When I look around

I see this old world

Falling apart at the seams

The threads are loosely bound

And easily broken

Like an old garment faded and torn

Soon to be cast aside

Lost to decay

Though these words are overpowering

And deafening to my soul

Hope rises from deep within

As a strand I’m coiled around

This cord is not easily broken

Like the cord that once fed me in my mother’s womb

This cord of God I’m bound to

The strongest knot of all

Anchors me to His inseparable love

That gives me an eternal future and hope for today

As I scroll across the pages

And gaze upon the photos

I’m flooded with memories

Then I cast my gaze

Beyond the pages and photos

And in my minds eye

I go back as far as I can go

And I see you everywhere

You’re written across my life story

Filling so many pages

From the day I was born to this day

The grief of knowing

There are no more pages to be written

No more photos to be taken

No more stories to be told

No more kisses and hugs

Slowly but surely it sets in

The ache presses in

And the tears roll down

Then they subside and give way

To peace

Peace that knows no limit

And the quiet and calm

Settles over me

I know you’re with me

Always in my heart

I’m not alone

When I think of you

Neither are you

You’re with Him now forever

Taken away from us

Taken into His loving arms

The sense of loss is overwhelming

But the sense of you being found with Him

Is even more overwhelming

Joy

The deep down joy

That goes deeper than the grief

Holds me and keeps me

In that place of knowing

Knowing you are finally home

With Jesus

And while I wait for my day to come

I’ll scroll through the pages

And gaze upon the photos

Remembering you always

As the one who so greatly loved

“In the beginning God”

This declaration reveals

The centrality of His glory

Opens up His story

He tells me what He’s going to do

How He did it

Then interprets what He’s done

Providence and grace

Are highlighted from beginning to end

God exists

I see Him

I feel Him

I smell Him

I hear Him

I touch Him

All my senses are awakened by His grace

Pointing me to His glory

Causing me to know His providence

To know Him

And in knowing Him

Know who I am

The meaning of life

“In the beginning God”

I remember the days of laughter

How quickly they slipped

Under the folds of sadness

Like the currents of change

With an ever flowing tide

I’m waiting for the full moon

Waiting for it to rise

High above the mediocrity

Blown in by waves of hope deferred

I’m waiting for a longing fulfilled

Where faith stands tall

Like the tree of life

Always pointing to love which never fails

Holding out its branches

With handfuls of promises

Of a kingdom yet to come

I love the colour yellow

Bursting forth in bridal flowers

They brighten up the green

With cleansing beauty

Then point me to the crimson

That washes me whiter than snow

Here in this holy display

I’m drawn toward mercy

Where grace awaits

Takes me by the hand

And leads me like a lover

Into a new day

God weeps with me

His tears are mingled with mine

No measure can be measured or compared

To such great love as this

To such great love divine

To be lost and alone

Locked outside

Swept away in the cold of night

To be broken

Filled with guilt

And shame seeping through every crack in the wall

Is to be separated from the greatest love of all

Alive yet dead as dead can be

Sin takes its toll

Relentless

Like a debt collector in hot pursuit

Never giving up

Until the payment is met

The weight

The pain

The suffering

The burden

Beyond man’s ability to bear

No man can pay the price

No man can lift this load

No religion can redeem or pay back

There is only One who paid the price

To lift this impossible load

Only One who sacrificed and gave it all

Only One who suffered

For the guilt of my sin and shame

Only One who bled and died was buried and rose again

Only One every knee shall bow to

Only One who every tongue will confess

Only One who is the Saviour of the world

Only One who is Lord and King

Only One when I called out heard my cry

Only One to whom I confessed

Only One who

Forgave me

Redeemed me

Healed me

Saved me

Only One who called me to live close by His side

Only One who loved me in a way that no other could

Only One my heart adores

Only One will I always love

Only One with the most beautiful name of all

The matchless One

The greatest One of all

There is no other One who can ever be to me

As He is to me

He is the One

The One and only

Jesus

That Ego that always wants to Edge God Out

Has been stretched out on a cross and crucified

I have been delivered from self

The “I” has been caught up by faith in ”You”

The way I see You

Is in the steps I take by faith

With You

In this body

Which belongs to You

The reason behind it all

You loved me and gave Yourself up for me

So that You can live in me

And I can live in You

The strings have been strung

Placed inside every soul

An ever living hope

Eternity in our hearts

Waiting to hear

The first chord ever played

The song of salvation

The dance that knows no end

The wedding banquet awaits

When bride and groom come together

And forever will be one

I’ll always remember your smile

Those great big beautiful eyes

I’ll always remember your kind heart

Looking out for the little ones

The weak

The fragile

The broken

I’ll always remember your words

That cut true and deep

That flow out from your lips

The one I love

The one who laid it all down

To be with me

I see in this

The hand of grace

And I am reminded again and again

That this is the love of God

I see it in our children and grandchildren’s eyes

When their eyes meet yours

And I am reminded

That this is the love of God