Observing His Ordinances

"Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to Thine ordinances: for all are Thy servants.... I have seen an end of all perfection: but Thy commandment is exceeding broad" (Psalm 119:90,91,96).

Look into our galaxy:
Now what do you observe?
The planets orbit perfectly,
For God the Lord they serve.

Look upon the earth around,
And tell me what you see.
The glories of our Lord abound,
In nature's harmony.

Look beneath the ocean sea,
And you will see yet more
Of God's ingenious majesty
Displayed from shore to shore.

Man's inventions, though esteemed,
All fail upon inspection.
How primitive they all have seemed,
Compared to God's perfection.

Dreams of Dross

"Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?" (Proverbs 22:20,21). "The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not My word like as fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" (Jeremiah 23:28,29).

Let the dreamers dream his dream:
Let him say what he'll desire:
Things are not as they may seem:
Dreams are purged as dross in fire.

The Word of God as fire burns
And melts away these dreams of dross.
Every Word of God returns
Triumphant as our Savior's cross.

The Word of God is as the wheat,
The dreamer's dream is driven chaff.
The Word of God shall be complete
And drive away the mocker's laugh.

As a hammer breaks the rock,
The Word of God shall break the lies
Of every mocker's empty talk,
And tear away his thin disguise.

As for you who have God's Word,
Speak it faithfully today!
Let the truth of God be heard;
God will purge the rest away.

The Answer of His Anger

"They say still to them that despise Me, the Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto everyone that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.... The anger of the Lord shall not return, until He have executed, and till He have performed the thoughts of His heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly" (Jeremiah 23:17,20).

The message that we'd like to hear
May not be what we heed.
Reproof may find no willing ear,
Though this is what we need.

We'd rather hear: You shall have peace;
No evil comes to you.
Yet one day hollow words shall cease,
When judgment is found true.

Surely there is promised blessing
For those who seek the Lord.
Those are not who we're addressing,
When judgment is outpoured.

For God by many is despised:
What peace have they in store?
Why should judgment be disguised,
Deceiving them yet more?

A sinner's own imagination
May think that he's okay
Without receiving God's salvation,
But what does Scripture say?

The anger of the Lord will come
With judgment like a flood.
He would save all, but shall save some:
Those washed in Jesus' blood.

So let the Word of God come through
When speaking to the lost.
It's better that they know what's true,
That they might count the cost.

Fruit of Freedom

"Then said Jesus... If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31,32).

There is a wondrous consequence,
When Gospel truth is found:
Freedom comes to the defense
Of captives who were bound.

Behold the fruit of freedom spring
As from a fruitful tree,
And listen to the captives sing
Of truth that set them free.

As rivers feed the thirsty root
Of trees that are thus fed,
The Word of Christ will bring forth fruit
Of freedom as He said.

Come, taste the fruit of freedom now
With those continuing
To trust, obey, and thus allow
The Lord to be their King.

Leading Light

"I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).

There's a light in our life
When our Lord enters in;
There's a triumph in strife
When He frees us from sin.

There's a light through the length
Of our heaven bound road.
There's provision of strength
Till we lay down our load.

There's a light that is leading
The sojourner home.
There's a promise he's reading
To nevermore roam.

That Light is our Lord
Who will lead all the way
On the pathway toward
Our sweet homecoming day.

Decision amid Derision

"The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from Thy law.... This I had because I kept Thy precepts" (Psalm 119:51,56).

I hear derision from the proud
Who think that they are clever,
Who gain approval from the crowd,
Applauding their endeavor.

I am not moved by their vain talk,
For all of their derision
Does not change the truth they mock,
Nor weaken my decision.

If mockers think the earth is flat,
It nonetheless is round.
God is God, and that is that;
His precepts are all sound.

And so I have not changed my mind,
For God has not changed His;
Nor from His law have I declined,
Which tells it like it is.

Forced by the Fire

"Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His Word was in mine heart, as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forebearing, and I could not stay". (Jeremiah 20:9).

Sometimes I think it might be best
To just withhold what I would say,
To give my rhetoric a rest,
And let the world have its way.

But then the fire in me burned
As I began to count the cost.
So many things that had learned
Were not for me, but for the lost.

How shall I keep this fire contained
That burns within my soul?
I'll simply do as I've been trained,
And give the Lord control.

Quicken me Quickly

"Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in Thy way" (Psalm 119:37).

Quickly, Lord, now turn my eyes
From beholding what is vain!
Quicken me; I would be wise;
Make Your values plain.

Another day has come and gone;
Was it wasted or redeemed?
Lord, let me meet the coming dawn,
And prize what You've esteemed.

Thus fixed upon eternity,
And things that ever last,
Lord, turn my eyes from vanity;
Consign it to the past.

Stuck on Studying

"My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken me according to Thy Word.... I have stuck unto Thy testimonies" (Psalm 119: 25,31). "The heart of the righteous studieth to answer" (Proverbs 15:28).

My soul cleaves to the things, I know,
That surely turn to dust.
And yet my heart will not let go
Of truth I've learned to trust.

Your Word, oh Lord, is where I find
The truth that makes me free.
So I would give my heart and mind
To study carefully.

And thus would I be free at last
From dust to which I cleave.
And thus when seekers come to ask,
I'll say why I believe.

Hopeless Heart

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, to give every man according to his ways, and according to he fruit of his doings... Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise" (Jeremiah 17:9,10,14).

Lord, You've seen this heart of mine;
You've searched it through and through.
There's nothing there that would incline
My heart to follow You.

Oh hopeless heart! Where shall I turn
To heal your wretchedness?
What physician can discern
And treat you with success?

Lord, You know I have no hope
Unless You intervene.
Your eyes search like a microscope;
You know that I'm unclean.

In view of what You have revealed,
A hopeless heart depraved,
Lord, heal me, and I shall be healed;
Save, and I'll be saved.

For You, Lord, have foretold abroad
By prophecies and types
That You became the Lamb of God,
Who heals us by Your stripes.

What shall I render to You, Lord,
For blessings You impart?
I'll give You what I can afford:
My healed, once hopeless heart.

Prosperity vs. Poverty

"I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches" (Psalm 119:14). "There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.... Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction" (Proverbs 13:7,18).

The testimonies of the Lord can truly make us wealthy.
They also tell us we are poor if we won't pay them heed.
Obeying them will make us rich and spiritually healthy;
Trusting in the Lord will make us prosperous indeed.

Delicious Direction

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16).

Your words were found which I did eat,
And oh how they rejoiced my heart!
The comfort that they bring is sweet
With each instruction they impart.

Your words have given me direction
And called me by Your name, my Lord,
Working in me Your perfection:
More like Jesus! Sweet reward!

Study the Stone

"The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head Stone of the corner" (Psalm 118:22). "Search the Scriptures... they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39).

Search the Scriptures everyday.
Listen well to what they say.
See this One Whom they portray:
Our own beloved Savior.

Behold the Stone Who was refused,
Silent when He was accused,
By our world, so abused:
How wicked our behavior!

Stone of refuge, now our Head,
Thus You suffered in our stead,
Thus You rose up from the dead,
With love that would not waver.

Lord, we worship You alone,
For You were that smitten Stone.
Boldly we approach Your throne,
Now sheltered by Your favor.

Merciful Memory

"The memory of the just is blessed.... The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:7,22).

The memory of the just is blessed,
That manifests God's grace,
And promises eternal rest,
When we shall see His face.

The memory of the just is blessed,
For God commands it so.
It passes every stormy test,
Withstanding every foe.

The memory of the just is blessed,
And with it there's no sorrow.
The sweetness it will manifest
Will grow with each tomorrow.

The memory of the just is blessed,
Through time and to the end.
It enters like a welcome guest
And like a cherished friend.

The memory of the just is blessed:
Lord, thank you for this gift!
It's like a wondrous treasure chest
With thoughts that love and lift.

The memory of the just is blessed,
Though such a one departs.
Our mother's love that once caressed,
Still comforts thus our hearts.

Dedicated to our dear mother, Stella May Hall (May 5, 1916—June 6, 2008), now on heaven's beautiful shoreline. God commands the blessing, and we are indeed blessed by her memory. Thank you, Lord, for our mother.

Girded to God

"For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord, that they might be unto Me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear" (Jeremiah 13:11).

Lord, keep us cleaving to You everyday,
To live as Your people for Your holy name,
To show forth Your praise as we humbly obey,
To give You the glory, declaring Your fame.

How quickly we find that our life becomes bland,
A meaningless effort, a tedious story,
Unless You will draw us by Your gracious hand,
To live for the purpose of giving You glory.

So may You find us, Lord, girded to God,
Cleaving steadfastly and giving You praise.
All other options are hopelessly flawed,
Lamentable choices, a waste of our days.

Pleading and Pleasure

"Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors" (Proverbs 8:34). "Righteous art Thou, O Lord, when I plead with Thee: yet let me talk with Thee of Thy judgments" (12:1).

How righteous and kind You are toward me,
Oh Lord, as You hear me each time that I plead.
Yet let me talk with You intimately,
That I may discern in Your Word what I read.

Oh what a privilege it is to draw near,
And know that You hear us as we intercede!
Oh what a pleasure as we also hear
The voice of our Lord to comfort and lead!

Daily, Oh Lord, we would lift up our voice,
To plead at Your throne, and yet also to talk.
In two-way communion with You we rejoice,
As thereby You teach us the way we should walk.

Correction with Compassion

"O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing" (Jeremiah 10:23,24).

Correct me, O Lord, as You watch from above.
You know how quickly my feet tend to stray.
I know You correct, not in anger, but love,
That You might direct us in Your perfect way.

For I know that the right way of man is found,
Not in himself, Lord, but only in You.
How did we get here, and where are we bound?
Only Your Word, Lord, declares what is true.

Comfort me, Lord, by Your staff and Your rod.
Your loving correction refreshes my soul.
How great are Your mercies, my Lord and my God,
Discovered by all who will give You control.

Bring on the Brighter

"The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18). "Thou shalt see greater things than these.... Hereafter, ye shall see heaven open" (John 1:50,51).

The path of the just (those by grace justified)
Grows brighter and brighter each day till the end.
For Christ is our Life, our Light and our Guide,
Our Savior, our Lord, and our very best Friend.

The path grows yet brighter, and this is the reason:
The heavenly Light we approach is our Lord!
He brightens each phase of our life in its season,
And He is the brightness of heaven's Reward.

Then bring on the brighter! The way may be steep,
Yet we are upheld by our Lord's gracious hand.
That bright day draws nearer: we shall not all sleep,
But we shall be changed by our Savior's command.

Mercy of Melchizedek

"The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:4). "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). "Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God... first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace... abideth a Priest continually" (Hebrews 7:1-3).

Melchizedek, the King of peace
And also King of righteousness,
Portrays the One Who does not cease
To save, to keep, to love, and bless.

Melchizedek displays the name
Conveying Priest and King.
So grace and truth by Jesus came
That only Christ could bring.

Moses surely gave the law,
Which charged us with our sin.
In Christ our Priest and King we saw
God's mercy enter in.

Melchizedek, that name is sweet
Reflecting Jesus Christ!
We saw His truth and mercy meet
When He was sacrificed.

Undertaking Understanding

"Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding... then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:3,5). "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45).

Our natural and finite mind
Could never understand
Or from the Scriptures ever find
The things that God has planned.

Be sure, if you would make the choice
To understand God's Word,
To cry for knowledge, lift your voice,
And trust that God has heard.

For such an order so demanding,
There's little hope indeed
For undertaking understanding,
Unless Christ meets that need.

Sliding Back on Slow Belief

"Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24:25-27).

How is it we can take so long
To trust what God has said?
His prophets never have been wrong,
So why are we misled?

Everyday we put our trust
In words from mortal men
Who soon must die, return to dust,
As all their words shall then.

Jesus promised He would rise,
His prophets spoke this too.
How can we be so unwise
And slow to deem it true?

Thus we hear our Savior chide
Our slowness to believe,
For thereby backward we shall slide,
And no good thing achieve.

So may we therefore heed reproof
That we may be thus spared
The slowness of a heart aloof
To what our Lord declared.

Merciful Mouth

"O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy" (Psalm 107:1,2). "Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.... A virtuous woman... openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness" (Proverbs 31:8-10,26).

Open your mouth and give thanks to the Lord;
If you are redeemed then you ought to say so.
If on you the mercies of God have been poured,
Then surely you ought to let others know.

Open your mouth; plead the cause of the poor;
The poorest of all yet face condemnation.
If you are redeemed, then how much the more
Should you be conveying the way of salvation.

Open your mouth with wisdom and kindness,
Like the wise woman that Proverbs displays.
A word that is timely may heal the blindness
And open the mouth of the dumb to give praise.

Old but not Obsolete

"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said we will not walk therein" (Jeremiah 6:16).

Stand in the ways that you may behold;
Ask for the old paths, and there guide your feet.
Walk in the good way, for though it is old,
God has assured us it's not obsolete.

For there is the good way that God has provided,
And this is where we shall find rest for our souls.
Yet many refuse to walk where He's guided,
To walk in their own paths and follow their goals.

Walk in the old paths; come, follow the Lord!
Above every other, His way is sublime.
For He is our Treasure, He is our Reward,
And His way is perfect and tested by time.

Our Hour

"When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against Me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.... And the men that held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him" (Luke 22:53,63).

What a horrifying hour,
When sinners mocked our Lord!
What a cruel, satanic power
Of darkness was outpoured!

Why did our Lord endure the shame
He surely could have ended?
This was the cause for which He came,
For sinners He befriended.

Across the span of history,
This was our cruelest hour:
When Christ became for you and me
Our Refuge and our Tower.

Satan, like a lion, roared,
And sought then to devour,
The Lamb of God, our loving Lord,
By dark and hateful power.

Yet that hour came and went;
That power was defeated.
The throne from which our Lord was sent,
Is now where He is seated.

Our finest hour yet ahead
Will be to see His face,
And thus be with Him, as He said,
Forever changed by grace.

Forsaken Fountain

"My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 1:13).

Why has this age forsaken Him,
Who gave us living waters
And filled our cups beyond the brim
For us, our sons, and daughters?

Oh what a foolish generation
Would thus forsake this Fountain
That fills our desert with salvation
Like rivers from a mountain!

And how indeed do we replace
This Fountain never dry?
With broken cisterns of disgrace
That cannot satisfy!

Lord, we come at last to You;
(Why didn't we come first?).
For what can broken cisterns do,
But disappoint our thirst?

Remember our Redeemer

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits... Who redeemeth thy life from destruction" (Psalm 103:2,4). "And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:19,20).

Forget not all His benefits
We find in the embrace
Of Jesus Christ who never quits
Amazing us with grace.

The tokens of the bread and cup
Are symbols we have used
That we might at His table sup,
As on Him we have mused.

For these are figures that He gave,
And by them testified
That He would give His all to save
The souls for whom He died.

Things were not what they had seemed,
When Christ died on the cross.
For by that victory He redeemed
Our souls from endless loss.

Forget not what He did for us
And what He does today.
Remember that He bids us thus
Remember Him this way.

Changeless Champion

"Of old Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end. The children of Thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before Thee" (Psalm 102:25-28). "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away" (Luke 21:33).

Heaven and earth shall surely be changed,
But our Lord is forever the same.
His words shall not fail or be rearranged,
As changeless as His faithful name.

His children continue before Him forever,
Because He declares it is so.
He promised to never forsake us; no never!
And that's all that we need to know.

Implementing the Impossible

"Who then can be saved? And He [Jesus] said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:26,27).

In view of who and what we are,
Who then can be saved?
We search the world near and far,
Yet all are found depraved.

The leopard cannot change his spots,
Nor can we wash away
Our sinful deeds, our words, our thoughts,
And failure to obey.

But things for us impossible
Are possible with God.
For Jesus paid our debt in full
Beneath God's judgment rod.

Hallelujah! God has done
What we could not begin:
He gave His own beloved Son
To wash a away our sin!

Affected by our Affliction

"I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us.... For He said, Surely they are My people... so He was their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old" (Isaiah 63:7-9).

What a tender, sweet conviction
Our God brings into view:
In all our trials and affliction,
He is afflicted too.

He's touched with our infirmities
That no one else may feel,
Was bruised for our iniquities,
And by His stripes we're healed.

And when we thought we were alone
Things weren't what they seemed:
We could not hear our Savior's groan
For those He has redeemed.

Oh the lovingkindnesses
Our Savior has bestowed!
He gave to us His righteousness
And paid the debt we owed!

And oh what pity and what love
Yet carries us by grace!
Until we meet with Him above,
We're in His sweet embrace.

Pointless Persuasion

"If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:31).

Your can talk with a wisdom that heaven has aided.
You can speak till there's simply no more to be said.
If not by the prophets and Moses persuaded,
They will not believe though One rose from the dead.

Students of prophecy, study the Word!
Be ready to answer each one who will ask
The reason that you have believed what you heard,
For God has commanded it; this is your task.

But know this, in spite of the best dissertation,
Mockers shall come who will simply not hear.
For many, therefore, the strongest persuasion,
Shall never succeed, though your reasons are clear.

Garments of Gladness

"Give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.... I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:3,10).

He gave beauty for ashes, joy for my weeping,
And garments of praise for my soul's heaviness:
What did I have that was even worth keeping?
I gave up my sin for my Lord's righteousness!

My soul is now joyful and constantly brags
On Jesus now raised for my justification.
The best I could offer was my filthy rags
Exchanged for the garments of so great salvation!

Year to Yearn

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn" (Isaiah 61:1,2). "And He [Jesus] began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears" (Luke 4:21).

The acceptable year of our Savior is here;
In fact it began when our Lord came to earth.
The day of His vengeance is yet drawing near;
We yearn in the present for every new birth.

The day of His vengeance shall bring tribulation,
And then He shall reign as the King of all kings.
Yet now is the age of His grace and salvation;
The once brokenhearted thus healed now sings.

And now is the time when the captives are freed,
As prisons are opened to them that are bound.
Thus we proclaim Christ is risen indeed,
And in Him the blessings of heaven are found.

Compel them to Come

"Come, for all things are now ready.... Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord it is done as thou has commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" (Luke 14:21-23).

Come, says the Lord, for all is prepared,
And yet there is room at His table for more.
So many invited have simply not cared,
And spurn the salvation they choose to ignore.

Yet God has commanded His servants to find
The poor in the streets and the lanes of the city.
Bring in the maimed, the halt, and the blind,
Show them what God has prepared in His pity!

Yet there is room! Oh how can it be?
How is it possible? Why won't they hear?
With so much to lose in eternity,
Why aren't they moved, and why won't they fear?

Go out in the highways, compel them to come,
For God has commanded, and so He has willed.
By any and all means, let's work to save some,
Steadfast in love that His house may by filled.

Time and Testimony

"Soon... we fly away. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.... And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it" (Psalm 90:12,17).

Value every single day,
Considering its worth.
For very soon we fly away,
Departing from this earth.

Thus mindful of our destiny
To stand before our Lord,
Let's seize each opportunity,
And reap its rich reward.

So let this be our daily norm
And focus of our duty:
That each day we may be conformed
More to our Savior's beauty.

For in this way, and only thus,
Our testimony stands,
And God establishes in us
The labor of our hands.

Lofty and Lowly

"Justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before Thy face" (Psalm 89:14). "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isaiah 57:15).

Justice and judgment establish His throne
Whose name is exalted, the Lord high and holy.
But though He is lofty, He dwells with His own,
To lift up the spirit of those who are lowly.

How wondrous this is! How great is His grace
That found out a way to afford us salvation!
Mercy and truth ran ahead of His face
To rescue our souls from our just condemnation.

Our Lord is so high, beyond comprehension,
Yet lowly and meek: how fantastic the span!
Love was the cause of His great condescension;
Mercy and truth knit together His plan.

Divine Division

"Lover and friend hast Thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness" (Luke 12:18). "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay, but rather division: for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law" (Luke 12:51-53).

What could be worse than a household divided?
That's easy: A family that's going to hell!
Surely there's worse things than being derided
For sharing the Gospel that we ought to tell.

If souls may be saved, then bring on division!
Let love be the blade of this God ordained sword.
And pray that your light may provoke a decision
To turn from destruction and trust in the Lord.

A father divided against his own son,
A mother estranged from he daughter she reared,
May be what it takes that souls may be won,
And ties be unbroken when Christ has appeared.

Ruined by Riches

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:19-21).

There is an expression that says "money talks."
Beware of the message it sends to your soul:
For riches deceive by their strange paradox,
For we may be poor, though our pockets are full.

Yes, we may believe that we have many years
To spend what we lay up however we please.
The soul may delight in the counsel it hears
To eat, drink, be merry, and thus take your ease.

But God sees the night that our soul is required.
And He will not ask if this fits in our plan.
The soul may be ruined by riches desired,
If poor toward God, though rich toward man.

Keep the Key

"Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name" (Psalm 86:11). "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7). "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?... By His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:1,5). "Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered" (Luke 11:52).

Keep the key that will unlock
The door of knowledge here
And teaches us the way to walk:
It is God's holy fear.

Do not make the sad mistake
That others made before,
Of letting foolish talkers take
This key to wisdom's door.

The arm of Christ that God reveals
Is surely plain to see,
To those He saves, to those He heals,
To those who hold this key.

Unite our hearts to fear Your name,
O Lord, as we explore
The treasures of the Christ who came
To open heaven's door.

Space to Speak

"I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people" (Psalm 85:8).

I will hear what God will say;
I will give Him space to speak.
For prayer should never be one way,
But to listen and to seek.

I'll never find the peace I need
By hearing myself talk.
So I will watch where God will lead,
And therein I will walk.

Lord, you know my tendency
To ramble on in prayer,
And sometimes it occurs to me,
I pray like You're not there.

But You are there, so I will wait
To hear what You will say,
As on Your Word I meditate
And hasten to obey.

Consider the Comforter

"I, even I, am He that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth?" (Isaiah 51:12,13).

Who are we that we should fret
For fear of man that dies?
How is it that we soon forget
Our Lord who made the skies?

Our Comforter is God who made
The earth and its foundation,
And this is also He Who paid
The price for our salvation.

Consider Him who bids us cease
To fear mere mortal man.
He is our Comfort and our Peace,
Who holds us with His hand.

For though He reigns upon His throne
In awesome majesty,
He is the Lover of His own
For all Eternity.

Making my Morning

"Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the post of My doors" (Psalm 8:34). "The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary; He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned" (Isaiah 50:4). "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Luke 10:23,24).

Morning by morning I hear the Lord's voice.
Daily I watch at His beautiful gates.
Making by morning, He makes me rejoice
In wisdom He gives for which my heart waits.

How blest are the eyes that see what we've seen,
How blest are the ears that hear what we've heard,
As morning by morning from Scripture we glean
The counsel imparted from God's precious Word.

Laborers of Light

"They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness" (Psalm 82:5). "I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest" (Luke 10:2).

God has been faithful to make His way known,
Though many have chosen to not understand.
How vast are the ways in which God has shown
The truth that delivers by His mighty hand.

Yet wide is the path that leads to destruction,
For this is the path which many will walk.
Instead of God's truth, they are choosing seduction.
They walk on in darkness; the light they will mock.

But God is still longing to show His salvation
To all who will hear Him and heed what is right.
And thus we are called us by His ordination
To be to the world His beacons of light.

The harvest is ready. The fields are white.
We are God's laborers, though we are few.
Called by His Spirit, renewed by His might,
Let's shine in this darkness until we are through.

Desire v. Disinterest

"Oh that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies.... and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee" (Psalm 81:11-16). "Oh that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea" (Isaiah 48:17,18).

How can we possibly yawn in the face
Of God who is pleading with us?
In view of His passion, how great our disgrace
That we should respond to Him thus!

Can we not hear His depth of desire?
Has apathy deafened our ears?
Can we be cold in the light of His fire?
And are we not moved by His tears?

"Oh that My people had listened to Me!"
Our passionate Savior has cried.
For then by His hand would our enemies flee,
And thus would we be satisfied.

Then shall our peace like a river thus flow
And our righteousness be as the waves.
Then shall our Savior be pleased to bestow
The passion our spirit now craves.

Compare and Contrast

"To whom will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like? Remember the former things of old: for I am God and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure" (Isaiah 46:5,9,10).

To whom will you compare our God,
That they may be the same?
In every time and place abroad,
Now who can match His fame?

Who, like God, the end declares
Before it has been done?
No one to our God compares;
There is not even one!

Who, like God, who dwells above
Would come down to this earth
And dying, demonstrate His love:
Now who can match His worth?

How incomparable the measure,
To every contrast shown,
Is Christ who thus fulfilled His pleasure
By ransoming His own!

Obscurity of the Obvious

"Verily, Thou art a God that hideth Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior... Thus saith the Lord.... I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.... Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:15,19,22).

There is a strange obscurity,
In view of what is clear,
As God yet speaks with clarity,
Though many will not hear.

Salvation surely is not hidden;
God shows it in His light.
As all the ends of earth are bidden,
He tells them what is right.

Yet those who rather would not find
What God would have them see,
Shall to the obvious be blind
And find obscurity.

Entropy the Enemy

"I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding, and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man" (Proverbs 24:30-34).

There is a law called Entropy,
That principle renown,
Which says that useful energy
Left to itself breaks down.

And herein we may thus observe
A timely application:
When slothfully we do not serve
It tends toward degradation.

A little sleep, a little slumber,
And a folding of the hands
Reduces walls to broken lumber
And overthrows our lands.

Thus time becomes our enemy
Unless we use it well.
The principle of entropy
Portrays this parallel.

So let us fortify our soul
And battle as we must,
Lest entropy should take its toll
Like moths, and thieves, and rust.

Blessed Burden

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation" (Psalm 68:19). "My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways" (Proverbs 23:26).

Daily loading us with grace,
God lifts from us our care.
Thus His benefits replace
The griefs that we would bear.

What a blessing He imparts
The more that we surrender!
The more we give to Him our hearts,
We find Him our Defender.

Blessed be our loving Lord,
The God of our salvation,
Who died to give us His reward,
Instead of condemnation!

Thus our eyes observe Your ways,
Rejoicing in the load
Of benefits in all our days
That You, Lord, have bestowed.

Saving Sayings

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us (Selah), that Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations" (Psalm 67:1,2). "Bow down thine ear.... Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?" (Proverbs 22:17-21). "[The shepherds] made known abroad the saying told them concerning this Child.... praising God for all the things that they had seen and heard" (Luke 2:17-20).

Bless us, Oh God, in every season
That we may make known the saying abroad
That Christ Jesus lives, and He is the reason
That we may be saved and forgiven by God.

Excellent sayings in counsels and knowledge
You've given us, Lord, that we may make known
The truth that is hidden from elitists' college,
Yet those who bow down their ear may be shown.

Bless us, Oh Lord, like the shepherds that night
Who carried the message of Christ Jesus' birth,
To shine in the darkness, to show what is right,
To share saving health to the ends of the earth.

Mate Matcher

"Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for My mouth it hath commanded" (Isaiah 34:16). "As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began... to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant.... to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:70-79).

Seek with diligence and look:
God's promises shall never fail.
Read and find them in His Book,
His prophesies in great detail.

Not one promise lacks her mate.
Every word of God shall stand.
Thus God's Word shall demonstrate
The faithfulness of God's command.

As His prophets have foretold
Ever since the world began,
He would free us from sin's hold
By His great salvation plan.

He promised He would send us light.
He promised He would guide our feet.
Seek and you will find Him right.
Every word He will complete.

Stability and Strength

"Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is His treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). "My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.... For He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name. And His mercy is upon them that fear Him from generation to generation" (Luke 1:47-50).

Where shall we find our stability now?
Where shall we find our strength of salvation?
Wisdom and knowledge declare to us how
God's mercy is given to each generation.

God's wisdom and knowledge abound in full measure
Extending the mercy of God in our time.
The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure
Rejoicing our hearts with His mercy sublime.

My spirit rejoices in God my great Savior!
How mighty and merciful He's been to me!
By finding His fear I've discovered His favor,
His strength of salvation, and stability!

Challenging the Changeless

"There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.... An ungodly witness scorneth judgment... Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools" (Proverbs 19:21,28,29).

The scorners' strange mentality
(Increasingly the trend),
Supposes words of vanity
Will change things in the end.

As if by constant mocking
(Forgetting judgments past),
Uninterrupted talking
Shall prove them right at last.

But the counsel of the Lord
(Despite their foolishness),
Shall stand and shall award
Their judgment nonetheless.

Turn from scorners' blasphemy,
And trust the Lord instead.
For you may rest with certainty
He'll do as He has said.

Where Rivers of Water Run

"O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is" (Psalm 63:1). "Behold a King shall reign in righteousness.... and a Man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isaiah 32:1,2).

Rivers running deep and full
Within this dry and thirsty land
Are found to satisfy the soul,
From our Savior's heart and hand.

Though this land is dry and dreary,
The rivers of this water run,
And there's shade to rest the weary,
As a rock that shades the sun.

Behold your King is God the Son,
The risen Man no longer dead:
He is where the waters run;
In Him we find the Fountainhead.

Quest for Quietness

"Thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength, and ye would not" (Isaiah 30:15). "Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife" (Proverbs 17:1).

In our quest for quietness
Eluding us in strife,
In returning and in rest
There's confidence in life.

Better is this quietness
That God by grace imparts,
Than all the loud, so-called success
That vexes troubled hearts.

How many times must we relearn
That we should not delay,
When God has told us to return
As we go our own way.

No wonder, then, that confidence
And quietness have fled,
Since God has promised His defense
On paths where He has led.

So lead us, Lord, by waters still
To find Your quietness,
Then in the center of Your will
Where You will surely bless.

Rise to the Rock

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.... So will I sing praise unto Thy name forever, that I may daily perform my vows" (Psalm 61:2,3,8).

From the end of the earth, O Lord, hear my cry:
Lift me and lead me upon higher ground.
Lord, up to the Rock that is higher than I:
This is the place that I want to be found.

To the Rock that is higher than I will I rise.
To the Shelter in Christ will I flee.
To the Tower of strength will I lift up my eyes;
Lord, You have been all these for me.

So daily, O Lord, I will lift up my prayer,
For daily I know I'll be needing Your aid.
Each day I will rise to the Rock of Your care,
That I may perform, Lord, the vows that I made.

Warning about Warming

"This people... have removed their heart far from Me" (Isaiah 29:13). "And Peter followed Him afar off... and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.... There cometh one of the maids of the high priest. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou wast also with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.... And he denied it again.... But he began to curse and swear saying, I know not this Man of whom ye speak.... And when he thought thereon, he wept" (Mark 14:54-72).

Peter saw the fire burn
And warmed himself when it was cold.
Subtly there his heart would turn,
Conforming to the world's mold.

Hear the laughter round the fire,
As our Savior was abused.
Far removed from God's desire,
Jaded hearts were thus amused.

Oh how cold the night was then,
When they struck our Savior's face!
Hateful, heartless, harmful men,
Thus repaid our Savior's grace.

Warning! In this frigid night
We must refuse the invitation
To warm ourselves where sinners slight
Our precious Lord and His salvation!

Inadequacy of Infancy

"Whom shall I teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk.... To whom He said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the Word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little, that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken" (Isaiah 28:9-13).

Precept on precept and line upon line,
Not too much, please; just a little is fine.
Doctrine that challenges? Thanks, I'll decline.
I'd rather have precept and line upon line.

But whom shall the Lord instruct in His way?
And whom shall He send forth and teach what to say?
Who will be weaned from their milk and obey?
Who will attend to His flocks gone astray?

Beware lest you fall by procrastination;
Infancy cultivates fruitless frustration.
This is the day to choose consecration,
Growing in grace and in truth's graduation.

Optimum Offer

"Who would set the briers and thorns against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me" (Isaiah 27:4,5).

Who are the foolish who stand against God
To battle in vain with their briers and thorns?
Who would provoke Him and challenge the rod
Of His indignation toward one who scorns?

Who are the wise who take hold of His strength
By seizing His offer to make with Him peace?
His peace is the optimum offer at length!
One day this offer of mercy shall cease.

Perfect Peace

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.... Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us, for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us" (Isaiah 26:3,4,12).

Perfect peace is guaranteed
To every mind that's stayed on God.
This is all we really need,
For every other peace is flawed.

In times of joy, in times of sadness,
In times of health, or times of pain,
Our Lord is still our Source of gladness;
His perfect peace He will ordain.

Trust in the Jesus Christ forever,
The Author of our perfect peace.
He's our Strength in each endeavor
And Finisher of faith's increase.

Swallowing the Swallower

"Mine enemies would daily swallow me up" (Psalm 56:2). "The grave... saith not, It is enough" (Proverbs 30:16). "He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God shall wipe away tears from off all faces.... This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" (Isaiah 25:8,9).

Among the enemies we face
Are hungry graves and haunting fears.
But Jesus Christ has won by grace
The victory that dries all tears.

Death has earned its reputation,
And fear has been its follower.
But God has won for us salvation,
By swallowing the swallower.

Oh Grave, where is your appetite?
Oh Death, where is your terror now?
Christ has put these foes to flight,
And their return He won't allow.

Burden Bearer

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee" (Psalm 55:22).

Why do I struggle now under this load
While Jesus has told me to cast it on Him?
Why am I walking alone on this road,
When Jesus would hold me on pathways so dim?

Lord, I am coming to cast upon You
All of my burden of worry and sorrow.
I have remembered Your promise so true,
You're with me today and every tomorrow.

The burden is lifted! The load is replaced
With strength from my Lord and a freedom from terror.
I walk on the path that is wondrously graced
With knowing that Jesus is my Burden Bearer.

Immortal Image

"Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them... Bring Me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto Him, Caesar's. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marveled at Him" (Mark 12:14-17).

How unexpectedly profound,
This lesson in a penny,
In which eternal truths abound,
So marvelous and many!

We know that image which was coined
Reflected Caesar's face.
We know God's image too is joined
To all the human race.

What was it Jesus Christ was saying
Regarding what we owe?
What is the debt we should be paying,
In view of what we know?

Let Caesar have his penny now,
Yet God can rightly claim,
That every knee to Him should bow;
Each tongue should praise His name.

We bear His image from creation,
Though sin has left its scar.
Yet how much more by His salvation
We owe Him all we are!

Forecast of Faith

"Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22).

Have faith in God, our wonderful Savior.
Have faith in God, who has never been wrong.
Have faith in God, and rest in His favor.
Let Him be your strength, your salvation, and song.

Have faith in God in each situation.
Have faith in God; He is still on the throne.
Have faith in God, who wrought our salvation,
And He still continues to care for His own.

Have faith in God, with rejoicing and fear.
Have faith in God, and delight in His love.
Have faith in God, for the promise draws near
When we shall be changed and be with Him above.

Have faith in God; there is no better Friend!
Have faith in God, and trust in His name.
Have faith in God, He is true to the end,
Yesterday, today, and forever the same!

Blind Bartimaeus

"Blind Bartimaeus.... casting way his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.... And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way" (Mark 10:46-52).

How very much with Bartimaeus
We can each relate.
When Jesus gave our sight to us,
Was not that moment great?

And then we hear our Lord invite
This man to go his way.
Yet since he had obtained His sight,
Near Jesus He would stay.

"Go your way," our Savior said,
Your faith has made you whole."
But where then should we go instead,
To satisfy our soul?

What a lesson for the heart,
To follow Christ our Lord!
Who would bid us to depart
From Christ our soul's Reward?

Heeding His Healing

"Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice" (Psalm 51:8). "He shall smite and heal... and they shall return even to the Lord, and He shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them" (Isaiah 19:22).

God shall smite and He shall heal
The bones that He has broken.
He is touched with all we feel;
He hears the prayer unspoken.

God perceives our need for healing
Before we start to learn.
We would stray without His dealing
And never would return.

These bones of mine shall yet rejoice,
And I shall be the stronger
As I thus heed my Shepherd's voice
And stray from Him no longer.

Ordered Obedience

"Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High: and call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.... Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God" (Psalm 51:14,15,23).

There is an order God commands
To live each day in time,
And everyone who understands
Will heed this paradigm.

First offer up to Him thanksgiving
For all that He has done,
For blessings found each day you're living
By grace through God the Son.

Pay your vows to the Most High
By your obedience,
That God may illustrate thereby
His joyful consequence.

Then call on Him in trouble's day,
And God will manifest
That He delivers those who pray,
And He will give them rest.

Thus we offer up our praise
And God is glorified,
As by this order God displays
Salvation He supplied.

Disappearing Disputes

"He [Jesus] taught His disciples, and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying.... And being in the house He asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest" (Mark 9:31-34).

What indeed have I disputed
Along the pilgrim way?
Were there words that were unsuited
I wish I didn't say?

Some disputes would disappear
If I would call to mind
That God can see and He can hear;
He's neither deaf nor blind.

And He is weighing every word
With all my meditation.
How many things will seem absurd
That filled my conversation?

And what instruction have I missed
Because I was impacted
By strife that should have been dismissed
That rendered me distracted?

Let me therefore hold my peace
And leave disputes alone
That tend to make my Lord decrease,
Instead of make Him known.

Total Trust

"This God is our God forever and ever: He will be our Guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14). "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.... For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken" (Proverbs 3:5,6, 26).

What a comfort in our life:
God will guide us everyday!
He will guard us through the strife,
As we trust Him and obey.

What a confidence in death:
Jesus Christ has robbed its sting!
After this life's final breath,
With new vigor we shall sing!

Trust in Him with all your heart,
Though you may not understand
Every reason for each part
Of the way that God has planned.

You can trust Him nonetheless;
He has never been mistaken.
The more you trust, the more He'll bless,
And keep your foot from being taken.

Sheltering Shields

"The shields of the earth belong unto God: He is greatly exalted" (Psalm 47:9). "He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly" (Proverbs 2:7).

The shields of the earth surround
Our world with protection.
The wonders of our God abound
Therein with God's perfection.

These shields that we see in space
Reflect their counterpart:
A life protected by God's grace,
That shields thus our heart.

So as we walk before the Lord
In our integrity,
Our hearts are guarded and restored
With truth that makes us free.

Lucifer's Loudness

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Isaiah 46:10). "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High: yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit" (Isaiah 14:12-14).

Above the roar as men applaud
The boasting of the proud,
Be still and know the Lord is God
While this is yet allowed.

For Lucifer was loud as well,
Exalting thus his name,
And yet his destiny is hell,
To be brought down with shame.

Be still, and see the judgment rod
That silenced Satan's cry,
Who thought that he could be like God,
Believing his own lie.

Let every boasting tongue be halted
To hear what God has said:
That surely He will be exalted
To be the nations' Head.

Wondrously Well

"And He charged them that they should tell no man: but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it, and were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak" (Mark 7:36,37).

My Jesus has done all things well:
He makes the deaf to hear His voice.
The muted tongue is loosed to tell
His praise that makes our souls rejoice!

Astonishing above all measure!
Published near and spread abroad:
The love of God displays its treasure
In the spotless Lamb of God!

As my Sacrificial Lamb
Jesus rescued me from hell.
I'm loved in spite of who I am,
For Jesus has done all things well.

Water from the Wells

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people" (Isaiah 12:2-4).

In this world with souls athirst
We draw from the supply
That God instructs us to go first:
His wells that won't run dry.

Draw your water from the wells
Of Jesus Christ's salvation.
His love constrains, His heart compels
Us go to every nation.

Draw your water joyfully;
And praise God with your song,
Who saved us for eternity
And keeps us all day long.

Root of our Rest

"There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him.... and His rest shall be glorious" (Isaiah 1,2,10). "Come ye yourselves apart.... and rest awhile" (Mark 6:31).

From Jesse's stem came forth a Rod;
And a Branch would grow out of his roots.
This Branch was Man yet truly God,
Who rose to become our Firstfruits.

And His rest shall be glorious indeed,
Where no rest is otherwise found.
For this cause He died as the Seed,
That brought forth much fruit from the ground.

Come, there is rest for your heart!
The Spirit of God shall attest.
If no one else comes, come apart:
In Christ is the root of our rest.

Help and Health

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the HELP of His countenance... for I shall yet praise Him, who is the HEALTH of my countenance, and my God" (Psalm 42:5,11).

Why, my soul, are you cast down,
And why are you distressed?
You have God's smile, not His frown,
His help with which He blessed.

Why, my soul, are you cast down,
Since God has given grace?
His lovingkindness is your crown,
His health upon your face.

Marvelous Mindlessness

"And He [Jesus] marveled because of their unbelief" (Mark 5:6).

What marvelous wonder, this mindless response!
That people can yawn in the face of our God,
While all of the proof that an honest man wants
Abounds in our Savior! Now isn't that odd?

Yes, even Jesus could marvel as well
At this strange phenomenon called unbelief,
That people remain so indifferent to hell,
Mindlessly marching toward endless grief.

The powers of darkness in Satan's dominion,
Are surely at work as they render men blind.
As men reject truth and prefer their opinion,
Marvelous mindlessness is all they shall find.

Horrible Pit to Heavenly Peace

"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord" (Psalm 40:2,3). "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.... For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:2,6).

Pulled from the pit and put on the Rock,
God gave us a new song of praise.
There's light in the shadow of death where we walk,
That shines through the darkest of days.

The Lord pulled us out of that horrible pit,
To give us His heavenly peace.
The people imprisoned, who in darkness sit,
Can find in His light their release.

How great is the light of each glorious name,
He shines on our heavenward path.
A Child was born, the Son of God came,
Delivering us from His wrath.

Wonderful, Counselor, and Our Mighty God,
The Source of our Life Everlasting,
Prince of our Peace, who bore judgment's rod:
Our crowns at Your feet we'll be casting.

For out of the horrible pit we were raised,
And set on the Rock of salvation.
Forever, O Lord, shall Your name be praised,
Redeemer and Lord of Creation!

Sorrow of Silence

"I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred" (Psalm 39:1,2).

Sometimes when I am met with strife,
I think that I'll retreat.
I'll live a private, quiet life,
Admitting my defeat.

I'll hold my tongue from even good;
I will not say a word.
I know, however, that I should,
And sorrow thus is stirred.

How can I hold the Gospel in,
Withholding what is true,
While souls are perishing in sin
And laborers are few?

I can't afford to be offended!
I will not hold my peace!
Until my fleeting days are ended,
I'll speak and will not cease.

Disastrous Distractions

"The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful" (Mark 4:19).

Distractions bring a strangle hold
That chokes our fruit from us:
This world's cares, deceitful gold,
And other sinful lusts.

The word's cares with its demands
Will fill your heart with worry.
How vain it is to wring your hands
While in a pointless hurry.

Deceitfulness of riches too
Will turn away your eyes
From things God wants you to pursue,
From pressing toward His prize.

The lusts of other things come in,
That never satisfy.
They'll choke the Word, but nurture sin,
Until the day you die.

Break this strangle hold today!
Be rid of its distraction,
That takes your fruit for God away,
And bids you take no action.

Holy Heralds

"I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims.... And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.... Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.... Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I, send me" (Isaiah 6:1-6).

What a sight Isaiah saw!
How that vision made him lowly!
Angels praised the Lord with awe,
Crying "Holy, holy, holy!"

High and lifted on His throne,
Hear the Lord of glory speak.
Who will go and make Him known?
Will He send the strong or weak?

Surely, He should send the strong,
Rather than the soul undone.
But my thinking here is wrong,
For God sends the lowly one!

Cleanse my lips and wash my heart;
Here am I, Oh Lord, send me!
What an honor You impart
To the sinner You set free!

Lord, I'm free to be commissioned,
Though Your angels serve You better.
Yet You called, and I have listened,
And You've broken every fetter.

The Cherubim and Seraphim
Surely must look on with wonder.
For why should we be serving Him,
Since we are so prone to blunder?

Sinners who were once undone:
Serve the Lord with fear and joy!
We are heralds of God's Son,
Ambassadors in His employ!

Disciples of Doubt

"And when they saw Him, the worshipped Him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations" (Matthew 28:17-19).

Jesus is risen! That glorious shout
Was ringing in hearts that adored.
Yet there were those who lingered with doubt
Even while seeing the Lord.

Jesus, of course, could see who believed;
He saw just as well who did not.
In spite of the evidence, they were deceived,
For doubt had invaded their thought.

Disciples of doubt, beware of deceit
That leads you away from the light,
That discounts the evidence that is complete,
And robs you of spiritual sight.

Confess to the Lord (Who knows it already)
The doubt that oppresses your mind,
Then study the Word that makes your faith steady,
And leave unbelief to the blind.

For then, only then, are we fit to fulfill
The mandate to teach every nation,
To go with the Gospel, to teach them God's will,
And lead precious souls to salvation.

Resurrection Run

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.... And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, and did run to bring His disciples word" (Matthew 28:5-8).

Meditate upon that day
When Christ rose, just as He said.
Come and hear the angel say:
"He is risen from the dead."

Feet are racing with the word.
Hearts are pounding, full of glory!
Ears rejoice in what they've heard.
Tongues recount the wondrous story.

Have we lost that sense of thrill
Of that resurrection morn?
Are we jaded by the chill
Of the unbeliever's scorn?

Come again and see the proof!
Peer into His empty grave!
Let the world stand aloof,
Yet our Savior lives to save!

Now quickly go and tell the news
To everyone with ears to hear!
By every means that we may use,
Let us run and make it clear!

Rush to Reason

"Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" (Proverbs 20:9). "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

Who can say in any season,
I have made my own heart clean?
God says, "Come now, let us reason."
There is a way that may be seen.

There is cleansing from above,
For Jesus died to save your soul.
This reasoning from love,
That makes you white as snow and wool.

Come NOW, says our gracious Lord,
And reason NOW, and not tomorrow.
Do you think you can afford
Procrastination's bitter sorrow?

Rush to reason, while you may!
What would make you want to wait?
God is calling you today!
Another day may be too late.

Counsel that Cannot be Cancelled

"The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: He maketh the device of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations" (Psalm 33:11). "There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand" (Proverbs 19:21). "Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day.... Pilate saith unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can" (Matthew 27:63-65).

The counsel of the Lord shall stand
No matter who opposes,
No matter what His foes have planned,
Or what mankind supposes.

The Lord has risen as He said:
This is the classic case,
Where counsel that supposed Him dead
Was put to a disgrace.

So now whose counsel will you take,
In view of what you've heard?
Remember Pilate's sad mistake,
And trust God's holy Word!

God vs. Guile

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile" (Psalm 32:1,2).

It is a foolish exercise
Of wasted energy
To try to cleverly disguise
What God can surely see.

Guile is not only vain,
It is destructive too.
The soul will lose eternal gain
That hides from what is true.

What is true is our own sin;
Repentance is our need.
This is where we must begin
And where the truth will lead.

But follow on, and you will see
That God will give salvation
To those who come with honesty,
Escaping condemnation.

What then is this blessedness
For those who have no guile?
It is the gift of righteousness
To those who once were vile.

Praise the Lord! He saves each one
Who comes in true surrender!
And they shall find in God the Son
That He is their Defender.

Quenchless Quality

"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned" (Song of Solomon 8:7). "Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto Him, Let Him be crucified" (Matthew 27:22).

Many waters could not quench
The fire of God's love,
Nor could the floods of hatred drench
God's zeal from above.

Love burned brightly on the cross,
Yet also it burned holy.
To save us from eternal loss
He paid our ransom fully.

"What then shall I do with Christ?"
This was Pilate's question.
How sad that, by the mob enticed,
He followed their suggestion!

Do not let the crowd decree
The welfare of your soul,
Nor where you'll spend eternity,
When judgment takes its toll!

For quenchless judgment shall remain
For those rejecting Christ,
Who will, like Pilate, thus disdain
The Savior sacrificed.

Pride and Prosperity

"And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by Thy favor Thou has made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled" (Psalm 30:6,7).

Prosperity comes and prosperity goes,
And we may be prideful when people applaud.
Our pride, like a cancer, unchecked surely grows;
Humility comes by remembering God.

Remember our Savior has made us to stand.
God freely gave us the gift of His grace.
All that we have is received from His hand.
We surely are troubled if He hides His face.

Lord, only Your favor has prospered our way.
You gave Your best in exchange for our worst.
So grant us prosperity's truest display
With hearts that are humble and putting You first.

Loved or Loathed

"His mouth is most sweet: yea, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend" (Song of Solomon 5:16). "What think ye? They answered and said, He [Jesus] is guilty of death. Then did they spit in His face" (Matthew 26:66,67).

What do you think of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Is He your Beloved and Friend?
He's either your Savior for you sacrificed,
Or He is your Judge in the end.

It's foolish to think that there's some neutral ground.
We all are in need of His grace.
He's either beloved and the best Friend you found,
Or else you have spit in His face.

Where do you stand now? Consider it well,
For God surely knows what you think.
You're making a choice between heaven and hell,
As you stand on eternity's brink.

God in the Garden

"Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits" (Song of Solomon 4:16). "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane.... And He cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter: What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matthew 26:36-40).

God has come into His garden
That He calls for me to keep.
Will He find a heart that's hardened?
Will He find me there asleep?

Awake, O wind, and fill the air
With fragrance from my garden spiced,
With worship, watchfulness, and prayer
To please the heart of Jesus Christ.

What? Does it seem too much to ask,
To pray and watch with Him this hour?
Is my worship just a task
That draws upon my fleshly power?

My Savior came into that garden
That was called Gethsemane.
There He suffered for my pardon
As He went to Calvary.

Lord, come into my garden now,
To find Your pleasant fruits.
For this is fruit that You endow;
Your Word supplies the roots.

Simplified and Satisfied

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, inquire in His temple" (Psalm 27:4). Now when Jesus was in Bethany... there came a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head... But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?" (Matthew 26:6-8).

There is a rule that simplifies
The matters of this life.
Its application makes us wise
In times of peace or strife.

Fix your eyes on this one thing:
The beauty of your Lord.
Then make your life an offering
To Jesus Christ outpoured.

Some may think it is a waste
And voice their indignation.
Should you pander to the taste
Of those who spurn salvation?

How much better to inquire
And hear your Lord's reply!
Fix on Him your one desire,
Which He will satisfy.

Listening to my Lord

"The voice of my Beloved! Behold He cometh... My Beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come.... Arise, My love, My fair one, and come away" (Song of Solomon 2:8-13).

The voice of my beloved Lord
Has spoken of that day
When He shall come with His reward
And call His own away!

For soon the winter shall be past,
The rain shall all be gone;
My Lord shall come again at last;
Eternity shall dawn.

Yet even now the flowers bloom;
I hear the song of birds;
He takes the terror from the tomb
With His assuring words.

I hear His words: "Arise My love,
My fair one, come away."
He sets my heart on things above
By what I hear Him say.

Savior's Secret

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant" (Psalm 25:14).

Have you heard the secret yet
That Jesus Christ has shared?
Have you seen our need He met
And mansions He's prepared?

Have you searched the hidden treasure
Found in His creation?
Have you pondered love's true measure
Bound In His salvation?

Has He shown you what will be
In contrast to what's now?
Have you viewed eternity
When every knee shall bow?

Has He spoken to your heart
About His love for you?
Is it time to come apart
To hear His voice anew?

The secret of the Lord is still
With all of those who fear Him,
With those who seek to do His will,
And those who will draw near Him.

Wisely Watching

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory" (Psalm 24:9,10). "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matthew 24:42).

We are watching for that hour
That the Lord returns in power.
Then the Lord shall call us out
With His archangelic shout.

We are watching at our posts
For our King, the Lord of hosts.
By this hope God purifies
And makes the watcher thereby wise.

We are watching at His gates
With each kindred heart that waits,
Purified thereby from sin;
Come, Lord Jesus, enter in!

We know not the times or dates
For the lifting of those gates.
But we can wisely watch till when
Our King of glory comes again.

Shining Shepherd

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.... He leadeth me.... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:1-3,6).

My Shepherd shines along my path;
He leads me everyday,
And where He leads there is no wrath:
He took it all away.

For though He is my Shepherd still,
He also is the Lamb,
Who died for me on Calvary's hill,
In spite of what I am.

His goodness and His mercy lead;
They follow me as well.
He met my very deepest need:
He rescued me from hell.

Oh what a thrill to call Him mine
In light of Who He is!
And how it makes my path to shine
To know that I am His!

Sorrow, Salvation, Sovereignty

"My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? ... they pierced My hands and My feet .... I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee .... They shall praise the Lord that seek Him: your heart shall live forever .... All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's: and He is the Governor among the nations" (Psalm 22:1,16,22,26,27,28).

In this twenty-second Psalm
We can hear our Savior's prayer.
Words of sorrow, then of calm,
Then of victory are there.

"My God, My God," our Lord begins,
"Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
When He bore our load of sins
On the cross of Calvary.

Then we hear His declaration,
To His brethren (we are named!)
Elevated by salvation;
Thus He calls us, unashamed!

Finally we'll see Him reign
Upon the earth as Sovereign Lord.
Yet His wounds of love remain,
Thus remembered and adored.

Behold His sorrow, His salvation,
And our Savior's sovereignty.
Give your heart to meditation
On this Psalm of prophecy.

Words of the Wise

"The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools" (Ecclesiastes 9:17).

The words of the wise man in quiet are heard
More than the cry of the fool.
For God is the Author of wisdom's true Word,
And He, by that standard, will rule.

Granted, the fool's cry is heard everywhere,
And draws like a magnet a crowd:
In schools, in the markets, in each public square,
His voice is both stubborn and loud.

But God on His throne is still in control,
Who gives us the words of the wise,
And this is the wisdom that quiets our soul,
No matter how loud the fool cries.

Gracious Greatness

"He that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:11,12).

The one who would be truly great
Will hear the Savior's call
To walk with grace to demonstrate
A servant's heart to all.

This is the path to greatness trod
Our Lord would have us find.
So let the world count it odd;
The blind will lead the blind.

The world's books upon our shelves
Will not see this as wise,
Which tell us to exalt ourselves
In our own prideful eyes.

Let all but God's advice be halted,
For soon enough we'll see
The humble are by God exalted
For all eternity.

Cornerstone Commandments

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 5:37-40).

In two commandments we can find
All the law and prophets said:
With all your heart, your soul, and mind,
Let your life by these be led.

The first commandment simply is
To love the Lord with all we are.
Our heart, our soul, and mind are His;
He draws us near, who once were far.

The second one is like it too:
Like ourselves, to love our neighbor.
These commands are right and true;
They purify our love and labor.

Sighting the Savior

"Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and vexation of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 6:9). "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee" (Proverbs 4:25). "Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

Why should we have a wandering desire,
When Jesus our Lord fills our eyes?
What could our hearts yet further require?
Who else but Christ satisfies?

Where shall we turn, if not to our Lord?
We've looked to our left and our right.
There's no sweeter portion, no greater reward,
Than Jesus, in Whom we delight!

Parable on Performing

"What think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?" (Matthew 21:28-31).

A parable has truth within
To show us what is right;
To show us also what is sin
And hold it in the light.

Two sons were to their labor sent;
The first son then said, "No."
But afterwards he would repent,
And to his work would go.

The second son at first agreed,
But he never even worked.
The first son thus obeyed indeed,
What the second merely shirked.

The lesson here is surely plain,
Addressed to us today:
Our words are meaningless and vain,
Unless we will obey.

Preserved on the Path

"Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust .... Thou wilt show me the path of life" (Psalm 16:1,11). "For the Lord giveth wisdom .... He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints .... that thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous" (Proverbs 2:6,8,20).

There is a path where we may walk
Where God preserves our way,
That sets our feet upon a rock:
The path where we obey.

God has shown the path of life,
The path of our submission,
That preserves through peace and strife,
Fulfilling His commission.

So let us gladly walk this path
That seeks to do the will
Of Him who saved our souls from wrath,
And shall preserve us still.

Reason Required

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.... He hath made everything beautiful in His time... and God requireth that which is past" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,11,15).

To everything there is a season;
A purpose in God's time.
For everything there is a reason;
A plan that is sublime.

Everything that God has made
That we are stewards of,
In His scales shall be weighed,
By what we did for love.

All things present shall be past,
And one day we shall see
How beautiful they are at last
In God's economy.

So while the present still is here,
Before our setting sun,
Let our purpose thus be clear:
To hear our Lord's "Well done!"