Life: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

                       Life

                        Growing labor pains

                        reaching for relief

                        birth of new beginnings

                        life fresh from God.

                        Prayers over lost years

                        refusing to give up hope

                        bound by love’s covenant

                        lost will be found.

Righteousness: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

                       Righteousness

                        Full life

                        fresh mornings

                        creative thoughts

                        comforted heart

                        fellowship

                        faithfulness

                        calm in storm

                        competent in trials

                        real relationships

                        righteousness provided

                        all by Spirit’s power

                        always a gift of love.

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Reflection: Life: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     How much life in the Spirit do you experience each day?

2.     In what ways does the body of sin imprison us from living our days?

3.     In what area of your life do you most desire a fresh beginning this week?

4.     Pray through this week: “The Spirit is life because of righteousness with us.”

Share: How has someone shared the Lord’s righteousness with you recently?

Life: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Romans 8:10

“But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

Lord, please keep us true to Your words of life.

We are so stuck in our sinfulness that we let circumstances guide our reactions instead of remembering the forgiven life You have bought for us.

Forgive us for continuing to focus on failure and exhaustion and resentment.

Thank you for new life. For new hope. For new beginnings.

Please keep us hungry to seek Your heart’s path.

Keep us abiding in You and sharing the life You give us with others.

Teach us what righteousness really is by Your grace and enable us to walk its path every day with faith and gratitude.

Psalm of Worship: Proverbs 8: 9

“They are all straight to one who understands and right to those who find knowledge.”

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Life: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

            Life

                       

            Word that cuts to the heart

            as sharp as a two-edged sword

            and a terror of guilt.

            Instead a surgeon’s precise

            knife to bring healing

            accountability removes disease.

            Before spreading, before cold

            refusal can stop truth or

            barricades sanctuary.

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

“…What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.” John 1:4

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Substance

When we pause to

truly look at creation’s

sphere—amazement

pours into awe. Struck

by infinity layered in

color, detail, shape.

Each piece uniquely

situated. Crazy quilt

pattern of exuberant life

un-replicable.

Why then doubt a

Master’s hand, lovingly

shaping day, writing stars,

painting landscapes,

breathing substance into

all His heart’s desire.

Tabernacle

Blue Hem

Boundaries marked

in every corner

blue cord reminder

of God’s words

spoken in His name

Spirit advocate continues

blessings fringe

our every day life

boundaries marking

His authority.

Numbers 15:38, “..and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner.”

Tabernacle

Covering

From the beginning,

when sin first emerged,

He prepared the price.

Knowing He alone

could enter heaven’s

holiest sanctuary.

Became threefold covering

High Priest, Ruler, Sacrifice.

Created entrance to

atonement

readied moment we

see our sin,

recognize consequence

death, despair.

Nail scarred hands hold us.

Whispers, choose life, come.

Hebrews 9:12, …“He entered once for all into the Holy Place,” …

Tabernacle

Door of Tabernacle

Entrance to God’s presence

door barred

only open to High Priest

on occasion.

Except by Christ’s framework

door opened

always to everyone

access way, truth, life.

John 10:9. “I am the gate.”

Leaving Egypt Behind

Scripture: Exodus 12:2, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you;”

Beginnings: from this time on, new life, new start, new birth, anticipated with joy.

Life begins at the end of a cold, dark winter with tiny buds and pale green shoots.

Life begins at the end of a long wait.

Life begins for Israel with separation from Egypt to life with God.

Life begins with separation from sin and selfishness to a life lived unto God.

Life begins when we are plucked from death into eternity.

Life begins when that which is old is passed away and behold all things are new.

Life begins with a second chance-to begin again.

Life begins with a baby in Bethlehem.

Life begins, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”

Beginnings: a smile, forgiveness, reconciliation, a hand held with love.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 133:3

It is like the dew of Hermon,

Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the Lord commanded the blessing-life forever.