Gift: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Gift 

                Deep fellowship

                Devoted love

                that cannot be broken

                timeless love

                His presence

                honest gift

                regardless of circumstances

                resurrection gift

                mercy always

                mending daily

                Devoted love His

                Deep fellowship.

Psalm 27:2: "When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell."

                

Gift: Purpose: Prayers and Poetry

                                               Gift

                                                Ability a blessing

                                                opportunity to learn

                                                to grow to share

                                                gifted by the Spirit.

                                                Until it becomes

                                                our comfort our purpose

                                                our safety net.

                                                Ability a gift

                                                meant to be given

                                                under the Lord’s power

                                                His call for each to serve.

Psalm 18:31, “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?”

Gift: By Faith: Prayers and Poetry

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Gift

Much conjecture debate

pontification and sermons

continue throughout

eras due to concrete

missing details.

Who, what, why journalism

sets scope on earth’s

first family. Fresh from

the garden, first generation

embroiled in fruit’s effect.

One righteous—accepted—died.

One gift received approved,

one faith endures as witness

his voice still speaks

through his actions of

one confirmed substantiated fact.

Psalm 104:5, “He established the earth upon its foundations, So that it will not totter forever and ever.”

Gift: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

                       Gift

                        Costly gift

                        given freely

                        a life redeemed

                        every step

                        called—justified—glorified

                        all beyond comprehension

                        each unique a personal

                        generous gift

                        to accept or decline

                        to live or to hide.

Reflection: Done: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     How clearly do we understand that God has condemned and conquered sin?

2.     Do we accept it daily in our personal lives? Why or why not?

3.     What can acceptance look like in practical action?

4.     Are we willing to let go of our own methods and trust His?

Share: How has His gift given you the ability to stand firm in battle this week?

Indwell: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

                       

                       Indwell

                        Heart, broken

                        chastised

                        seek forgiveness.

                        Opportunity to

                        make amends

                        restore relationship.

                        And God gives so

                        much more

                        His own Spirit

                        to indwell forever.

                        Raises us from ash heaps

                        to fellowship with princes

                        when our selves break in repentance.

            

Reflection: Gift: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Have you been in a situation where you believed that making amends was impossible?

2.     Did it change? How?

3.     How difficult is it for you to give the gift of forgiveness to others? Why?

4.     In what ways has the Lord’s gift to you helped you bridge conflict and personal injury?

Share: What is one way that you have experienced the Holy Spirit’s indwelling?

Gift: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Acts 2:38

“Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Repent—Baptized—Forgiven—Receive.

Not the known ritual repentance of synagogue and temple worship to be made right in God’s eyes. Not any less accountable. Not any less to commit to by heart and head.

Yet so much more given by grace instead of by works. A new foundation of relationship. Astonishing! Holy Spirit given as a gift. To walk alongside. To assist in keeping God’s laws within and without. To abide forever! Washed and forgiven.

How trustingly do we accept this gift? How trustingly do we extend it to others? Especially those against us. When we are wronged by either friend or foe? Do we mirror God’s gift of grace to us or expect a long list of emotional legal restitution before we agree to consider forgiveness?

What about when we sin again to others? Or against ourselves. How willing are we to accept God’s restoration His way instead of substituting our version of being sorry? Because we can’t quite believe His ongoing grace.

Lord, your gift of Your Spirit continues to astonish us when we are willing to listen. Guide our hearts into Your  repentance, mercy, and forgiveness.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 27:1

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Advent Interlude

“So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I send it.” Isaiah 55:11 NAS

My plans post Thanksgiving weekend, after special time with family and worship community, were as usual for this time of year: to prepare for Christmas and once again try to find time to let the meaning of the season be an anchor in the usual busyness. 

My plans changed that Friday with a trip to  the emergency room followed by admittance to the hospital.

My plans for this holiday season have been completely upended by the unexpected.

And yet as I've begun to adjust to this year's reality I find myself once again seeing and hearing Christ's gift once again as brand new, with the fresh life giving joy of a new born babe.

His entrance into our darkness in whatever form that might look like.

His SO unexpected grace that defies our sinful, selfish hearts.

His promises that are eternal, merciful, life giving, and fulfilled by His birth, death, and resurrection.

His Presence and hope upending our fears.

His surrounding protection of prayer and support of family and friends and total strangers that breathe mercy and care and time and understanding.

His understanding of how much we are broken. Of His poured out life for us. 

Gift beyond measure. Grace beyond comprehension. Christ our Saviour is born.

Advent invites us to recognize the shadows and barriers we have set around God’s promises and reopen His call to pursue life under His influence. And watch our hope soar into new territory as we see His glorious ‘impossibles’ unfold.

            “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.”

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

Blessing on this Advent. Blessings on your new beginnings ahead.

Passion: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Passion

Pure love alone

breathes mercy

gift of reconciliation

perfect love

beyond comprehension

crumples our hearts

passion alone

brings power to

change lives.

Present: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Present

Not packaged in

glitter or large bows

a once a year

special occasion

celebration.

Sometimes instead

a whisper so faint

as a stoke of air

across your face

a linger in a sigh

or tear.

Present promises

of hope

new every morning

every moment

as gift.

Pain: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Romans 5:5, “and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

When our circumstances become a roller coaster ride of disappointments and frustration, or emotional and physical pain from a crisis, it takes very little effort to resist or ignore hope.

We acknowledge the gift of life in our breathing but can still lose the vibrancy of living under a season of numbness. When pain becomes the center of our lives hope often seems to be wishful dreaming—a maybe one day possibility.

But that isn’t the hope that God gives. He brings His definition into all of our days regardless of the circumstances. God’s gift touches our hearts, which impacts everything from the inside out with His grace instead of the outside in crushing us with despair.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest…and you shall find rest for your souls.”

His truth goes deeper than the situations we struggle with as well as those we joy in. His hope is a poured out gift of presence and relationship and understanding. When we see through His vision, then disappointment cannot take root and blind us to restoration and renewal.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 119:116

“Sustain me according to Thy word, that I may live;

And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.”