The Stone-mason's Yard. Jeremiah Ch. 2 v. 13

The yard was full of chippings,
and the air rang out with blows.
Enormous blocks of sandstone,
freshly quarried, stood in rows.

The masons, with their muscles
rippling tight like coils of rope,
Carved mighty troughs, great cisterns,
every blow being in the hope
The rock lay true and free from
flaws, their fear each time they hit
Was seeing weeks of patient
work just fall apart and split.

A gloomy bearded man turned up,
and gave a rock a prod,
Then had a gloomy thought which he
was certain came from God.

"My people, I once carved you out
with skill from chosen stone
To be My chosen vessels,
to be used by Me alone.
I drew on living water, and
I filled you to the brink,
So any one with thirst for God
could come to you and drink.

But you ignored My workmanship,
and thought you'd try your own.
Carved troughs with human sweat, not grace,
from unselected stone.

And now the place is full of troughs
that leak through cracks and holes.
They need My workmanship, not your's,
My world of thirsty souls."

Jan Bagwell

God Bless

The Seamless Shirt

Strong fingers grabbed His garments
As they laid aside their whips.
Men greedy for civilian cloth
Though blood oozed through in drips.

Their victim nearly naked, when
They stopped and gazed in awe,
For, woven to perfection like
They'd never seen before,
His under-shirt was seamless, a
Refinement in design.
And as they put it up for lots
Each thought, "I hope it's mine."

A Seamless Shirt, some weaver's art,
Had seamlessly embraced
In one, the Son of God and Man;
A shirt? A Robe? encased
The seamless incarnation of
The Mind of God in one
With humble human form and flesh,
A virgin woman's Son.

Jan Bagwell

God Bless

Designed To Shine

Designed to shine,
to be the light
made to make
the world bright.

Made to illuminate,
Jesus’ reflection
designed to be
hope’s projection.

Designed to filter,
light from above
made to expose
to all God’s love

Made to transmit,
God’s mercy and favor
designed to broadcast
the way to the Savior.

Designed to reveal,
dark evil places
made to reveal
God’s saving graces.

Made to shine,
just like the sun
designed to radiate . . .
the light of God’s Son!

Jan Bagwell

God Bless

Matthew 5:14

“Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on an hill
cannot be hid.”

King James Version
Public Domain

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:2 KJV

The Joy of Salvation

Our spirits will radiate the joy of salvation
In all that we think and do
And we won't get tired of doing God's will
For the Word of the Lord is true

Our relationship with God through prayer
Has a limitless supply of love
The majesty and power of the one who is king
Will be given to us from above

He gave us freedom to give our fears
And our worries and problems to Him
That the chance of ever losing our faith
Through the Spirit of Love is slim

So, find a word that comes from God
And stand for His words are true
He says we should ask through prayer
When we don't know what to do

If our faith in God's love is consistent
He'll catch us if we fall
He'll provide solutions to all our problems
No matter how big or small

So rejoice in the Lord our father
And put a smile upon your face
For we'll soak ourselves in God's great glory
And bask within His grace.

Jan Bagwell 

God Bless