Red
divine blood
shed with love
offering my soul salvation.
Hallelujah!
This short poem is an elfje. I followed the link of a blogger who liked one of my posts, and then followed a link on her site to another blogger who had posted a lesson on how to write this little gem of a poetry form. I decided to give it a try.
A new year begins today. It’s another year to live and work and play, and to make resolutions to be better than last year. It’s another year in which many will again strive to earn God’s grace and their own salvation by singing in the choir, volunteering for the altar guild, giving to the poor, attending church or mass each week, or any number of other good deeds.
But why do we work so hard to add to what Jesus has already done? Why do we try to earn what has been given as a gift from God? On Calvary Hill Jesus said, “It is finished.” John 19:30. Paul wrote that Jesus said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you.” 2 Corinthians 12:9. There is nothing more that we can or need to do for our salvation.
Even the act of believing in Jesus, the ability to have faith in His saving grace, is a gift from God: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV).
So as you begin 2013, rest in the grace of Jesus assured of His mercy and your salvation.
Go forth and sing in the choir out of gratitude for what He has done, but do not fret if you miss a practice or are unable to sing for a Sunday service.
Help out with the altar guild to share the blessing of God’s grace with others, but do not allow yourself to grow weary with the work.
Give to the poor out of thankfulness for the bounty God has bestowed on you, but do not give out of mere obligation and with resentment.
Attend church or mass because you desire to fellowship with God and other believers, and to worship the Lord in community, but not because you think you will lose points with God if you do not.
Perform good deeds as the Spirit leads, in the power of Jesus, so that God might be glorified, but don’t be deceived into thinking such deeds are necessary for your salvation.
For centuries Satan has tried to strip the children of God of the peace of knowing His love and grace. The Accuser engenders fear and doubt in the minds of believers, trying to deceive us into believing that God hates us and requires us to pay for our own sins and earn our own salvation.
But God’s Word is clear on this point: It is finished. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’s love and mercy; His grace is sufficient to cover every sin and grant us eternal life with Him. Nothing Satan says or does can change this truth.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8.
The season of Advent is about anticipating our celebration of the coming of Christ into the world. But it is also about anticipating His second coming into the world at the end of time. For that reason, our pastor gave a sermon yesterday titled “End Times – A Lutheran Perspective.”
It was a very interesting and informative sermon. He talked about the many attempts of mankind and the church to predict the exact time when the end will come, even though Jesus clearly said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32.
He also talked about the various perspectives on the end times and the thousand-year reign of Jesus written about in Revelation. There is the pre-millennial view that the thousand-year reign hasn’t yet started. There is the post-millennial view that the thousand-year reign has already passed. And there is the amillennial view that the thousand years is a figurative timeframe instead of a literal one.
But the most important thing our pastor said during the whole sermon took up only six little words: “This is not a salvation issue.“
Whether you believe the rapture and tribulation are still to come, that the church is experiencing the tribulation now, or something else does not affect whether you have salvation in Christ. What matters is if you believe God came to this earth as Emmanuel and then died on a cross to pay for your sins.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)
I graduated 7th in my class from high school, in the top 11% of my class at Whitman College, and cum laude from Lewis & Clark Law School. After law school, I passed the Oregon State Bar exam on the first try, and was offered a job before I graduated. I now have a great job making a decent living as a director of legal publications for the Oregon State Bar. Do all of these accomplishments make me a success? Some might say yes. Others might say I would really be a success if only I’d strived for a partnership track position in a big firm making a lot more money than I do now.
I’ve been married for 25 years, have one wonderful son, and live in a nice house in one of the better neighborhoods in my town. This year we improved our property by putting in a beautiful paver driveway, patio, and walkways, with additional landscaping. Our home is filled with nice furniture and I am blessed to have nice clothes to wear. Does all of this make me a success? Some would say yes. Others might say I would really be a success if I had 5 children who were all on honor roll, a house three times the size of my current home, and if I had a brand new Porsche parked on my paver driveway.
I’ve been involved in my church and my Christian faith in many ways. I’ve taught Sunday school, led or spoken at several women’s retreats, am in charge of the prayer ministry at my church, and am currently on our board of elders. I’ve read all the way through the Bible at least once, and some books of the Bible I’ve read multiple times. I’ve written over 600 faith-related posts on my blog and have had over 44,000 page views. Do all of these accomplishments make me successful? Some would say yes. Others might say that I’m not quite pious enough to be considered successful because I’ve never gone on an overseas mission trip, don’t give enough of my wealth to the church, and have wasted some of my blog posts on recipes.
In church this morning, our pastor reminded me that I am, in fact, a success. Even if some people might not consider me a success by the world’s standards, by God’s standard I am a success. In Luke, Jesus told his disciples the success they should rejoice over.
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 (NIV).
These disciples thought the fact that the demons submitted to them made their mission trips a success. But Jesus reminded them that they were a success because their names are written in heaven. I know that I am a success because I have put my trust in Jesus for my salvation, and my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
I could lose my license to practice law and my job, even have my degrees taken from me. I could lose my family, my house, and all my material wealth. I could lose my church family and have my blog censored. I would still be a success because I know Jesus Christ, my Lord.
So how are you measuring your success? If you know Jesus, if your name is written in heaven, then all other measures of success are unimportant.
If you have read very much of my blog you will know that I love music! I even have a “Music and Bands I Like” page, though I haven’t added to it in a long time. Most of the time I listen to Christian rock because I love the rock genre – which is what I listened to most as a teenager – and I find encouragement and strength in the Christian themes of this music.
But I also listen to some non-Christian artists and to other genre’s of music. I even like some country music, though not a lot of the current top 40 stuff. One of my favorite country music artists is Dwight Yoakam. His style is not top 40 or Nashville style, but is what is called the Bakersfield sound. It has kind of a twang to it and was first made popular by Buck Owens (who I also like).
Most of Dwight’s music consists of what I call sad heartache songs. (I even have a playlist on my iPod called Sad Heartache Songs, and it is mostly Dwight). There is something about his voice and the lyrics of his music that really captures the varied emotions and heartache of lost love. He is also a lot of fun to watch in concert.
But Dwight has one song that I want to share today that is not of the sad heartache variety. It is a song that he apparently wrote for his mother, and it is called Hold on to God. It’s a wonderful song that reminds me to hold on to God’s everlasting Word and that Jesus is my lifeline in life’s storm-tossed sea of trials and tribulation.
For today’s Psalm I asked my husband to randomly pick a number between 29 and 150 (since I’ve already posted the first 28 Psalms). He picked 115. I searched my blog to see if I had posted it before and was surprised that I had not. It is one of my favorite Psalms. I love the first stanza because it is a reminder that all glory belongs to God, our Creator and Redeemer. This is consistent with the core of the Christian faith – that Christ died to save sinners because we cannot save ourselves. It is Jesus who gets all the glory for the gift of salvation that He has provided. It is God who was loving, faithful, and merciful at the cross to make a way for His people to be with Him for eternity. Nothing that man has ever done deserves the glory that belongs to God alone.
1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
2 Why do the nations say,
”Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by the hands of men.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but they cannot see;
6 they have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but they cannot smell;
7 they have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but they cannot walk;
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
9 O house of Israel, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.
12 The LORD remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless the house of Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the LORD—
small and great alike.
14 May the LORD make you increase,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but the earth he has given to man.
17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those who go down to silence;
18 it is we who extol the LORD,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the LORD.
Filed under Faith, Jesus, Life, postaday2011, Psalms
I’m continuing on with the next Psalm in order that I haven’t previously posted, and that is Psalm 17, the first 9 verses of which I’ve posted here. As first blush, the Psalmist, in this case King David, seems a bit arrogant in calling himself righteous. But this Psalm may well have been written at the point in King David’s life that he had been through the wringer of sin and repentance with God and had finally come out knowing what was right and doing it.
My favorite verse of this Psalm is verse 7 because King David recognizes that it is only God’s right hand that can save him, or any of us. We all face the evil one as our foe, but if we take refuge in Jesus, who sits at the right hand of the Father, then we will be saved.
A prayer of David.
1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2 May my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.
3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
4 As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself
from the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
Although I normally post a Psalm on Sunday, this past week I was reading through Lamentations and found that chapter 3 of that short book fit so perfectly with some of the other posts I have been writing lately, especially some of my poetry. So I decided to post it in the New Living Translation instead of a Psalm. I love this chapter because it is an example of trusting in God for salvation even in the midst of utter despair. I suspect I will be coming back to it again.
1 I am the one who has seen the afflictions
that come from the rod of the Lord’s anger.
2 He has led me into darkness,
shutting out all light.
3 He has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.
4 He has made my skin and flesh grow old.
He has broken my bones.
5 He has besieged and surrounded me
with anguish and distress.
6 He has buried me in a dark place,
like those long dead.
7 He has walled me in, and I cannot escape.
He has bound me in heavy chains.
8 And though I cry and shout,
he has shut out my prayers.
9 He has blocked my way with a high stone wall;
he has made my road crooked.
10 He has hidden like a bear or a lion,
waiting to attack me.
11 He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces,
leaving me helpless and devastated.
12 He has drawn his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.
13 He shot his arrows
deep into my heart.
14 My own people laugh at me.
All day long they sing their mocking songs.
15 He has filled me with bitterness
and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink.
16 He has made me chew on gravel.
He has rolled me in the dust.
17 Peace has been stripped away,
and I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 I cry out, “My splendor is gone!
Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!”
19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.
20 I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
21 Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
26 So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.
27 And it is good for people to submit at an early age
to the yoke of his discipline:
28 Let them sit alone in silence
beneath the Lord’s demands.
29 Let them lie face down in the dust,
for there may be hope at last.
30 Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them
and accept the insults of their enemies.
31 For no one is abandoned
by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
33 For he does not enjoy hurting people
or causing them sorrow.
34 If people crush underfoot
all the prisoners of the land,
35 if they deprive others of their rights
in defiance of the Most High,
36 if they twist justice in the courts—
doesn’t the Lord see all these things?
37 Who can command things to happen
without the Lord’s permission?
38 Does not the Most High
send both calamity and good?
39 Then why should we, mere humans, complain
when we are punished for our sins?
40 Instead, let us test and examine our ways.
Let us turn back to the Lord.
41 Let us lift our hearts and hands
to God in heaven and say,
42 “We have sinned and rebelled,
and you have not forgiven us.
43 “You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down,
and slaughtered us without mercy.
44 You have hidden yourself in a cloud
so our prayers cannot reach you.
45 You have discarded us as refuse and garbage
among the nations.
46 “All our enemies
have spoken out against us.
47 We are filled with fear,
for we are trapped, devastated, and ruined.”
48 Tears stream from my eyes
because of the destruction of my people!
49 My tears flow endlessly;
they will not stop
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and sees.
51 My heart is breaking
over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.
52 My enemies, whom I have never harmed,
hunted me down like a bird.
53 They threw me into a pit
and dropped stones on me.
54 The water rose over my head,
and I cried out, “This is the end!”
55 But I called on your name, Lord,
from deep within the pit.
56 You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
Hear my cry for help!”
57 Yes, you came when I called;
you told me, “Do not fear.”
58 Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case!
For you have redeemed my life.
59 You have seen the wrong they have done to me, Lord.
Be my judge, and prove me right.
60 You have seen the vengeful plots
my enemies have laid against me.
61 Lord, you have heard the vile names they call me.
You know all about the plans they have made.
62 My enemies whisper and mutter
as they plot against me all day long.
63 Look at them! Whether they sit or stand,
I am the object of their mocking songs.
64 Pay them back, Lord,
for all the evil they have done.
65 Give them hard and stubborn hearts,
and then let your curse fall on them!
66 Chase them down in your anger,
destroying them beneath the Lord’s heavens.
Today is Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate the Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem less than a week before His trial and crucifixion. So it seemed appropriate to post a portion of Psalm 118. Verse 26 is what the people shouted as Jesus entered on the donkey, as recorded in Matthew 21. I find it interesting that this same Psalm talks about the Lord’s right hand doing mighty things and being lifted high, a foreshadowing of Jesus being lifted high on the cross before the week was out. May this wonderful prophecy be a blessing to you this Holy Week as we journey towards the saving grace and resurrection of our Savior.
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high;
the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The LORD has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 LORD, save us!
LORD, grant us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you.
27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Filed under Faith, Jesus, Poetry, postaday2011, Psalms
Last week one of my fellow bloggers commented on my poem titled “Forgiven” that she was thankful for salvation. I immediately knew that I had to write an acrostic poem using this word, because I am also thankful for the free gift of salvation that Jesus offers.
As I started writing this poem, I was reminded of my life before Jesus saved me. My life did not glorify my Creator. Because of my sin, I suffered a great deal of sorrow. It took me a long time to understand the sin behind my sorrow. But I am so thankful that while I was still living in my sinfulness, God offered me love and salvation. Looking back, I can see that the sorrow I experienced was a blessing because it caused me to seek my Savior.
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT).
As I pondered what to include in this poem, I knew I couldn’t just write of the wonder of salvation. I had to also address our need for salvation. We all need a Savior, and Jesus died to fill that need. I also knew I needed to address the change that comes as a result of accepting the gift of salvation. It is a gift that changes the recipient to be more like the Giver.
Salvation
Sin and sorrow overwhelmed me, entangle my soul,
All of my thoughts opposed to God my creator, and then
Love came down from heaven and died on a cross.
Victory over my sin and sorrow, His blood made me whole;
At last I heard the Shepherd and found His sheep pen,
The King has made me clean, removed all the dross.
Imitating my Savior, His loving sacrifice, my new goal,
Opening my mouth I sing His praise, declare my faith, Amen!
Now I am free, His Spirit within assures salvation, not loss.
Do you know the Savior? Have you heard the Shepherd’s voice? Have you accepted the gift of salvation that will wash you clean? If not, what are you waiting for?
Filed under Faith, Jesus, Life, Poetry, postaday2011
