Weighed down
By our sin and suffering,
You sweated blood.
How did you persevere?
Knowing the evil within us,
You still loved us.
Having mercy,
You forgave.
You healed.
Confronting evil,
You were crucified.
Freely laying down your life,
You took it up again.
Savior of the world,
Save us!
Do you ever feel like the Drummer Boy?
Nothing to bring to the quiet King.
Nothing to give, except your sin.
Do you ever look inside yourself,
But empty finding, look above.
It’s only there, that there is Love.
And then open your heart to let Him in.
I was once your enemy;
The fates of war
Placed us on opp’site sides —
We had our pride.
We had a cause,
We gave not pause –
Our cause was just –
To fight we must.
Sure those in power
Were not always right,
But many focused
For loved ones to fight.
The many fallen,
The dead, the suffering,
The broken hearts,
The shrapnel puncturing …
The refugees,
The enemy aliens,
The lost, the forgotten;
The orphans taken in.
And then it ends;
We pick up the pieces.
We must forgive,
Or hatred increases.
In the end, the good will win,
Despite our many, varied sins.
And in every conflict, however grave,
If we want the same, we must forgive.
(Memorial Day, 2016)
Bow down, bow down,
Your Savior now has come.
Look up, look up,
The angels’ song is sung.
So low, so low,
In circumstances born.
A child, a child,
A small and humble one.
He comes, He comes
To take away your sin.
Within, within,
Look in your heart for Him.
Rejoice, rejoice;
He takes away your sin.
Come down, come down, Lord Jesus,
And feed your hungry sheep.
Come down, come down, oh Father,
Bring water from the deep.
Come down, oh Holy Spirit,
Refresh our weary souls.
Come down to earth,
And give new birth,
Let sin and sadness
Transform to gladness.
Cast doubt and fear
Away from here.
Let dark deeds die
And hatred lie
Lifeless
And defeated.
Lift up our souls
And take control.
Forgive our sins;
Bring life within.
Let parch-ed tongues
Your wine imbibe —
Refreshing pools
Bring on the cool
Of souls made bright
Within Your light.
I’m dancin’ again!
Through the pain,
And through the tears,
I’m dancin’ again.
Because the dead are raised to life,
And peace will come through fearful strife,
Because the wrong will come to right —
I’m dancin’ again.
Because my heart,
Though so confused,
Is slowly, gently being infused
With grace, and truth, and light.
Because the pain is for my good,
Because He’s always understood,
Because with God I really could —
Learn to dance again.
Because the cross will cure my sin,
Because He’ll bring me peace within,
The peace that silences the din —
I’ll dance again!
Shatter the darkness,
Bring searing light.
Break all the bondage
With holy might.
Rend all the ramparts,
Strongholds of fear;
Bring understanding —
With wisdom draw near.
Strengthen our weakness,
Courage now give.
Cleanse with Your Spirit
Our madness and sin.
Strike now our enemy,
Make him forlorn;
Let all his strongholds
Be tattered and torn.
Give us Your power;
Your spirit embue.
Without you, dear Jesus,
There’s naught we can do.
Can you hear Jesus?
His voice so gently calls.
I hear Him in the crashing waves,
In clear, bright mornings,
In darker days.
Can you hear Jesus calling?
He wants to own your heart.
Can you hear Him in the wind?
The fresh, cool breeze?
The Voice within?
Can I hear Jesus speaking?
Or is my heart too deaf?
Will I turn away from Him,
Let call grow dim, or
Let Him wash away my sin?
Can we hear Jesus speaking?
And let us meet one day,
On other side,
Without our pride —
He patiently abides.
“For everyone has sinned …”
Once I was watching a documentary about the Nuremberg Trials (in which prominent Nazis were on trial for World War II war crimes). A Jewish man who was present related how he suddenly fainted during the testimony of one of the accused. When asked why he fainted, he said, “Suddenly I realized that I, too, was capable of the same horrible actions.”
We ALL need forgiveness. We cannot do any good without God’s help.
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23)
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