The view of her kingdom dimmed
A last breath sighed, and her spirit left this earth.
In another kingdom, trumpets sounded, and flags unfurled
As a King stepped forward to greet a queen
Even as sadness rolled over these lands
Rainbows were placed by a King’s scarred hands
Gracing her palaces, her homes no more
But honouring that life so faith-filled and sure.
A blessing from Jesus
A reminder perhaps
Of his honour and promise
that never fails.
That resurrection life
Follows death.
And a first breath is taken
In a new kingdom.
Eternal love greets you, Elizabeth
I’m a Christian so I’m not worried.
This weight on my shoulders is “godly concern”
“a Christian burden for world suffering”
“desire for my loved ones to have a good future”
Or perhaps they are nicer sounding words for ‘worry.’
But then the world is burning, or drowning
and how will I afford to eat or heat
with food and fuel prices sky-rocketing.
And what of sickness and frailty?
The NHS is broken,
how can I care for loved ones?
What of the depressed and desperate?
What of wars?
Some problems are unfixable even with riches.
What can I do but worry?
Oh Lord
This mind that tries to fathom mysteries
This heart that wants to fix all pain
This desire to control
or at least see the future - prophetically, of course!
All these things vie with simple trust.
Help me trust
like a child, knowing their loving parent has the answers
and will fix all things when the time is right.
Like a child who does not fret
about past or future
but plays, lives and loves in the moment.
Your words
“consider the lilies…”
echo across the world
past stoppered ears who prefer cash in hand
to trusting your bounty.
Be still, my frantic mind.
Teach me to breath slow
to live in the moment
and set my mind on you.
that the promised gift
of Peace
may come.
‘See me’
she cries in all her glory
as sunset glides through golds and pinks
leaving purple haze and peace.
“I’m here” - a whisper
her voice barely dusting the still lake.
Beauty calls
through artists, poets and kind deeds
of broken humanity.
Hear her voice, or his,
through enduring love
and sacrifices, great and small.
She calls us to He who made it all.
Magnificent Creator
who painted the greatest beauty
in the ugly-skull-place
Blood dripping down roughly hewn wood.
Hatred unable to stifle Love
pouring from the broken body,
the ultimate sacrifice
given to draw us into the eternal dance
in divine union
past visible horizons.
Beauty calls...
Take the outstretched, scarred hand
and join the dance
and the kingdom, where unending beauty dwells.
How I hate
This necessary darkness.
It is even worse
than those days in mid summer
When I am gasping for just a drop
Of water.
When the earth around is cracked and dry
Scraping against me.
I cry out:
“I cannot keep going, sustaining life
Without something to quench my thirst.
I can grow no more.”
The response: silence.
I try to rise, but only meet a hotter place
a drier place.
The only option is to stretch
to reach out my roots
Tentatively pushing down until
- bliss!
The earth grows damper
I stretch out more.
Damper and wetter with each centimetre
until I am quenched.
I feel my flowers opening
My leaves becoming glossy
And I know I am beautiful.
Bees visit and spread the good news of my glory
With every grain of pollen that clings to their feet
And is spread near and far as they fly.
My scent declares all around that I am good.
I am oh so tasty.
Those days are long gone now and I am nothing.
Hidden in this necessary darkness
Flowers, scent, leaves but a memory.
I have been razed to the ground.
I look lifeless
No one even knows I am here
and there is nothing I can do.
Except wait.
Wait.
And wait again.
A long, cold waiting in the frozen ground.
But I know one day - and I hope it is soon -
A bud will form.
A sliver of green reach out
and start its fragile journey towards light.
I know I will grow again
Bigger, better, more beautiful than last year.
But meantime I wait
Replenishing the core of my being
As I rest
In this necessary darkness.
Standing in the dark, not knowing if I Am with you. Feeling the poverty of your prayer life Wondering where I went. Wondering if I Am? So many questions. A miracle would be good but since there is none Still you put one foot in front of another Still the ember glows in your heart Still you help, you give out, you love. This is faith.
“Oh but it isn’t love” I hear you say, “I just do stuff ‘cos it needs doing. “If I didn’t, who would?” So you carry on caring for the helpless, Not seeing that as you wash their feet, you wash mine. You argue that your lack of feeling means you love less.
No child, the lack of feeling means you love more for you are still there. Caring.
You stand on Sunday, exhausted. Barely able to sing, your heart in your boots. But the song of your caring deeds is sung in my Presence. Beautiful worship.
This season will not last forever. Your service honours me and is done unto me.
Nothing much written lately. Stormy skies are all around what with Covid threats and dire situations all around, many of which touch me and my friends directly.
Yet He – our beautiful Jesus – knows all about that. He is the man who brings Peace to storms.
My refuge at such times is Psalm 27. Within this psalm is the simple answer.
Do not chase after fame or riches or things
that may make you feel important.
Do not fret over the moments, days or weeks
when you may feel friendless.
Do not serve motivated by the need
for recognition.
Do not stand in line to speak with leaders
Or sit in front of ‘prophetic ministries’
longing to be picked out
so that you may receive a word from God.
And if you must name-drop
Why not drop My name into your day
I AM
King of Kings
Friend of Sinners
Lily of the Valley
Bright and Morning Star
Light of the world
Father
Comforter
Saviour
Good shepherd
Lion of Judah
Lamb that was slain
Your Prophet
Your Peace
Your friend
I AM
Emmanuel - God with you
Drop My Name into your heart and your days
Sit under My throne
Receive a word direct from My mouth
spoken by My Spirit
I will make you rich with the things that truly matter
that never perish.
And always know
I AM the God who sees you.
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