The Call of Christ -- Mark 2

Christ came to call to sinners,
"Follow Me"
He has authority
To set all people free
From the paralyzing grip
Of guilt and shame
He is the Lord,
The Lord of grace
---
March 31, 2016

Unashamed

Adam and Eve were naked 
and unashamed;
they felt no fear of evil 
or exploitation
then they fell 
into a trap 
of lies, doubt, 
manipulation
when they 
against their God rebelled, 
and His law rejected
their eyes were opened
and then cast down in shame
Disheartened and dejected,
their souls exposed
then they cowered
and covered themselves
with makeshift clothes 
they secretly built

Fear, hiding and blame
came between them and God;
they didn't confess their guilt
Made in God's image,
they now believed
they were flawed
but God drew them out,
wanted them to give 
account for their actions,
wanted them to confess
so He could forgive
the ones who betrayed

Fearfully and wonderfully made,
we all fall short of God's plan
Shame shapes us
but Christ Jesus
who died for our sins
is not ashamed 
to call us His kin
We can be clothed
in His righteousness
if we confess
He is Lord
He will cleanse us, 
defend us 
when we surrender, 
remember that He
is both faithful and just
and we can trust 
in His goodness and mercy
for He has reversed 
the curse of the fall

Call on His name,
come out of the 
shadows and shame
let your heart be revealed
in light of His grace
so you can be healed,
be made right
and be free
to stand tall,
so you can 
our loving Father embrace
---
March 25, 2016
Inspired by Christine Caine's book Unashamed 

Jesus Knelt--John 13

Jesus knelt before Judas
And took his dirty, smelly feet
Within His hands
To cleanse them
Just as He did
For Peter, James and John
Companions, disciples,
Deniers, betrayers
To the end, He loved them,
Stripped down
And girded to serve
Though they didn't deserve it
Water poured out
And with His own righteousness
His true followers
Were made clean
---
March 23, 2016
Inspired by:
https://briarcroft.wordpress.com/2016/03/23/between-midnight-and-dawn-having-loved-his-own/

With the Grieving, Weep

The Lord helps the house of misery
Jesus weeps with those who mourn 
He brings life from death
And calls us out 
By name He calls us
As we hear His voice and live
We are transformed

Released from chains
We can follow 
Follow Christ
Wherever He leads
Going to 
Those in the grip
Of death
We can speak hope
And with the grieving, weep
---
March 20, 2016
Inspired by:
http://blog.stevebell.com/2016/03/palm-sunday-what-makes-for-peace/

Mended

'For Him to see me mended, I must see Him torn,' quoted from Luci Shaw

'For Him to see me mended, 
I must see Him torn'
like a lamb before slaughter
He was shorn;
the seamless garment He had worn
strewn beneath the cross, 
a tree
hewn for His demise

The angry mob cries,
"Crucify,"
and lets 
the insurrectionist go free
Christ's back shredded,
His hands and feet pierced
He hung draped above
the passers-by,
the ones who cursed Him
and swore,
the ones who nursed Him,
and more,
all who He loved

The curtain in the temple  tore
from up high to down below
as the One 
who descended from above
gave His last breath
and tasted death,
our death
for our offence

Wrapped in strips of cloth
His body was bound,
placed in a maiden tomb; 
three days hence 
women arrived
with burial spice
to furnish Christ

Upon the tomb's stone
sat an angel, burnished
"He is not here," he told Mary
Filled with fear and joy,
she did not tarry,
her footsteps quickened
to share the news
with the grief-stricken,
"He is risen!"

When Peter heard 
that the One he had denied
might somehow be alive,
he raced out of the room,
entered the empty tomb;
all he found there
were strips of linen, torn;
he went away
pondering by the shore

No doubt his past failure
snarled in his mind
but his Redeemer 
met him there;
his thoughts were realigned
to follow Christ,
the One he loved
more than his very life

We are mended, commended 
by Christ, the resurrected;
our filthy rags He has transposed
Now in His righteousness,
we're clothed
---
March 19, 2016

Put to Death

For years, I wanted 
to do away with myself,
put to death who I was
because
I didn't know the One
God's only Son
who was put to death for me,
nailed to a cross 
to set me free

Christ conquered death,
conquered Hell
so that I could be forgiven
of my sin
and He could dwell 
within

Now I daily put to death
my former self-
naked, blind and poor,
am clothed in His righteousness,
His righteousness divine,
His everlasting embrace,
see glimpses of His glory,
live in the wealth 
of His love and joy and peace,
His abundant grace

As He sings ballads to me,
with tender mercies, woos me
I bring all I have to Him,
my heart, my soul, my mind
for all i have, is from His hand,
is from His nail-scarred hand
---
March 3, 2016

Prophecy is Unfolding (Matthew 24)

Prophecy is unfolding Before our very eyes   A new world  order  is coming    Ruled by deception and lies Do not be alarmed    When wars and...