Meditating on the Man

"And a Man shall be as an 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 32:2). "Behold the Man!" (John 19:5).

Behold the Man, and meditate:
Are not His many mercies great?

We find in Him a place to hide;
The storm beats hard, yet He'll abide.

As rivers in a desert place,
He satisfies us with His grace.

As a rock that shades the land,
He covers with His nail-pierced hand.

Behold the Man, how great He is!
All praise and thanks are rightly His!

Wise Whys

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast their cords from us" (Psalm 2:1-3). "I drew them with cords of a Man, with bands of love" (Hosea 11:4).

Why do the nations rage?
Why do they think a vain thing?
Why do they still seek to wage
A war against Christ, our great King?

Why do they still cast away,
The cords of our dear Savior's love?
What more could the Lord do or say,
Since He came down from heaven above?

Lord and Lifter

"But Thou, Lord, art a Shield for me; my Glory, and the Lifter of mine head" (Psalm 3:3).

Jesus is my Glory and the Lifter of my head.
He bowed His head to lift up mine; He suffered in my stead.
To lift me out of hunger, He came down as Living Bread.
To lift me from the grave He died, then rose up from the dead.

Hollow vs. Holy

"This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men" (Isaiah 29:13).

May God forbid that I draw near
With a hollow, heartless word!
May God forbid a shallow fear
Through mere precepts I have heard!

But rather let my love be true
With a heartfelt gratitude.
May I, Lord, draw near to You
With a holy attitude.

His Word and Work

"This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working" (Isaiah 28:29).

Wonderful in counsel; in working, excellent!
God so loved this sinful world that Jesus Christ was sent!
How marvelous His mercy that He would counsel thus!
How great His lovingkindness that Christ could died for us!

Cornerstone Contentment

"Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste" (Isaiah 28:16). "Unto you therefore which believe He is precious" (1 Peter 2:7).

Jesus is our sure Foundation,
The solid Cornerstone,
The Author of so great salvation;
How precious to His own!

Infinite and Intimate

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite" (Psalm 147:3-5).

He tells the number of the stars,
And He calls each one by name.
He heals the lonely, broken heart;
That is why our Savior came.

How awesome and how infinite
Are His wisdom and His power!
How merciful and intimate
In our brokenhearted hour!

Perfect Peace

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3).

Ah! What perfection of peace!
Here is where troubled thoughts cease!
The mind stayed on Christ finds release,
In the perfect peace He alone gives.

Trust, then, in Jesus alone.
Draw near to find grace at His throne.
He gives perfect peace to His own,
And His joy, just to know that He lives!

Needful Now

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41,42).

One thing is needful, we hear Jesus say,
One thing can never be taken away:
Salvation in Christ! We do well to take heed,
And draw near Jesus who meets every need!

Heart for the Harvest

"The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest" (Luke 10:2).

The harvest is great! The fields are white!
Work while it's day, for soon comes the night!
Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send
Laborers into His fields to tend.

Yet while you are praying get ready to go.
God's eye is searching this world to and fro,
To show Himself strong toward those of His own,
Who trust and obey and draw near to His throne.

Listening for Lovingkindness

"Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness" (Psalm 143:8). "They said, Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did? But He turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:54-56).

The first and final word from God,
The motive of His staff and rod,
The footsteps that our Savior trod,
Declare His lovingkindness.

I hear His words of truth and love
That made Him leave His throne above.
I know what spirit I am of
Since love removed my blindness.

The Cry to Christ

"When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path.... I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto Thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142:3-5). "There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

Overwhelmed upon the path
That led relentlessly to death.
Beyond that portal waited wrath,
When I would gasp my final breath.

I looked upon my right hand
To see if anyone would care,
To see even one could understand,
Alas! I found no one was there.

I cried to God (why did I wait?)
When I had come to my wit's end.
I cried before it was too late,
To Christ, the sinner's dearest Friend.

Daily Discipleship

"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).

Yesterday is gone forever,
Tomorrow's plans may never be.
Therefore in today's endeavor,
Show the truth that makes you free!

Daily take the cross God gives.
Daily lose your life for Christ.
Daily show that Jesus lives.
Be a living sacrifice.

Savior and Sanctuary

"Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself.... and He shall be for a sanctuary" (Isaiah 8:13,14).

The Lord will be our sanctuary
In every time and place.
So till He come, if He should tarry,
Let's draw there from His grace.