

By Jesus Christ, our Guide, Amen.

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Let Me Be Clothed with Christ

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3.27.

The mind, O Lord, pursues familiar paths,
The body its movements practiced most and best.
We want less work and thought, the least exertion of force —
Are we lazy in fundamental ways?

Let me be clothed with Christ, to wear his name,
To sacrifice the self, to bear his heart,
To seek and find, become what he became —
Where humble Jesus started let me start.

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What Precious Gift

What precious gift is life this day,
To freely breathe the air,
To order thoughts and the mind obey,
To seek your presence in prayer!

What countless blessings daily arrive,
Your tender mercies renewed!
From you all excellent things derive,
To you is my gratitude.

The birds with little effort fly,
You give them daily food;
On you, O Lord, like them, I rely,
My source of constant good.

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My Prayers Are Full of Pleas

My prayers, O Lord, are full of pleas,
You told me to ask, so I do;
But let me more be full of praise,
While my complaints be few.

Let not my words be thoughtless or rote,
But true and most sincere;
Naught but your Reign may prayers promote,
And Jesus soon appear.

Before you, comes your humble child,
Desiring your gloried Name;
With thanks I’m fully reconciled:
To me my Jesus came.

Let breath be prayer and eyes be filled
With Calvary’s joy and call;
Let heart be whole and mind be thrilled
With pardon and peace for all.

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Beyond the Broken Earth

The channels of my mind
are well traversed with thoughts
of your clear eyes that roam
across the wide, wide earth
to seek a trusting soul
and bless with peace and grace.

Oh, Lord, here am I, that soul.

From your throne, you incline
to see your servants’ needs,
and send your ministering angels
to watch, defend, protect,
while the Spirit lives within
to change and shape for heaven.

See me, your servant, Father.

Within our space and time,
you work in love to draw
your people across the line,
beyond the broken earth,
to the perfect, lighted place
of the sprawling tree of life.

Draw me with them, O God!

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The Promise of All Promises

God the consummate Planner,

Eternal life is the promise of all promises,
From eternity you planned it for us in Christ,
A life of quantity and quality, of length and depth,
Of love and joy and all that is good in you.

What wonderful life to have you reigning over us,
Living in us, and working effectively through us,
And giving us usefulness and purpose and worthy goal,
Something greater than the world and outlasting time itself!

Praise and power belong to you, and we give you thanks,
Father of lights, from whom all good things flow,
And none better than the fullness of life everlasting,
This treasure of all treasure, this gift of all gifts.

From Christ and in him, amen.