ADVENT MEDITATIONS
Mercy, love and grace have moved us
Christ’s great works of love to share;
Chased away the sin within us,
Put Christ’s light and beauty there.
Changing us to be like Jesus
As on Him we hope and wait,
Watching for the coming morning,
Proving Christ’s own power so great.
Mystery of incarnation –
Christ was born as man on earth.
Mystery of resurrection –
Precious gifts of priceless worth.
Mystery of full salvation
For all those who will believe.
Mystery – God now within us
As His Spirit we receive.
Light has come into Christ’s temple –
Our own bodies, to dispel
All the darkness from within us
There in holiness to dwell.
Light surpassing understanding,
Light to purify and guide.
Light of God’s pure radiance, coming
In our spirits to abide.
Christ calls us to feed the hungry;
Justice bring to those in need;
Steward all the earth’s resources;
Work that captives may be freed.
It is God at work within us –
God must take the central place
As we go where He is calling
To display His love and grace.
~~~~~
PREPARE THE WAY
(28/11/05)
A voice within the wilderness –
“Prepare God’s holy way”
A voice two thousand years ago,
Yet still as real today.
These words were spoken with great power
To those whose life had gone,
Giving them purpose, work to do,
Preparing for God’s Son.
Mankind is looking for a God
Who will all hate remove,
When justice, truth and peace shall reign –
A world of perfect love.
Not in religion God met John,
But in the desert bare –
A place of barrenness and pain –
Yet God, the Lord, was there.
He calls us to prepare His way,
His word of love to share.
In Christ salvation comes to us
And we His word declare.
We smooth the road, and reconstruct
Where Christ shall come as King,
A super-highway of His grace
Where He His life may bring.
The voice of Christmas says to us
The King has come indeed,
And by His Spirit in our lives
Our spirits He has freed.
He came, a vulnerable child
And yet the Lord of all,
Now risen, ascended, glorified,
We answer His clear call.
~~~~~
PREPARE THE WAY
(28/11/05)
A voice within the wilderness –
“Prepare God’s holy way”
A voice two thousand years ago,
Yet still as real today.
These words were spoken with great power
To those whose life had gone,
Giving them purpose, work to do,
Preparing for God’s Son.
Mankind is looking for a God
Who will all hate remove,
When justice, truth and peace shall reign –
A world of perfect love.
Not in religion God met John,
But in the desert bare –
A place of barrenness and pain –
Yet God, the Lord, was there.
He calls us to prepare His way,
His word of love to share.
In Christ salvation comes to us
And we His word declare.
We smooth the road, and reconstruct
Where Christ shall come as King,
A super-highway of His grace
Where He His life may bring.
The voice of Christmas says to us
The King has come indeed,
And by His Spirit in our lives
Our spirits He has freed.
He came, a vulnerable child
And yet the Lord of all,
Now risen, ascended, glorified,
We answer His clear call.
~~~~~
YOU CAME DOWN
(Based on a sermon 2/12/05)
From the measureless beauty of heaven
You came down
To the squalor of a stable.
From having all power
You came down
To the helplessness of a baby.
From the timelessness of eternity
You came down
To the constraints of time.
From honour and glory
You came down
To a despised town;
Of a despised race;
To teach those
Who wouldn’t listen.
From adoration and praise
You came down
And were hanged
Naked and spreadeagled
On a cross.
You knew what lay ahead,
Yet You came down.
You came down
For our sin.
You came down
That we might be raised.
You were utterly sinless,
Yet You came down
And were made sin
For us.
Love requires demotion;
Time;
Energy.
Love costs.
Your Kingdom costs,
For Your Kingdom
Is a kingdom of love.
May Christ’s mind be in us.
May Christ’s love be in us.
All-demanding love;
All-giving love;
Forgiving love;
Serving love
Because You came down
In love.
~~~~~
GOD WITH US
That which we saw from afar
Now comes into view.
Real adventure fills the air
As Christ comes anew.
Christmas tells us all is real –
Jesus came to earth
And we long to share this gift
Of such priceless worth.
God has made us all to share
In both joy and need,
Bearing one another up
By both prayer and deed.
And our God – Emmanuel,
He is with us now.
With us through the whole of life.
His presence we know.
God with us – Emmanuel –
He is always near.
God is with us in our mess,
So we need not fear.
God is with us where we are,
Outside and within.
For all the dis-ease we know
He will still come in.
God with us to strengthen us;
God, the world’s true Light.
He has come into our lives
To dispel the night.
We are children of that Light –
And our Saviour came
To revive, restore, lead on
And our lives reclaim.
God with us, so welcoming.
He calls us to come.
He knows all the pain we feel.
In Him we come home.
God with us, assuring us
Of His boundless love.
God – re-kindling our weak faith
With life from above
~~~~~
YOU PARTED THE HEAVENS
(30/11/05)
You parted the heavens and came down to earth;
You came in a stable, so humble Your birth;
You came down to die a lost world to reclaim,
To bring us salvation and life in Your name.
You count us of value – in love You came down.
You walk with us daily, You make Your grace known.
You live right within us, so we need not fear.
You parted the heavens and always are near.
You will part the heavens - You will come again.
You will come in glory for ever to reign.
You will bring a kingdom of true love and peace.
You will part the heavens and bring us release.
~~~~~
THE CHRISTMAS STAR
The star points down - Christ came to earth -
God, reaching down in love,
Making a way to save from sin
And raise our souls above.
The star points out - Christ's arms outstretched
Reach out to all around.
His message is for everyone -
In Him life can be found.
The star points up - we worship God,
The mighty Lord of all,
And at the manger, at the cross
In adoration fall.
~~~~~
A MAUNDY THURSDAY MEDITATION
(I wrote this after our incredibly moving Maundy Thursday service)
It was night, Lord.
The olive branches, twisted
Against the moonlit sky.
It was night, Lord.
We were so tired -
The emotions of the evening
Had left us
Puzzled and perplexed.
Betrayed?
Denied?
Forsaken?
Never, Lord.
We will stay with You.
We will watch with You.
Yet it was night, Lord.
We could not keep
Our eyes from slumber
As You prayed.
We could not understand
Your agony.
You knew what lay ahead.
You CHOSE to obey,
Yet we slept.
And it was night.
A clamour awoke us.
Judas?
A kiss?
The rabble seized You
And You submitted
To them.
And we deserted You.
It was night, Lord.
~~~~~
YOU CHOSE THE NAILS
(A Good Friday Meditation – inspired by ‘He chose the Nails’ {Max Lucado} and a song by Don Francisco)
You CHOSE the nails.
You could have
Slain the rabble
With a word.
You could have called
Ten thousand angels
And staged
A spectacular release.
You could have shown Yourself
A king –
THE King.
And yet You chose
The nails.
Cruel nails
Hammered through hands and feet.
What agony.
They raise the cross
And drop it roughly
In its stand.
You chose the nails.
Forsaken.
Mocked.
Alone.
Dying.
In agony.
Yet
‘It is finished!’
A cry rings out –
Not of submission,
Defeat,
But of TRIUMPH.
Redemption won
Because You chose the nails
For me.
~~~~~
MULTI-SENSORY CALVARY
(At the foot of the cross)
Sound
The baying of the rabble
Out for blood.
Hammers drive nails
Through the flesh
Into resisting wood.
The cross is raised -
Dropped noisily into its stand
And the crowd bay louder.
Smell -
The sweat of the crowd;
The nauseatingly sweet smell
Of blood dripping down.
Sight -
The twisted forms
Of men upon three crosses.
One bears a sign -
"The King of the Jews"
Some king -
A crown of throrns rammed down
Upon his bleeding brow.
Again the sound -
The robbers rail on the 'king'
"Save yourself, and us."
Yet one turns -
"Remember me
When you come into your kingdom"
And the 'king' replies
"Today you shall be with me
In Paradise."
What does he mean?
Sound -
The rattling of dice
As soldiers gamble
For Christ's garments.
Sound -
A cry rends the air -
"It is finished!!"
Not a cry of desperation
But of TRIUMPH?
He bows his head -
"Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit."
Sight -
He is dead - the others struggle on
A spear is plunged
Into the king's side
And blood and water flow out.
He is dead.
Yet, in the temple
A sound of ripping -
That enormous curtain ripped
From TOP to bottom!
What a sight.
Sounds in the graveyard -
Rolling stones
As holy men arise and go Into the city.
I do not understand
These things I've heard,
I've smelt,
I've seen
And yet I know
This was no ordinary man.
He was a king.
He was THE king.
He was the Son of God
And WE crucified him!
~~~~~
IT IS FINISHED!
(Based on a piece of music and thoughts from our Easter services etc.)
It is finished!
The folded towel reminds me
The work is now complete;
Redemption’s plan fulfilled.
The nails have done their work;
The spirit yielded;
That sacred head
Bowed in death.
Yet ‘It is finished!’
Not in defeat and finality,
For by that death
WE are made complete,
Made whole, transformed.
For You rose.
The tomb is empty.
The throne is occupied.
It is finished!
Your life is made ours.
We need no longer be bound,
For You have loosed
The chains of sin.
No longer do we have
A debt we cannot pay.
It is finished!
Your life
Is now ours.
Your glory
Is now ours
And we
New life begin.
~~~~~
MARY - IN THE GARDEN
My eyes made blind with weeping,
My heart fast closed by pain;
My Lord was dead – what sorrow!
But then He rose again.
I did not recognise Him,
But He whispered my name –
It was my precious Master,
For from the grave He came.
Salvation’s plan completed
For all the world – for ME;
Sin’s power for ever vanquished
That I might be set free.
My eyes, now opened, saw Him;
My heart opened to view
My King, the Lord of glory
Who gives me life anew.
~~~~~~~~
ASCENSION PRAISE
Great risen and ascended Lord,
Your promises I claim
For power, grace and holiness,
Salvation in Your name.
The throne of heaven is occupied –
You take the highest place.
Yet from Your glory You reach down –
Touch me with love and grace.
Although not seen, by faith I know
That You are always near.
You walk with me along life’s way
And take away my fear.
Above all powers, above all names,
O’er everything You reign.
And one day we’ll all reign with You,
Set free from grief and pain.
Till then, I would Your love proclaim –
Your love, which reaches me
And raises me from earth to heaven
And sets me fully free.
~~~~~
ASCENSION THOUGHTS
(Burrswood 7am Communion in Bocky’s Kitchen)
Turned upside down –
The dreams and illusions
Of His caring friends.
Christ died.
Such mourning!
But then He rose –
What joy,
Yet what mystery!
And then He left –
Ascended into heaven.
Dumbstruck,
They gazed
Into the skies.
Confused.
Fearful.
Lives turned upside down.
And I, too, am there;
Illusions stripped away
That I might move on.
The Holy Spirit came.
The Holy Spirit comes.
The Divine Agenda.
The Guide
Upon my future pathway.
With me everywhere.
Permeating every cell.
With me every moment.
There to empower me.
There to commission me.
With me
Till the end of time –
And through eternity.
~~~~~
SPIRIT
A gale,
Blowing away
The rubbish of the past;
Impelling me onward
To You.
A fire,
Burning up
The fear,
The sorrow,
The pain
And kindling me
With Your vision.
A dove,
Stilling me.
Giving me peace.
Showing me
Your beauty.
Healing Spirit,
Pour out Your balm
On all my brokenness.
Pouring in life.
Pouring in love;
Pouring in power;
Pouring in
God’s fullness.
~~~~~
Mercy, love and grace have moved us
Christ’s great works of love to share;
Chased away the sin within us,
Put Christ’s light and beauty there.
Changing us to be like Jesus
As on Him we hope and wait,
Watching for the coming morning,
Proving Christ’s own power so great.
Mystery of incarnation –
Christ was born as man on earth.
Mystery of resurrection –
Precious gifts of priceless worth.
Mystery of full salvation
For all those who will believe.
Mystery – God now within us
As His Spirit we receive.
Light has come into Christ’s temple –
Our own bodies, to dispel
All the darkness from within us
There in holiness to dwell.
Light surpassing understanding,
Light to purify and guide.
Light of God’s pure radiance, coming
In our spirits to abide.
Christ calls us to feed the hungry;
Justice bring to those in need;
Steward all the earth’s resources;
Work that captives may be freed.
It is God at work within us –
God must take the central place
As we go where He is calling
To display His love and grace.
~~~~~
PREPARE THE WAY
(28/11/05)
A voice within the wilderness –
“Prepare God’s holy way”
A voice two thousand years ago,
Yet still as real today.
These words were spoken with great power
To those whose life had gone,
Giving them purpose, work to do,
Preparing for God’s Son.
Mankind is looking for a God
Who will all hate remove,
When justice, truth and peace shall reign –
A world of perfect love.
Not in religion God met John,
But in the desert bare –
A place of barrenness and pain –
Yet God, the Lord, was there.
He calls us to prepare His way,
His word of love to share.
In Christ salvation comes to us
And we His word declare.
We smooth the road, and reconstruct
Where Christ shall come as King,
A super-highway of His grace
Where He His life may bring.
The voice of Christmas says to us
The King has come indeed,
And by His Spirit in our lives
Our spirits He has freed.
He came, a vulnerable child
And yet the Lord of all,
Now risen, ascended, glorified,
We answer His clear call.
~~~~~
PREPARE THE WAY
(28/11/05)
A voice within the wilderness –
“Prepare God’s holy way”
A voice two thousand years ago,
Yet still as real today.
These words were spoken with great power
To those whose life had gone,
Giving them purpose, work to do,
Preparing for God’s Son.
Mankind is looking for a God
Who will all hate remove,
When justice, truth and peace shall reign –
A world of perfect love.
Not in religion God met John,
But in the desert bare –
A place of barrenness and pain –
Yet God, the Lord, was there.
He calls us to prepare His way,
His word of love to share.
In Christ salvation comes to us
And we His word declare.
We smooth the road, and reconstruct
Where Christ shall come as King,
A super-highway of His grace
Where He His life may bring.
The voice of Christmas says to us
The King has come indeed,
And by His Spirit in our lives
Our spirits He has freed.
He came, a vulnerable child
And yet the Lord of all,
Now risen, ascended, glorified,
We answer His clear call.
~~~~~
YOU CAME DOWN
(Based on a sermon 2/12/05)
From the measureless beauty of heaven
You came down
To the squalor of a stable.
From having all power
You came down
To the helplessness of a baby.
From the timelessness of eternity
You came down
To the constraints of time.
From honour and glory
You came down
To a despised town;
Of a despised race;
To teach those
Who wouldn’t listen.
From adoration and praise
You came down
And were hanged
Naked and spreadeagled
On a cross.
You knew what lay ahead,
Yet You came down.
You came down
For our sin.
You came down
That we might be raised.
You were utterly sinless,
Yet You came down
And were made sin
For us.
Love requires demotion;
Time;
Energy.
Love costs.
Your Kingdom costs,
For Your Kingdom
Is a kingdom of love.
May Christ’s mind be in us.
May Christ’s love be in us.
All-demanding love;
All-giving love;
Forgiving love;
Serving love
Because You came down
In love.
~~~~~
GOD WITH US
That which we saw from afar
Now comes into view.
Real adventure fills the air
As Christ comes anew.
Christmas tells us all is real –
Jesus came to earth
And we long to share this gift
Of such priceless worth.
God has made us all to share
In both joy and need,
Bearing one another up
By both prayer and deed.
And our God – Emmanuel,
He is with us now.
With us through the whole of life.
His presence we know.
God with us – Emmanuel –
He is always near.
God is with us in our mess,
So we need not fear.
God is with us where we are,
Outside and within.
For all the dis-ease we know
He will still come in.
God with us to strengthen us;
God, the world’s true Light.
He has come into our lives
To dispel the night.
We are children of that Light –
And our Saviour came
To revive, restore, lead on
And our lives reclaim.
God with us, so welcoming.
He calls us to come.
He knows all the pain we feel.
In Him we come home.
God with us, assuring us
Of His boundless love.
God – re-kindling our weak faith
With life from above
~~~~~
YOU PARTED THE HEAVENS
(30/11/05)
You parted the heavens and came down to earth;
You came in a stable, so humble Your birth;
You came down to die a lost world to reclaim,
To bring us salvation and life in Your name.
You count us of value – in love You came down.
You walk with us daily, You make Your grace known.
You live right within us, so we need not fear.
You parted the heavens and always are near.
You will part the heavens - You will come again.
You will come in glory for ever to reign.
You will bring a kingdom of true love and peace.
You will part the heavens and bring us release.
~~~~~
THE CHRISTMAS STAR
The star points down - Christ came to earth -
God, reaching down in love,
Making a way to save from sin
And raise our souls above.
The star points out - Christ's arms outstretched
Reach out to all around.
His message is for everyone -
In Him life can be found.
The star points up - we worship God,
The mighty Lord of all,
And at the manger, at the cross
In adoration fall.
~~~~~
A MAUNDY THURSDAY MEDITATION
(I wrote this after our incredibly moving Maundy Thursday service)
It was night, Lord.
The olive branches, twisted
Against the moonlit sky.
It was night, Lord.
We were so tired -
The emotions of the evening
Had left us
Puzzled and perplexed.
Betrayed?
Denied?
Forsaken?
Never, Lord.
We will stay with You.
We will watch with You.
Yet it was night, Lord.
We could not keep
Our eyes from slumber
As You prayed.
We could not understand
Your agony.
You knew what lay ahead.
You CHOSE to obey,
Yet we slept.
And it was night.
A clamour awoke us.
Judas?
A kiss?
The rabble seized You
And You submitted
To them.
And we deserted You.
It was night, Lord.
~~~~~
YOU CHOSE THE NAILS
(A Good Friday Meditation – inspired by ‘He chose the Nails’ {Max Lucado} and a song by Don Francisco)
You CHOSE the nails.
You could have
Slain the rabble
With a word.
You could have called
Ten thousand angels
And staged
A spectacular release.
You could have shown Yourself
A king –
THE King.
And yet You chose
The nails.
Cruel nails
Hammered through hands and feet.
What agony.
They raise the cross
And drop it roughly
In its stand.
You chose the nails.
Forsaken.
Mocked.
Alone.
Dying.
In agony.
Yet
‘It is finished!’
A cry rings out –
Not of submission,
Defeat,
But of TRIUMPH.
Redemption won
Because You chose the nails
For me.
~~~~~
MULTI-SENSORY CALVARY
(At the foot of the cross)
Sound
The baying of the rabble
Out for blood.
Hammers drive nails
Through the flesh
Into resisting wood.
The cross is raised -
Dropped noisily into its stand
And the crowd bay louder.
Smell -
The sweat of the crowd;
The nauseatingly sweet smell
Of blood dripping down.
Sight -
The twisted forms
Of men upon three crosses.
One bears a sign -
"The King of the Jews"
Some king -
A crown of throrns rammed down
Upon his bleeding brow.
Again the sound -
The robbers rail on the 'king'
"Save yourself, and us."
Yet one turns -
"Remember me
When you come into your kingdom"
And the 'king' replies
"Today you shall be with me
In Paradise."
What does he mean?
Sound -
The rattling of dice
As soldiers gamble
For Christ's garments.
Sound -
A cry rends the air -
"It is finished!!"
Not a cry of desperation
But of TRIUMPH?
He bows his head -
"Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit."
Sight -
He is dead - the others struggle on
A spear is plunged
Into the king's side
And blood and water flow out.
He is dead.
Yet, in the temple
A sound of ripping -
That enormous curtain ripped
From TOP to bottom!
What a sight.
Sounds in the graveyard -
Rolling stones
As holy men arise and go Into the city.
I do not understand
These things I've heard,
I've smelt,
I've seen
And yet I know
This was no ordinary man.
He was a king.
He was THE king.
He was the Son of God
And WE crucified him!
~~~~~
IT IS FINISHED!
(Based on a piece of music and thoughts from our Easter services etc.)
It is finished!
The folded towel reminds me
The work is now complete;
Redemption’s plan fulfilled.
The nails have done their work;
The spirit yielded;
That sacred head
Bowed in death.
Yet ‘It is finished!’
Not in defeat and finality,
For by that death
WE are made complete,
Made whole, transformed.
For You rose.
The tomb is empty.
The throne is occupied.
It is finished!
Your life is made ours.
We need no longer be bound,
For You have loosed
The chains of sin.
No longer do we have
A debt we cannot pay.
It is finished!
Your life
Is now ours.
Your glory
Is now ours
And we
New life begin.
~~~~~
MARY - IN THE GARDEN
My eyes made blind with weeping,
My heart fast closed by pain;
My Lord was dead – what sorrow!
But then He rose again.
I did not recognise Him,
But He whispered my name –
It was my precious Master,
For from the grave He came.
Salvation’s plan completed
For all the world – for ME;
Sin’s power for ever vanquished
That I might be set free.
My eyes, now opened, saw Him;
My heart opened to view
My King, the Lord of glory
Who gives me life anew.
~~~~~~~~
ASCENSION PRAISE
Great risen and ascended Lord,
Your promises I claim
For power, grace and holiness,
Salvation in Your name.
The throne of heaven is occupied –
You take the highest place.
Yet from Your glory You reach down –
Touch me with love and grace.
Although not seen, by faith I know
That You are always near.
You walk with me along life’s way
And take away my fear.
Above all powers, above all names,
O’er everything You reign.
And one day we’ll all reign with You,
Set free from grief and pain.
Till then, I would Your love proclaim –
Your love, which reaches me
And raises me from earth to heaven
And sets me fully free.
~~~~~
ASCENSION THOUGHTS
(Burrswood 7am Communion in Bocky’s Kitchen)
Turned upside down –
The dreams and illusions
Of His caring friends.
Christ died.
Such mourning!
But then He rose –
What joy,
Yet what mystery!
And then He left –
Ascended into heaven.
Dumbstruck,
They gazed
Into the skies.
Confused.
Fearful.
Lives turned upside down.
And I, too, am there;
Illusions stripped away
That I might move on.
The Holy Spirit came.
The Holy Spirit comes.
The Divine Agenda.
The Guide
Upon my future pathway.
With me everywhere.
Permeating every cell.
With me every moment.
There to empower me.
There to commission me.
With me
Till the end of time –
And through eternity.
~~~~~
SPIRIT
A gale,
Blowing away
The rubbish of the past;
Impelling me onward
To You.
A fire,
Burning up
The fear,
The sorrow,
The pain
And kindling me
With Your vision.
A dove,
Stilling me.
Giving me peace.
Showing me
Your beauty.
Healing Spirit,
Pour out Your balm
On all my brokenness.
Pouring in life.
Pouring in love;
Pouring in power;
Pouring in
God’s fullness.
~~~~~