Leave me, O Love, which reaches but to dust;
and thou, my mind, aspire to higher things;
grow rich in that which never taketh rust;
whatever fades, but fading pleasure brings.
Draw in thy beams, and humble all thy might
to that sweet yoke where lasting freedoms be,
which breaks the clouds, and opens forth the light,
that doth both shine and give us sight to see.
Oh, take fast hold; let that light be they guide
in this small course which birth draws out to death,
and think how evil become him to slide,
who seeketh heaven, and comes of heavenly breath.
Then farewell, world; thy uttermost I see:
Eternal Love, maintain thy life in me.
a lone tree
clings to the banks of the raging river
leaves tossed
boughs bent
daily tested by the elements
its roots dig deeper
holding the tree to the shore
security sought in the deep rich soil
how the barren tree during the storm
its leaves blown off
how ugly the tree
its bark patched
its branches twisted
but the clouds disperse
the sun greets the little tree
coaxing it heavenward
by the time the warmth of Spring arrives
the tree is covered in green buds
a promise of many leaves and much fruit
References: Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Job 23:10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
Copyright MaryBeth Mullin
We are the Mary Magdalenes,
the women at the well,
the women with the issue of blood
the women caught in adultery
the impure
the unclean
the tax collectors
the prostitutes
Others reject us
hate us
are repulsed by us-
the proof of our sin
woven into our garment
but no longer tarnishing our souls.
We fall short
we disappoint
we’re harsh
we’re weak
we hurt others
we hold grudges
we back-bite
we defame
we’re difficult
we’re hypocrites
we’re human
But God
separates us
sets us apart
in Him
we find our sufficiency
In God
is our bond
we call out, “Abba”
the children of God
He loves us
planned for us
bled and died for us
He restored us
He justified us
He made a way for us
became the way for us
He is sufficient
We are not orphans
He will return for us
Our Great God
Our Good Father
Our Savior and Redeemer
Jeshua
He has never–
not for one moment
never–no never
lost sight of us
We are His
He is ours
He is sufficient
We grow weary
we give up
we run away
leaving chaos in our wake
ignoring the pain we cause
the slights
the cuts
the dagger pushed in
to its hilt
pulled out, dripping crimson
We hate
we kill
we kill hope
we kill ourselves
we hide dreams under burial mounds
we resist righteousness
we resist goodness
we resist gentleness
we resist kindness
we resist all that would bring us peace
nevertheless He is faithful
What will you do with Jesus? Will you set up your fine nativity, place the baby Jesus in sit back and watch His angelic face vaguely staring back at you?
What will you do with Jesus this year, will you put Him in a box gently wrapped in tissue paper on the highest shelf atop?
Take Jesus out of storage. Praise Him as the King of Kings! Pay homage at the manager and with the angels sing “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! He is Emanuel! God who dwelt among us Your worship He compels.
For who else can offer eternal life? Who can break the seven seals? Who can pay the sin offering for all mankind with blood shed sacrificially?
We’ve all a debt for sin we owe. The wages for sin is death. Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. There is no other way.
What will you do with Jesus the babe who in the manager lay? His salvation is with in your grasp the ransom has been paid.
Just believe on Him, that He is the Son of God and that He died upon the cross the lamb unblemished by one sin
For you He paid the price. He bought our wretched, sinful souls in exchange His righteousness.
Baby Jesus is not an ornament, an accessory to your manger scene. He is the promised Messiah. The Prophets told of Him. Isaiah said, “Unto us a Child is born,” seven hundred years before His name would be “Emmanuel” His kingdom without end.
God has had this plan for you a life He wants to give not the fading, temporal kind that rots with death and sin but life with Him eternal reigning with Him in His realm.
What will you do with Jesus this year? Will you take the life He gives or will you settle for dear Santa and his busy little elves?
May the love of Christ be poured out on your family this Christmas. May the God of all Creation reveal His glory to you that you might enjoy the comfort and security of knowing how much He loves and cares about every detail of your life. Merry Christmas!
The dark cloud of trial
looms large overhead
again
I know the signs
I want to circle my wagons
okay–my wagon
my heart says it’ll be hard
my enemy whispers, “He’s left you”
everything in me
wants to circle the drain of my past
shouting, “alone! I’m alone!”
But God–
Your patient hand steering me,
through perilous forests of loss and
seemingly endless quagmire of sorrow,
has taught me:
I am not alone
I am never alone
I was never alone
I will never be alone
this young lion remembers
But the winds of adversity still blow
there’s still more in my heart
You’d have me know
my adversary whispers in my questions
“this will be hard,
you will suffer loss”
everything in broken me wants to cut bait
jump ship
throw out the baby with the bath water
move into crisis mode
find a solution
on come my plans
contingency plans
plans for protection
plans for the future
plans to stay busy
but not Your plans
You say, “Lift your head, sweet child
I have plans for you
good plans
future plans
hope-filled plans”
I don’t need more of my plans
I need faith
to believe Your plans
I must stand
doing all to stand
just stand
just wait
just be
He’s coming
He’s watching
He sees
He knows
It’s Him willing and doing
for His good pleasure
I am His
I am accepted
I am beloved
I am adopted
I am under the blood
I was ordinary in so many ways
not the best or brightest
not the worst or dullest
not the oldest
not the youngest
my composition so much working class
and small-town somebodies
Born a girl
raised fatherless
but not an orphan
penny pinching but not penniless
clothes from catalogues
before that was a thing
My gifts I squandered,
tossing my pearls before so many swine
not considering their value
not considering my value
not knowing my purpose
not knowing His purpose
not comprehending His plans
I was someplace
not a bad place
but not my place
I had a someone
not a bad one
but not the right one
I was encouraged to take credit
self-made
self-supporting
self-reliant
self-focused
eyes on self
I did
I got
I wanted
I became
An “I”-problem stole my life
a life of glory thievery
nearly kept me from the King of glory
from whole life
healed life
abundant life
God-driven life
God-centered life
God-filled future
I stole His glory
I stole from myself
I stole my chance to bring glory
to be a glory giver
not a glory thief
to know the glorious One
to serve the King of glory
**Glory thief – one who steals for himself the glory that belongs to God I am the Lord, that is My Name; My glory I will not give to another. Isaiah 42:8a
Rooted and Grounded 