There is a cost

There is a cost

That God requires

My heart,

My mind,

My soul.

There is a cost 

To follow Him

Repent,

Forgive,

Baptism.

There is a cost

To living faith

Stand-up,

Proclaim,

And shout

There is a cost

Already paid by

Jesus,

Our Lord,

Saviour.

This is our prize

Now shout it out

Refined,

Set free,

Delivered.

Know the Saviour's

Love today

By grace

You are

Forgiven.

©Revdjo 26/8/13

The tune of the hymn by Horatius Bonar that was going through my head when I write the above.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till trav’ling days are done.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“My Father’s house above
Has many mansions; I’ve a place
Prepared for you in love.”
I trust in Jesus—in that house,
According to His word,
Redeemed by grace, my soul shall live
Forever with the Lord.

Ministry

It's a calling
Ingrained in the heart,
No going back
God's love to impart.

It's a calling
Full of God's hope,
Ministering the Word
God's love to impart.

It's a calling
Bubbling with joy,
His Spirit's anointing
God's love to impart.

It's a calling
Faith - if you will,
Trust and devotion
God's love to impart.

It's a calling
A challenge, a way,
Take it or leave it
God's love to impart.

It's a calling
Will you stop praying,
And tell me
What do you say?

©Revdjo 20/8/2013

Clean

I've been cleaning the house tonight. Here's a poem that arrived as I soaked awake my aches in the bath - one of my places of inspiration. I hope to like it.

'Throw out the rubbish'

I heard you say.

I emptied the bins,

for the sake of my sins.

'What about those spots?'

I looked around..

And scrubbed and cleaned,

I washed the pots.

'The dust in the corner.'

'The speck over there?'

I hovered the rug

And under the chair.

I listen for your voice.

I hear only a din.

The music next door.

I open the gin.

Drowning my sorrows

I put up my feet.

It's comfy here.

I fall asleep.

'What about your hands?

And the state of your heart?'

I open my eyes.

You gave me a start!

©Revdjo 7/8/13

Sharing the shame

Lost in my body

My soul escapes.

It ventures the road 

others won't take.

Tears lost inside

Pain is my name.

Shouting at me

Sharing my shame.

If only you saw 

The man at the door.

Watching with me

As I look at the floor.

They use me 

And abuse me.

They look

And they prod.

Day after day,

Hour after hour,

Minute by minute

I look at the clock.

I wonder if I 

Will ever remember,

Sunshine and freedom

The rain in September?

©Revdjo 21/7/13

Today we had a speaker, Andrew Wrath, from Hope for Justice. When will human trafficking end? We commemorate the abolishing of the slave trade but yet it still continues. Human trafficking is the slave trade of this century. It needs to stop; until then we share the shame. Please Lord let it end.

What helps you to pray?

I like things around me to make me think and, in turn, to pray. The above photo, and the one bellow, were taken in my study. So, what inspires you? What helps you to imagine and dream of possibilities yet to be? What helps you to pray?

I like to laugh as often as I can. Life really is too short to be grumpy, besides we use less muscles to smile then we do to frown. So sit for a moment, have a cup of tea, and think of the things that make you laugh. They are usually free! Perhaps its as simple as chatting with a friend?

Maybe it's nature that inspires you, maybe it's words, maybe you dream of possibilities when you sleep? I have said before, I am at my most creative late at night, normally before I drift off to sleep. This is also the time I am most relaxed and most receptive to God's voice. Yes, there are other times and in my quest to seek God's face I have found solace in quiet days (retreats from the outside world), and alone pottering in the garden, and just recently in the middle of the swimming pool where I felt God's still small voice says to me, 'I'm here.' God is all around us. It's a question of us connecting with him. So how do we do it? 

As I reflect on my sign that says 'sit long, talk much, laugh often' I wonder can I apply this to my prayer life? Have you tried pouring your heart out to God recently? Try it. Go on give it a go... Shout at him. Scream at him. Tell him how you feel. Jump up and down. Cry, laugh, but be honest, honest with your emotions. There is nothing like a heart wrenching prayer. God hears the cry of our heart. He is there, talk to him, he's waiting for that long chat and for you to tell him how you feel. And then listen... wait for him to respond. Feel his peace, the peace that passes all understanding.

 

Luke 12:22-31 NRSV

²² He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵ And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? ²⁶ If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ²⁸ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. ³⁰ For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Words

Words matter let then flow

On a page,

On a wall.

Words matter let them flow

From within,

From your soul.

Words matter let them flow

Cascading,

Descending,

Slow.

Words matter let them flow

Speak them out,

Let them show.

Words matter let them flow

Igniting,

Highlighting,

Go!

copyright Revdjo 13/7/13