Unto Us

Pondering Peace on this second week of Advent

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest, 

And on earth peace, 

goodwill toward men!”

Rom.15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

 so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom.15:33

The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Let There Be Peace

Isa.9:6-7

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,

He Who Is Mighty

  

Unto us, so undeserving

Unto vile humanity 

God, with love and grace unswerving

Planned our peace, through Calvary

Unto us, like lost sheep wand'ring

Unto us, the angel's King

God did not withhold the offering

That would cost Him everything

Everything, for our redemption

For the sinner's sacrifice

God, for the sake of salvation

Gave His Son to pay the price 

Crushing Lucifer, so cunning

With love's plan for sin's defeat

Unto us, God's purpose, stunning

Evil's curse with mercy sweet 

Unto us, the awesome promise

Of his government's increase

Heaven came to earth through Jesus 

Unto us, the Prince of Peace

Then, from whence come wars and fighting?

Whence the lust that lures the eye?

Doth it not come from delighting

In what cannot satisfy?

Unto us a Son is given

Unto us a Child is born

Unto us, the hope of Heaven

Jesus, Star of endless Morn

Unto us, peace through God's pardon

Unto us peace to transcend

The battle of Armageddon 

Unto us, love without end

Purchased and secured, God's favor

Perfects faith and truth's amen 

Unto us, God's peace forever

As we fully trust in Him

Come, let us reason together

For shared mercies grace imparts

Let us dwell in peace, and ever

Worship God with thankful heart 

© Janet Martin

Silent Night, Heavenly Peace

 

  
 

Awed Awareness

Today's post Inspired in part by Gen.19

And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand,

 and upon the hand of his wife, 

and upon the hand of his two daughters; 

the Lord being merciful unto him...

Luke 19:16

Lest sluggishly we loiter

Lest apathy besot

Lest we grow numb and thus become

Futile in our thought

Lest we seek sorry solace

In the Sodom of sin

Lest terribly we fail to see

The state that we are in

Lest resolution flounders

Lest influence cajoles

The Still Small Voice that affects choice

That affects deathless souls

Lest we no longer shudder

At evil’s evilness

Or recognize the tempter’s lies

Disguised as ‘happiness’

Lord, wake in us awareness

Of Sodom’s fate, to flee

Lest, like Lot’s wife we mourn that life

And look back longingly

Seize us with holy horror

Of sin’s sad judgment day

Lord, chasten us and hasten us

To repent and obey

Lest the nonsense of notions

And opinions, absurd

With worldly vice, lulls us with ‘nice’

Lord, keep us in Your word

Lord, like Lot when he lingered

Be merciful, I pray

Let your command, like a firm hand

Seize us from Sodom’s sway

Lord, where there is a carcass

The vultures congregate

Lord, wake in us awed awareness 

Before it is too late 

© Janet Martin

Luke 17:20-37

The Coming of the Kingdom

(Genesis 19:24–29)

20When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. 21Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.d”

22Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. 24For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day. 25But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: 27People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind. 32Remember Lot’s wife! 33Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. 35Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.”e

37“Where, Lord?” they asked.

Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”

Praise God Forever (for His Word)

Psalm 119 is a glorious collection of reflection

on the beauty and authority of God's Word

(surely the poorest in all the world are those without

the wealth of God's word hidden in their hearts

to both console and convict!)

 

This poem was also somewhat miserably and reluctantly inspired

by the first two lines, but, lest we becomes victims of defeat 

through the lies of the deceiver we plead God's forgiveness,

trust His Word and press on!

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just 

to forgive us our sins, 

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

For the times when our stumbles humble us unpleasantly

For days we dread and ways we tread, then regret utterly

For guidance and instruction for the times that we are in

For truth to thwart deception and convict us of our sin

For the greatest love story that mankind has ever heard

To give God all the glory, praise His name, we have His word

For battles with discouragement, worriment, and despair

For eagle-wings of hope, for empowerment in our prayer

For truth, absolute truth, no matter what naysayers tout

For joy unspeakable and for dismal duels with doubt

For Light unto our path to keep faith’s focus undeterred

For reminders of how much God loves us, we have His word

For peace that passes understanding in a world of strife

For earnest exhortation for this very sacred life

For preaching and for teaching, for food for undying souls

For God’s tangible presence, for full armor without holes

For the wondrous depiction of the cross, to keep hearts stirred

To count this world but loss, for this, praise God, we have His Word

For training up a child in the right way that they should go

For wisdom undefiled where man's logic shifts to and fro

For strength to fight the good fight till we lay these bodies down

And obtain pardon's prize of an incorruptible crown

For the constant awareness of sin's debt that was transferred

And suffered by the son of God; for this we have His Word

For fellowship with God until we see Him face to face

For thought, speechlessly awed as we contemplate Mercy’s grace

For company of a great cloud of faithful witnesses

For warning to the proud and for enduring promises

For love’s law of sweetest delight, lest judgement becomes blurred

Until faith becomes sight, oh, praise His name, we have God’s Word

For history and prophecy, for everything we need

For the supreme authority of love and judgment's creed 

For kindness and compassion, for correction and reproof

For order for the decency of both elder and youth

For health and wealth and wonder to comfort and undergird

For this and so much more, praise God forever, for His Word 

© Janet Martin

The Word of God

So That We Are Without Excuse

1 Tim.4:12-16 (NKJV)

12 Let no one [a]despise your youth, but be an example to the believers

 in word, in conduct, in love, [b]in spirit, in faith, in purity. 

13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to [c]doctrine. 

14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, 

which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 

15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, 

that your progress may be evident to all. 

16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. 

Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself 

and those who hear you.

Today's Daily Bread Devotion Scripture reading (posted above)

  first laid the groundwork for today's poem,

(click link for beautiful encouragement

to persevere faithfully, right where we are)

...then I looked up to see a burst of pink permeating the atmosphere

 ...as I gazed I was smitten with this passage in Romans 1:18-20

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 

against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, 

who [d]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 

19 because what may be known of God is [e]manifest [f]in them, 

for God has shown it to them. 

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,

 being understood by the things that are made,

 even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, 

so that they are without excuse,...

He bestows to the heavens, rose and periwinkle hues

He fills them with splendor no one can ignore or refuse

He imbues earth and sky and sea with wonder’s pedestal

So that His divine nature will be evident to all

Since the creation of the world God’s hidden attributes

Are clearly seen and understood; we are without excuse

He stirs within the human breast, an urge to satisfy

Where none but He can fill the quest that tests longing’s reply

Though much will try to take His place, where the devil deceives

His peace, his hope, His joy, His grace only true faith receives

Where His goodness, mercy and love abound to one and all

Both on the good and evil the sun shines and rain drops fall

Ho, everyone that thirsts, come and drink where God’s grace runs rife

And gives us Living Water from a blood-bought Fount of life

Call upon Him while He is near, while He may yet be found

Seek Him with reverential fear (we tread on holy ground)

Beneath majestic heavens, while creation’s creatures groan

Until all will behold Him seated on His glorious throne

His love decreed that none should miss faith’s opportunity

So He instilled in what He made, His divine deity

So that we are without excuse; and no one is exempt

Oh, pray we do not look on Him with unbelief’s contempt

But bow the head and bend the knee before death’s final toll

When everyone will look upon the Saviour of the Soul

© Janet Martin

Is There Room in Your Heart?

Tis The Season

After the laughter and excitement of today's merry troops vacated the kitchen

I did too, to feel the powder-blue twilight tucking in the edges of the earth...

Tis the season of powder-blue twilight

Lowered like soft flannel over earth’s sills

Tis the season of pink-ribboned skylines

Tossing mauve ambience over stark hills

Tis the season of powder-blue twilight

Lowered like soft flannel over earth’s sills

Tis the season of pink-ribboned skylines

Tossing mauve ambience over stark hills

Tis the season of ‘fresh from the oven’

For cookie lovin’ kids like you and me

Tis the season of joy mixed with grievin’

For faces missin’ where they used to be

Tis the season of easin’ our hurry

For the fine reason of tasting today

Tis the season of fluffy, white flurry

Decking vast vistas once somber and gray

Tis the season of love turned to givin’

As thoughts turn Bethlehem-ward once again

As we reflect on a babe sent from Heaven

To be the Savior of the world. Amen

Tis the season when we start to ponder

What really matters in Bygone’s increase

Tis the season of pure, childlike wonder

As we consider hope, love, joy and peace

Tis the season of evergreen spires

Holly and mistletoe, silver and gold

Of motley, merry, bundled angel choirs

Singing the carols that never grow old

Tis the season of green and red buttons

On sugar snowmen and gingerbread duds

This the season of turkey and stuffin’

Poppin’ our buttons with gravy and spuds

Tis the season of laughter’s sweet gladness

Where sadness makes Christmas cheer sacred, oh

Tis the season of merchandise madness

Turned into gifts that say ‘I love you so’

Tis the season of tender surrender

As the last month of another year pours

Through toasts and tributes and winter’s first splendor

Powder-blue twilights on flannel white shores

© Janet Martin

Establishing Familiarity (in a world of change)

Happy, happy December!

...and below a few photos of inspiration for today's poem!

the joy of small child's curiosity...

(and his delight at his 'baby-in-basket'

just like yesterday's Baby-in-a-basket'💗💝)

Tried and true recipes and the surprise

Of trying something new and loving it...

(I wish I had the ingred. on hand for the mango salsa!

Some other time!

And when we wake, ah bliss, fresh-brewed coffee...

The Word of God, steadfast and absolute...

Things do not stay the way they used to be

Progress presses the old ways to adapt

And change; estranged familiarity

Can wake wishes for seasons, echo-wrapped

Thus, bidding us to seek with meeker awe

The things that are the way they used to be

The unthwartable ilk of nature’s law

The joy of small child’s curiosity

The thrill as winter-heavens spills white stars

The hope that every Christmas is about

The happiness of refilled canning jars

The yard where puppies romp and children shout

The farmer that still whistles as he works

The gardener as happy as can be

Where despite sweat and toil, Eden still lurks

In every petalled plume and bird and tree

The unrivaled wonder in new-born babe

The tiring, tender toll of parenthood

Fond memories that we would never trade

The unshakeable truth that God is good

Tried and true recipes and the surprise

Of trying something new and loving it

The art of learning, (even though time flies)

To slow our hurried steps and sit a bit 

The black and white beauty of snowy nights

The beckoning warm welcome of sweet home

The comfort of tea-book-slipper delights

The courage to bare hearts into a poem

The option to use ink, paper and pen

The sentimental sweetness in farewells

We know will turn into hello again

Either on earth or in yon citadels

The friendliness of flowers, every one

A perfectly profound intricacy

A well-earned rest by zest of labor won

And when we wake, ah bliss, fresh-brewed coffee

The Word of God, steadfast and absolute

Regardless of post-modern heresy

The evidence science cannot refute

I AM, who WAS, IS and ALWAYS WILL BE

Music, a foretaste of eternity

When worship’s melodies will never cease

The heavens declaring God’s majesty

In every wondrous welkin-masterpiece

The momentum of moments meting change

Where so much is not like it used to be

Lavishes us with what none can estrange

Establishing familiarity

© Janet Martin

To Dear November, a Fond Farewell

Another blip aka November slips through our fingers...

fading into a wild flurry of white tonight...

To purple shadows planted on dusk’s barren, burnished path

To sudden snow globe afternoons rekindling Christmas thrill

To fall and winter’s duels in the muted aftermath

Of leaf song winnowed from woodlands now dark and stark and still

To gleaming furrows turned and tucked like umber counterpanes

To harvest-hymn hiatus and to skies that steal the show

To echo-tangos tugging at heartstrings taut/fraught with refrains

Of love, laughter and longing’s ever learning to let go

To winds that wander through a world of golden tapers snuffed

To squash and pumpkin lanterns gleaned and baked and steamed and fried

To brooding tableaus transformed by a big white duvet, fluffed

Until it spills soft feathers over town and countryside

To joy, because of juncos, to the blue jays’ raucous cries

To winter’s feathered friends returned like long lost family

To reveling in the raw agony of time’s demise

To making the most of what all too soon is history

To dear November’s dying embers on a dimming grate

To nature’s somber sweetness after autumn’s robe is rent

I pen this poem as I linger at a phantom gate

To bid a fond farewell and wonder where, oh, where you went

(Ah yes, to hugs and kisses, too many to count, I know

To happiness because it was enough to be alive

To thankfulness to God from whom each season’s blessings flow

Through outstretched touch and taste and such, into Bygone’s archive)

© Janet Martin

And some precious last-day-of-November memories...

...and the world that had returned to green, gray and brown 

after Old Man Winter's mid November bumble, 

when he tumbled out of bed too soon,

will be a white winter wonderland come December!

Good-night and see you in December💖🙏

Priceless Exceeding Abundance

So many needs weighed on my heart this morning as I thought of so many who are troubled,

so many suffering in war torn countries around the world, 

so many suffering close to home due to sickness, injuries in accidents 

and hardships due to broken relationships, hardships caused by inflation 

the fragility of the so-called freedom and peace in countries whose leaders

have turned away from God, and the list goes on...

But it is not a hopeless case. 

Quite the opposite. 

We pray to One who is able to do 

'exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, 

according to the power that works in us. 

Unto Him be glory in the church by Jesus throughout all ages, 

world without end, 

amen. 

Eph.3:20-21

Above All-Michael W. Smith

The Lord appoints our place

His love anoints our cares

And by the riches of His grace

God’s mercy hears our prayers

His measure of reply

Exceeds abundantly

The want and wish of you and I

On meek and bended knee

Though trial rends faith's glove

May faith, faith’s test transcend

Grounded and rooted in the love

Thought cannot comprehend

With lowliness of heart

(His Spirit’s dwelling place)

May we endeavor to impart

The riches of God’s grace

…so that we may be filled

With the fulness of He

Who helps us, through what He has willed

To proclaim His glory

© Janet Martin

“For Thine is the kingdom, 

and the power, 

and the glory,

forever. 

Amen” 

(KJV—Matt. 6:9-13)