Tuesday, March 22, 2016

A One Word Answer





Who can heal our wounds with His?
Who, though sinless bore all sin?
Who, though rejected, forgives?
Who, Immortal, dwells within?

Who, though One, is everywhere?
Who, forsaken, forsakes none?
Who hears every wordless prayer?
Who, through death, Death’s battle won?

Who, cleanses us through His blood?
Who loves where His scorners laugh ? 
Who, beneath hate's violent flood
Prayed for grace on their behalf?

Who, amidst life-storms, brings peace?
Who is He who lives in Word?
Who abides though all else cease?
It is Jesus Christ the Lord
 

A Nice God Picture...

"Look, Janet!" exclaimed the little guy I babysit. "I made a nice God picture!"

Above photo after a bit of photo-shop...

Look, redemption's river ran
Purchasing salvation
See, fulfillment of God's plan
Has no expiration 

Look, the cross of Hope abides
For each generation
Where the worth of Pardon's Tide
Has no expiration!

Look, the curse of death and hell
And endless damnation
Is overcome, the blood that fell
Has no expiration

Look, the picture of God's love
Points the Way to Heaven
Where the cross that held God's Son
Has no expiration

Janet~

  "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." 
1 Pet.2:24 

 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb.12:2

Since Time Began...



 Victoria and I oohed and aahed to our hearts content yesterday as the sky wowed its spectators!



Heaven-heights declare night-day
Where its vaults beget
Time’s triumphant interplay
Of sun rise and set


Over far-off eastern hills
God unveils a door
Where the gold of morning spills
To both rich and poor



… then the middling-way of noon
Like a carving knife
Chisels from gossamer swoon
That which shapes a life


Intervention of the deep
Overtakes the day
Ruddy benedictions seep
Through its blue and gray

  
Where grand eons overhead
Testify God’s grace
As worship, want, hope and dread
Deftly interlace

© Janet Martin


It must have been a Romanticist that made this fence:)

Monday, March 21, 2016

About Our Say-and-Do



Yesterday our pastor told us that someone thanked him for something he said thirty year ago!! (and he had long forgotten) that changed this person's life.
He cautioned us to consider carefully the reach of deeds and words!


We do not know how long or far a word or deed may go
Or who or when or where someone may be touched by its might
Thus, because the full sum of it we cannot see or know
'Tis well indeed to ponder what is kind and true and right

Life’s all-in-this-together’-ness is charged with want and will
Where everyone can use a ‘can I help?’ and 'I love you'
Then, who knows when-who-how the fullness of its fruit will spill
Thus we ought to consider carefully each say-and-do

The words we choose to say and deeds we do outlives our years
Choice does not nullify its consequences when we die
Be careful then, we do not know when Present disappears
And said-and-done is all that we will be remembered by

© Janet Martin

 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 
 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.

Prov.13:3-5 ESV


Sacred Submission






Into the hand that kindles dark with light,
The seed with bloom
And woos the wonderland of spring
From Mother Nature’s womb
And bends the dawn with hope reborn
And sends the sun and rain
And mends the hurts of humankind
To make us glad again

…and tends the galaxies where
Neither Height nor depth exceeds
The hand of loving-kindness
That assuages mortal needs
And wore the nails and bore the Death
And tore The Veil away
Into these hands, these Supreme Hands
We commit this day

© Janet Martin


 The Lord bless you and keep you; 
 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Look at the Cross (a repost because...)

 Image result for calvary's cross  

...first I was going to call this an Easter Poem but
This is not an 'Easter' poem,
It is an every-day-of-our-lives poem

Look, look at the cross, no, no don’t look away
See love's sacred offering on gruesome display
See the thorns, wicked thorns so humbly worn
By the One who loved all; All the sick and forlorn,
The foolish, the wealthy, all those who would scorn
His dear name; so look at the cross on public display,
Not in some dark corner tucked dimly away
But up on a hill for the whole world to see
Perfect love, awesome love for you and me

Look, look at the cross, at the dear Lord’s face
Bearing the shame of public disgrace,
A face that was spat on, yet knew only love,
The face of a King from a kingdom above,
A face which has power earth and heaven to move
In a whisper; yet on it flow crimson tears
As He weeps, not in pain but in love so sincere
He calls out to His father from upon this tree
The symbol of hope for humanity

Look, look at the cross, at the hands that are bleeding,
Pierced through with nails and yet He is pleading
That man will find mercy in this holy flood,
Forgiveness and hope in a perfect Lamb's blood,
Redemption pouring from the Son of God
His hands stretch out for all to see
That this is He who sets men free
Hands that ministered to man’s most humble need
Have fulfilled their greatest work indeed

So look at the cross, behold the Lamb
The beginning, the end, the Great I AM
Look at his body, pierced and bleeding
Love flowing down for all who are needing
The hope of a Savior, as still He is pleading
Forgive them; and as darkness and thunder descend
His cry is heard through all the land
‘It is finished,” and now there is hope for the lost
If we look at the cross, if we look at the cross...

...and if we look at the cross, at the out-stretched limb,
Behold the blood and the suffering,
If we gaze on His love and the wonder of Him,
Will we think to be saved on that final Day
If we look, turn our backs and walk away?


Janet Martin

Shall I crucify your King? Pilate asked. John 19:15

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Cheers to Years Because Time Always Disappears





All these mornings
Of pouring coffee
Of nose-to-the-grindstone
Adds up to years
And suddenly we are
Startled anew
At how fast
Time disappears

The hand that gathers
Morning-noon-night
And binds it
Into sheaves
Though Kindness bestows
Rose-thorn joy
Still, the heart
Gently grieves

The morning light
That precedes noon
Before night
Darkly breaks
Composes a
Dissonant tune
By what Time gives
…and takes

This what-we-have-
And-hold
Will soon fold
To Yore's far-off land
Time fills the heart
And soul with more
Than thought can
Quite command

© Janet Martin