Wisdom & Humility
A poem of Christmas

The wisdom of creator God
And Mary, just a girl
Humility of a willing heart
To do God’s perfect will.

The wisdom of the universe
Humility of earth
Drawn together by amazing grace
At our Saviour’s birth.

The wisdom of God’s timing
In history he wrought
Humility of following
To Bethlehem were brought.

The wisdom of a thousand tongues
As angels sang in choir
Humility of shepherds poor
Heard great news from on high.

The wisdom of men from afar
Seek the newborn king
Humility of family poor
Their gifts to him they bring.

The wisdom of God’s promises
So sure his truth will be
In humility we all can come
Find blessing, be set free.

Lover of My Soul

Let me touch your heart my child
Draw so near to me
In heart to heart communion
I give my love so free.

Nothing else can satisfy
The hunger deep inside
Give yourself to me my child
In me you must abide.

For there you find the strength and joy
You need to win this race
In me is Life in all it’s fullness
But only found in my embrace.

So let me have your heart my child
Trust me, for I am true
You long for love that’s true and realLove I alone can offer you.

Unanswered Prayer

I do not understand, dear Lord
Why sometimes it just seems
My prayers to you unanswered lie –
Result in broken dreams.

I struggle to maintain my faith
To trust and not deny
When all I really want to do
Is cry and ask you “Why?”

You see my disappointment, Lord
You hear my angry shout
Then in your love you comfort me
Bring peace where there was doubt.

I realise then I need to trust
In wisdom, yours not mine
And let my questions rest with you
For answers in your time.

My Troubled Heart

When Your ways are hidden Lord
and I don’t understand –
It’s hard to trust and worship -
to know You have a plan.
My tears have flowed so freely
as I’ve tossed upon my bed
Grief and anger, faith and doubt
get mixed up in my head.

Yet Lord You promised comfort
To those who weep and mourn
In fact you said the oil of joy
and gladness could be born.
A great exchange is possible
in which I can take part
A garment full of praise to You
for this, my hurting heart.

Oh help me Lord as through my mind
flow many troubled thoughts
I want to know Your peace again
the peace that Jesus brought.
I know You have the answers
They are in your Word for me,
Reveal again Your truth and light
my peace that all may see.

For in this world the people need
to see there is a way
When dark times come the Prince of Peace
can keep them through each day.
That nothing in this changing world
is hid from God above
His comfort will bring strength in need
If they’ll reach for His love.

EASTER MORNING

The earth was silent that after-Sabbath morn
As though creation held its breath
The plan of God about to be fulfilled.
No soldier set to guard the tomb could – even if he willed
Stop the mighty act of God
As heaven’s power filled that tomb
And Life conquered death, sin’s price paid in full
Forever – it was finished!

The women came with spices – early risers
To minister to the One they held so dear.
Talking, wondering, how to roll away the heavy stone
That had been set to seal the fate, to hold Him captive still –
This One who spoke of things too wonderful to understand.
Amazed, they stopped and trembled at the sight
Of angels standing guard – the tomb was open wide
Their message clear – He is not here – He is risen!

His work was done
Though man and Satan thought they’d won
As always underestimating the wondrous ways of One we call
Our Master, Saviour, Lord, Redeemer, friend –
Holy One of Israel, Son of God
We worship You this day for You are worthy
Who walked this earth and felt our pain, then paid the price of sin
So we can rise – set free, forgiven – to sing with thankful hearts
To You our King of Glory.

His Love

Love took the lashing, the mocking, the blows
Love looked sad as the rooster crowed.
Love knew that flesh was weak within
Yet could stand strong and through prayer could win.

Love bore the crown of thorns, the pain
Love saw the end and bore the stain
Of sins not owned by His pure life
But sins of ours, and all our strife.

Love stood tall and strong that day
When all His followers ran away.
Love took the nail prints, the pain of the cross
Love never failed but died for the lost.

Love felt forsaken and cried out His woe
Yet honoured His mother standing below.
Love spoke to His friend, gave instruction to care
Love joined them as family their pain to bear.

Love never failed in its mission
Love triumphed in death.
Hell could not hold Love!

EASTER MOMENTS

If He is the King
Let Him prove Himself.
If all He says is true
Let Him fight back.
If He is that important – the Son of God
Then surely God would not allow this.
If He is the Son of God
Let Him save Himself.


He did not prove Himself
To satisfy their arrogant unbelief.
He did not fight back
That is man’s way, not God’s.
He really was that important
All of heaven mourned and held its breath.
God not only allowed this
He planned it!
If Jesus had saved Himself from that moment
He would not have saved us for eternity.

His suffering and death
The price He paid not for His sin but for ours.

His resurrection and glorious victory over death and hell
Our promise of life eternal.

DID I CARE?

Did I really care this week, Lord
As I went about my chores
Did I feel the needs of others
Or did I close my own heart’s door?

Did I listen for your voice, Lord
Prompting me to love and care
Did I recognise the lonely
Or the needy ones out there?

Did I spend some time with you, Lord
Time to worship and to praise
Or did I fill my times alone
With things that waste my days?

Remind me, Lord, that life is short
Too short to waste away
On things that have no lasting worth
On pleasure and on play.

Let Your Spirit draw me, Lord
To truly follow You
That others in this needy world
May feel Your warm love too.

Near the Top

The road is often harder near the top
No shadowed glen nor tree to rest awhile
No time to sit in idleness and dreaming
But pressing ever upward in the fight.

We know His presence and His helping hand
He’s there to strengthen and to urge us on.
His gentle words will guide us on our way
Until His glory we shall share beyond.

Take heart dear friend to Him you are so precious
A tested gem with facets clear and bright
To shine His word of hope to those around you
And bring them to His ever glorious light.

CREATION SPEAKS

Who is faithful like our God above the heavens
Where He sits on high in glorious array
Yet not too great to stoop and lift the lowly
To strengthen them and help them on their way.

From rising sun till evening clouds shall gather
All nature sings its song of glorious praise
Then darkness comes and still the moon keeps watch
With a million stars our wondering eyes to daze.

They tell of their Creator great and mighty
Who spoke a word of power and it was so
So order came from chaos bringing beauty
That all the world God’s might and power could know.

He’s a shield to those who trust Him and acknowledge
Their need of cleansing power their lives to fill.
But those who turn away - refuse to hear Him
God’s judgment waits, His justice to fulfil.

COURAGE, COMFORT, STRENGTH

Courage, Lord, I need from you
To face the world today
To know that you are with me
Tho’ trials may come my way.
The path of life sometimes seems long
The burdens hard to bear
But if you’ll give me courage, Lord
I’ll trust and will not fear.

Comfort, Lord, I need from you
I come to you in prayer
To share my fears, to ask your help
I know that you are there.
This time seems hard, the road not clear
My own strength cannot cope
But if you’ll give me comfort, Lord
I know I’ll live in hope.

Strength, dear Lord, I need that too
With every brand new day
Then I can live my life for you
Help others along the way.
I know I’ll fail if in my own
Frail strength I try to stand,
But if you’ll give me your strength, Lord
I’ll live life as you’ve planned.

I’LL TRUST HIM

The way ahead’s uncertain
There’s a mist before my eyes
Of tears I’ve shed through many a night and day
And yet I know my Saviour
Will make a path for me
I’ll walk with Him till sunlight shines again.

Through every trial I’ll trust Him
For He alone is true
He rules the universe with power and might.
To me He says, “Now come child
And lay your burdens down.”
His yoke I’ll take, ‘tis easy and ‘tis light.

As each day I lift my face
Behold His tender glance
My lips sing praise, for His great love I feel.
He gives assurance to me
His joy and peace I know
In worship now before my Lord I kneel.

A SONG IN THE NIGHT

There is joy amid the heartache
As I sing a song of praise
Of trust in Jesus, Saviour, Lord and King.
My Father in heaven is greater
Than fears that can befall
I'll give to Him this burden now and sing.
I'll sing a song of thankfulness
That He is in control
I'll sing a song of praise for His great power
I'll worship and adore Him
For He alone is great
He'll see me through the very darkest hour.

Testing


In your weakness child
Trust only in My strength.
It is such times as these that make you strong.
You do not understand My dealings now
But light will shine before too long.

Your heart is troubled, questioning –
Remember that I cannot fail you,
My promises stand forever, I cannot lie.
Will you trust Me?

Will you believe that I am working
Even in these difficult circumstances?
Let your vision become God-sized,
Do not flounder in the rubble,
Rise up on the wings of faith,
Praise Me, not grudgingly –
But in real love and worship.

I AM your God, I love you.
Do you love Me?

A Quiet Time

Lord, help me hear Your Spirit’s voice
Through the busyness of this week
Help me take time to rest awhile
To listen while You speak.

‘Tis easy, Lord to put things off
Find other tasks to do
Rather than to take the time
And spend awhile with You.

So help me, Lord, to put aside
A special time with You
When I can listen for Your word
And learn obedience too.

He Is Our Peace

The place of peace in God’s great hands
Is such a place of rest
No fuss, no fears, frustrated tears
No thoughts of hopelessness.

The rivers of His word run deep
When in our heart they stay
They keep us on a steady road
Give wisdom for each day.

This place of peace can only come
From living day by day
Abiding in His word and love
His is the perfect way.

He made you, friend, He set your course
He knows you through and through
He has a plan, a destiny
To do the best for you.

So trust, delight, commit, be still
Wait for Him patiently
Our times are always in His hands
He’s our security.

Thoughts based on Psalm 37

Patchwork of Life

Life is a journey we travel
filled with surprises, challenges, joys and sorrows.
Some of these we’d like to experience
in greater measure,
others we would rather avoid completely.
But each experience holds its own treasure
which, when seen together, in the end,
forms a patchwork, the patchwork of our life.

If we can embrace each experience, its joy or its pain,
and hold it up to God; if we can say,
“Lord, give me grace to walk this part of the journey.
Help me to feel the love, the joy, the pain,
the emptiness, or the loneliness, and grow through it.
Give me the wisdom to make right choices along the way,
and ears to hear your voice when I walk, or even stray -
To hear you say, “This is the way”,
and to alter my course accordingly”.

Then, as we complete each section of our journey,
we will have learned well
the lessons life has brought to us, and be enriched.
As we hold them before the Lord with thankfulness,
we will be ready to share the wisdom we’ve gained
with others, to help them complete their journey
through the patchwork of life.
Then nothing will be wasted.