Thursday, September 22, 2011

a band of women




unbidden they come
they follow
they pour out their means
for Jesus and the twelve -
a band of women
drawn to him by love.
compelled by gratitude
they must be near him
they must take care of him
they must give all to him.

these are the forgiven-much ones
who love much in return.
these are the delivered-from-demons ones
the healed and set free ones;
women who have freely received
and now freely give.

no more crippling shame
no more sickness or bondage or fear.
instead freed hearts and lives
full of gratitude and joy...
a band of women
with Jesus and his disciples
bringing kingdom wherever they go.


"...he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna...and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means."  ~ Luke 8:1-3


[stock photo]

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

forgiven



a woman of bad repute
and uninvited
she quietly kneels behind him
as he reclines at the table.
tears flow freely
washing his dusty feet.
gently drying them with her hair
she takes costly perfume
and pours out all,
anointing his feet with
sin-bought gift of devotion
and tender kisses;
love language of a bursting
full-of-deep-gratitude
forgiven-much heart.


"Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."  ~ Luke 7:47

[stock photo]

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

sweet supply


















in the freshness
of the early morning
the little hummingbird
darts and hovers
drinking nectar
from the uplifted cornucopias
of vibrant purple blossoms
life-giving nourishment
for the taking
supplied abundantly
by the Father


Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father  feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they? ~ Matthew 6:26

Thursday, September 8, 2011

I Hunger and I Thirst















Hymn lyrics that have put words to early-morning longings of my heart for many years....


I hunger and I thirst,
Jesus my manna be;
Ye living waters burst
Out of the rock for me.

Thou bruised and broken Bread,
My lifelong wants supply;
As living souls are fed,
O feed me or I die.

Thou true life-giving Vine,
Let me Thy sweetness prove;
Renew my life with Thine,
Refresh my soul with love.

For still the desert lies
My thirsting soul before;
O living waters, rise
Within me evermore.



This poem/hymn, written by John Samuel Bewley Monsell; born 1811, ordained 1834, died 1870.  Author of 11 volumes of poetry, encompassing almost 300 hymns.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

weighty words


in my set-apart chair
i sit in the early morning hours
savoring first the sensory.

my body nestles into cushiony embrace
while open hands feel
the comforting weight of the book.

fingertips caress the texture
a texture that stirs my heart
with anticipation
for breaking the dark night's fast.

hugging it close
with eyes closed tight
my nose takes in its
leathery smell while
savoring this slight delay
that makes the anticipated repast
all the sweeter.

then the deliberate opening
and the soft sound
of thin pages rustling
until my eyes settle
on words for today.

my heart begins to partake
of their vitality
as i break the fast
with my Father
and i lean in close
to hear him speak his Word
to me for this day.


Your words were found, and I ate them. and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. jeremiah 15:16

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Life In A Cup


"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?" 1 Corinthians 10:16

Cup of blessing which we bless
was the bitter cup he drank.
Bitter cup he asked to let pass,
chose he instead to drink.
Costly crimson outflow from the bitter
becomes life-giving cup of blessing
to the ones who gratefully
receive and partake.

Bitter cups we choose to drink,
and sweeten with the tree*
cast into our bitter waters ~
poured-out fruit of these cups
become rivulets of blessing
to parched and hurting souls;
the ministering of inwrought
experience of the Christ-life.

Bitter cups becoming cups of blessing
as we draw hard strength to echo his
"Not my will but Yours."
Bitter cups becoming
cups of salvation for us,
cups of blessing to others,
as we call on the name of the Lord;
mercy and grace, love and forgiveness,
redemption and hope ~ life in that name.



"I take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord."  Psalm 116:13


* "Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter....And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"  So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree [type of Christ's cross].  When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet."  
Exodus 15:23-25