BROKENESS
To be rescued from rock bottom By what I know was His saving grace; To experience His personal miracles That around me He likes to place;
How could I ever turn my back On this God Who has touched my heart? Remembering all He has done for me, Why from my faith would I ever part?
To understand how my brokenness Was refining me as gold In God’s fiery furnace Where this Potter takes faith that’s cold.
How could I have compassion For the abused, the alcoholic or the over-weight, The poor, the crippled, the rejected If I’d not myself been in such a state?
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Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and external weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4: 16-17 [NKJV]
WALLS
Jesus’ church did not have any walls. His pulpit followed Him everywhere. The world was His congregation And He had nothing but God’s love to share.
To the distraught and hopeless, He renewed their faith. To the lepers, He welcomed their touch. To the world’s nobodies, the outcasts and poor And to the children He loved so much-
He took the time to sit down among them To show them how much they were loved, Reassuring them that the kingdom was theirs And that their source of value comes from above.
High priests and kings were intimidated of Him, This carpenter from Galilee, For this God-ordained Rabbi preached the truth And the truth sets people free.
So here is some truth to the churches of today: Jesus would not approve of your walls! He’s not impressed with your fanciful dress And you’re not answering true ministry calls.
Will you dare tell me, you in your costly suit, That if a homeless and drunken thug Sat down beside you with stench or disease That you’d offer him a welcoming hug?
Or that you in shiny shoes and your Sunday hair-do Wouldn’t judge and stare down the aisle At the black-eyed prostitute in amoral attire, That you’d offer her your heartfelt smile?
That you wouldn’t whisper and shake your head At the uneducated pregnant teen, Or make it your place to sit down and face The drug addict who longs to be clean?
Jesus didn’t come to minister to the well; A healthy person doesn’t need a physician, And if you won’t heed to the underdog’s needs, Then, to God, you’re in worse condition.
Because God hates pride and arrogance And He’s blessed you so you can be The voice, the heart, the hands and feet Of Jesus, loving compassionately.
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“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 13: 13-14 [NKJV]
Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4: 9-10 [NKJV]
But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1 John 3: 17 [NKJV]
He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer. Psalm 102: 17 [NKJV]
SILENCE
There are times when I don’t feel You with me, Lord, But I know that You are never so far That You don’t hear me singing or crying aloud, Still my emotions wonder where You are.
I understand that You always know what is best For my growth and for my good. I know You will never leave or forsake me, Yet, Your silence is, at times, misunderstood.
When I feel empty or heavy, lost and alone, I search deep. I pray. I sing. I know there’ll be times when I’m tired and weak And at risk of clipping my own wing.
There are times my songs seem only sad; Times my prayers don’t seem to get through; Times my searching seems to only distance me From the peace I’m longing from You.
What’s holding me captive from Your grace? Why am I bound again in chains? I’ve flown so far upon Your love. Please unveil what’s stirring these pains.
I know You strengthen me in times of Your silence And I don’t doubt You are still lifting me. You expand my wings through turbulent things; From deeper valleys I’m now able to fly free.
I’m aware You are leading me to greener pastures; That over higher mountains I must drift And that not every flight has the destination in sight Yet, Your voice will my perseverance lift.
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Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not ... The Lord is good to those who wait for Him. To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord ... For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. Lamentations 3: 22, 25-26, 31-32 [NKJV]
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Psalm 27:13-14 [NKJV]
FAITH
I kept both feet on the water While this storm was passing through. I’d have sunk and drown had I not found My strength through faith in You!
≈ This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5: 4-5 [NIV]
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