Eternity

Out of this life I shall never take
Things of Silver and Gold I make
All that I cherish and hoard away
After I leave on this earth must stay
Tho' I have toiled for a painting rare
To hang on the wall I must leave it there
Tho' I call it mine and boast of it's worth
I must give it up when I leave this earth
All that I gather, and all that I keep
I must leave behind when I fall asleep
And I often wonder what I shall own
In that other life when I pass alone
What shall they find and what
Shall they see in the soul that
Answers the call for me?
Shall the Great Judge learn
When my task is through
That my Spirit has gathered some riches too!
Or shall at last it to mind I find
That all I'd worked for I'd left behind.

This Man of God That You Gave Us on Communion Day

You knew what we needed God
A man with a servant's heart
Someone who looks on his own imperfection
And can readily overlook ours
Feed my sheep runs through his mind
But to me it seems you gave him
A daunting impossible task
Open up the windows of Heaven
And lean far over the ledges and hear
My prayers for Him this Commnion morning.

O Lord, this man of God, your servant
Who breaks the bread of life to us
Instructing us directly from your word
Hold him in the hollow of your hand
And keep him out of the line of the devil's arrow
Take and prepare him Lord this morning
Wash him with hyssop inside and out
Dry him with the warm winds of your Spirit
And speak through him sledge hammers of truth
That we many truly know his words came from you.

Fill him full of your Spirit Lord so that he many impart to us
A full measure of your truth emboldened by your power
Cause the words of his mouth to beat on the heart of sin
That we may bow in the knowledge of you chastening.
Give us the knowledge that this man's words come from you
Make him a direct conduit of your love and power
And anoint his hands with your healing power
That on this Communion day we may seek this man you gave us
And boldly ask him for a lightning touch from Thee.
That we might rise up not only renewed but healed.

And now, O Lord...
As we finish drinking the cup representing your blood
That was shed for us that we might live life anew.
Give us a heart for you that knows no defeat or tiredness
But is renewed every day with rich words of scripture.
And if we start again down that slippery slope of unbelief
Bring us up sharp with the telescope vision of eternity.
And allow this man that you have given to us
To continue to preach openly and boldly what you have said,
With no concern for what man might think of him.

The Way to God

If my days were untroubled
and my heart always light
Would I seek that fair land
Where there is no night?

If I never grew weary
with the weight of my load
Would I search for God's Peace
at the end of the road?

If I never knew sickness
and never felt pain
Would I reach for a hand
to help and sustain?

If I walked not with sorrow
and lived without loss
Would my soul seek sweet solace
at the foot of the cross?

If all I desired was mine
day to day
Would I kneel before God
and earnestly pray?

If God sent no "Winter"
to freeze me with fear
Would I yearn for the warmth
of "Spring" every year...

I ask myself this
and the answer is plain...
If my life were all pleasure
and I never knew pain

I'd seek God less often
and need Him much less,
For God's sought more often
in times of distress

And no one knows God
or sees Him as plain
As those who have met Him
on "The Pathway to Pain."