The Work of Love

My God and Saviour Thee I love
Beyond all things beneath above
The fairest besides all things fair
The sweeter than sweet words of prayer

If loving Thee I shall not cease
If loving Thee my pain could ease
Where in love shall be my rest?
Or find my comfort at Thy breast?

Thy love for me a solace is mine
Thy love in me a hunger divine
The holy longing to long for more
The fervent desire to Thee adore

All loving in Thee must first arise 
My heart cannot in faintest tries
Love Thee from whom all love began
Or love the way I must and can 

Then do Thy work within my heart
In love for Thee I set apart 
Thy Lordship as the Christ in me
While I in love abide in Thee

Make my love for Thee grow deep 
This love for Thee in me I keep
Let me not weary to tarry so near
For heaven's gates shall soon appear 

O longing of longings in Thee alone
My pains of heart forever begone
For when Thy face at last I see
Is joy with no end to satisfy me

Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. I Peter 5:7

Triumph Over Trouble

Okay trouble, I can see you're headed my way,
I'll be needing some help to shorten your stay.
You have come by a number of times before,
finding an unwelcome sign posted on my door,
You are tough to recognize with so many faces,
lurking everywhere, even in church of all places.

You can pack a punch, knocking me off my feet,
if not avoided, I can find myself on the hot seat.
Sometimes coming from an unexpected source,
then not leaving until I have felt your full force.
With my brain asleep, costly mistakes are made,
causing any solution to my problem be delayed.

Troubles depress, yet bring things we don't see,
if not for them, how close to God would we be?
For often times He is called upon to bail us out,
perhaps making this relationship, firm and stout.
Then knowing where to go before trouble arrives,
gives greater trust in God with peace in our lives.

So whenever trouble comes and no doubt it will,
I say this, do not seek help in a bottle or in a pill.
For they are helpless. only causing them to grow,
then continue to follow on wherever you will go.
Keep faith growing in God, He'll keep you strong,
saying, get behind me Satan as one comes along.

Know Assuredly 

When the way before gets rocky

and the pathway hurts your feet
know assuredly my darling
this is where we need to meet

When there are no words to comfort
all the tangled things we feel
know assuredly my darling
that our love is no less real

When we wade it through together
midst the trial or the song
know assuredly my darling
God will lead us both along

When its hard to speak the problem 
or in love communicate
know assuredly my darling
that there is no time "too late"

When this season passes over
and the flowers bloom again
know assuredly my darling
that I've loved you just the same

Anchored In Hope

A life anchored in hope,
is one worth living
it brings about faith
praise and thanksgiving.

It’s a life full of trust,
in God for all things
it’s a life secure
under His faithful wings.

A life anchored in Jesus,
is one that is bound
it lives not in fear
for its mind is sound.

It’s a life with meaning,
purpose and direction
it’s a life striving
for godly perfection.

A life anchored in hope,
is one that’s submitted
its heart to Jesus . . .
is fully committed!

Hebrews 6:19

“Which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul,
both sure and stedfast,
and which entereth into
that within the veil;”

King James Version
Public Domain

The Filthy Man

I was the only usher here
inside our little church.
The sermon was just starting and
for truth, we'd always search.

Now everything was normal there
right up to and until,
the door creaked slowly open and
we all grew very still.

In pastor's long mid-sentence, the
strange silence first began,
for standing in the doorway was
a poor and filthy man.

Appeared, he did, atrocious there
and homeless quite awhile,
with clothes severely tattered, but
I staged a phony smile.

Now everyone had noticed him -
and not just quite a few.
so ushered him, I quickly to,
the end of nearest pew.

As if there were a final drop
of coffee in each cup,
all heads were tipped a-way, way back
with noses sticking up.

Now pride was quite a problem back
since Adam and since Eve
and even today's Christians who
may claim that they believe.

Continued then, the pastor did
and when was said and done,
we wanted to leave quickly but
the nervousness begun.

It happened, as you may have guessed,
the filthy man had stood.
He then walked down the empty aisle.
It didn't look too good.

Each member there stood silent and
embarrassed, froze, aghast -
for all eyes were upon him as
the filthy man walked past.

Not knowing what to expect next
with pastor silent too,
all time came to a stand still as
he walked past ev'ry pew.

Right to the front of church he walked
when there he seemed to freeze.
A moment later just collapsed...
right down on dirty knees.

The congregation was so stunned
as he confessed it all.
His prayer was for repentance and
to God we heard him call.

Now no one spoke and no one moved
until a small girl came -
and knelt down right beside him there.
Then all was not the same.

An old man also quickly came
and asked forgiveness too.
And even I came to the front
with others just like you.

Now maybe love had tugged our hearts,
or it was by design -
but seen, a single dry eye? No,
and those included mine.

It wasn't long before we all -
the children, women, men -
all us who held our noses high,
became humbled again.

It took a poor and filthy man
to open up our eyes
and wash our filthy hearts again
with humble, humble cries.