Monday, September 9, 2019

A Praise Hymn to Praise Him




God, you ordain each season
From You all blessings flow
Love is Your steadfast reason
For every yes and no

God, daily You amaze us
Grace will not break its vow
You hear our humble praises
Through all that You allow

You lead us through green pastures
And by Your waters still
As we yield rebel-posture
And bow beneath Your will

Evil mocks the Creator
Seducing love with lust
God, You are always greater
In You each heart can trust
  
Your Word is everlasting
God, let us not forget
When doubt its clout is casting
You are not finished yet

© Janet Martin


Outer Fringes


Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways;
how faint is the whisper we hear of Him!
 Job 26:14

Both sunset last night...

...and sunrise this morning


...were of exceptional caliber and colour!
Like an ethereal orchestra!
(it inspired a personal 'psalm' of sorts)


Psalm 19:1-6

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
Without speech or language,
without a sound to be heard,
their voice a has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun
like a bridegroom emerging from his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and runs its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth. 



Master of Creation
Maestro of the sea
Author of salvation
For humanity

Dark and light are driven
Beneath Thy command
Artist of the heavens
Sculptor of the land

Comforter of sorrow
Keeper of Time’s toll
Father to the sparrow
And man’s deathless soul

Hope in doubt’s confusion
Shepherd to the flock
Peace amidst the doom in
Human-natured talk

Both Taker and Giver
Goodness, mercy, love
Guides the rippling river
To the ocean’s trove

Ruler of each season
There is none like Thee
Who else defies reason
Without Reason’s plea

Who else grants seed’s ration
Or saves us by grace
Taking kind compassion
On this human race

Who Thy might can fathom
None else can compare
Invisible awesome
Lamplighter of air

© Janet Martin



 There is none like You, O LORD; 
You are great, and great is Your name in might.
Jer.10:6

Psalm 86:8
O Lord, there is none like You among the gods, nor any works like Yours.
Psalm 86:10
For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.

Exodus 15:11
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? 
who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Psalm 89:5-8
 The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD—

Your faithfulness as well—
in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?
In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared,
and awesome above all who surround Him.
O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You?
O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You. 

Job 38:12
(click link to read the following four chapters of awesome declarations of God's might)
 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
    or shown the dawn its place,





Sunday, September 8, 2019

Pensive Poemlets...




The line twixt want and need
Defines our love and greed
No matter how we try
This marker does not lie
Its wordless evidence
Is rife with recompense
Then we should pay close heed
To wars of want and need

© Janet Martin

Always we should be on our guard, lest we lose sight of truth
Lulled into living without giving God a second glance
Forbid that we with apathy or disregard uncouth
Would grind beneath the heel of unbelief the gift He grants

Always we should remember what so swift is left behind
This little life in light of evermore is but a flit
Then pray that each and every day we keep God first in mind
And live for Him as if our very death depends on it

© Janet Martin

Oh, Unbelief is like a strong and subtle undertow
It draws the fearless bark into deeps dark with deadly foe
Be not deceived; God’s grace and Righteousness is undeterred
Safe is the barge secured upon the anchor of His Word

The pleasures of this world unfurl in colourful appeal
Its lure is pleasing to the eye; it soothes the way we feel
Its attractive veneer can steer us straight into doubt's darts
Unless the word of God is hidden in our heart of hearts

Each breath we take is gifted from the One who does not shift
Steadfast, the vessel fixed on Him will never sink or drift 
But unbelief, hides beneath facades as smooth as jello 
Beware, lest unaware we are snared in its undertow
 
© Janet Martin




Saturday, September 7, 2019

A Pebble-Prayer For a Giant Care


If God is withholding an answer to your prayer it is an act of pure sovereign love!
~Charles Stanley (Waiting on God's Timing part 2)

 


Lord, I pour out my wants again
You know my wish is great
But you know what I need and when
So Lord, teach me to wait

Lord, I pour out my heart to you
Hope’s hurt tries mortal dust
But what I cannot know, You do
So Lord, teach me to trust

In Your Name,
Amen

© Janet Martin

 1 Samuel 17:45
But David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, 
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, 
the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.


LOVE this poem by George Matheson


Psalm 124:8
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.


Friday, September 6, 2019

Dear Moms...


Dear moms,
I hope we all have someone we can pour out to when we need it!
Moral mom-support is HUGE no matter how old our 'kiddos' are...(so I am learning!)
A few years ago for Mother's Day all the women in our congregation
 received a little pebble with a heart painted on it. 
It was to be a visual reminder that God loves us. 
Somehow recently that pebble disappeared from the window-ledge by my kitchen-sink...
maybe someone didn't know it was a teeny pebble with a BIG purpose!
Last week one of the youngsters I babysat made this for me
which will now take its place 'cause its vital for moms to remember
 God loves us and we can 'cry/lean/pray' on His shoulder any time! 




We all have days where we feel like the world’s worst mother; don’t give up
This is the flipside of sweet times that fill and overflow joy’s cup
We all have moments when we cry ‘I don’t know how to do this, God’
He helps us not to spoil the child by withholding the ‘training rod’

We all have nights when we feel like our being is frayed through and through
For it comes down to this my dear; while they learn we are learning too
And sometimes it is hard to tell who is the teacher, who the child
In the mish-mash of chores and a crash course in parenting run wild

We all have times when we would quit if that was somehow possible
But mom is mom forever to each darling little miracle
Where the only one-size-fits all advice that any mom might say
Is’ take it one prayer at a time’; a child is not raised in a day

© Janet Martin