12/10/17 Through 12/16/17

12/10/17 Through 12/16/17

Sunday

A voice in far-off wilderness

Now beckons come, and here confess

Receive forgiveness of your sins

And see what your repentance wins

A Savior coming to forgive

The wanton way of life we live

To change the hearts of  sinful men

And reconcile with God again

Monday

By lowering him through the roof

His friends thus offered Christ this proof

That they considered now arrived

The day Isaiah prophesied

Where streams burst forth in desert sand

And all around is fertile land

Where beasts no longer prey on men

And all the sick are healed again

The highway then, the holy way

Will lead no travellers astray

On it the ransomed will return

To find the One, for whom they yearn

Tuesday

Oh Virgin of all virgins

Most highly favored one

Pure maiden fit to offer

To bear God's only Son

Your fiat to the angel

Your word of "Let it be"

Now salvation brought to dwell 

Among humanity

Wednesday

Here I sit so weak and weary

Pondering Isaiah's query

Who else is like this Lord of ours

Creator of the earth and stars?

So far beyond our scrutiny

The love He has for you and me

Our strength and courage in the fight

Yet easy yoke and burden light

Our hope in him our strength renewed

With vigor, now our souls imbued

Where all who labor find their rest

And weak and weary souls are blest

Thursday

In dry and barren desert land

We see the Lord's redeeming hand

He brings refreshing waters where

The sands are hot and starkly bare

How swift He comes to answer those

Whose poverty was freely chose

This parched, and once abandoned, space

Becomes His holy dwelling place

With towering trees and fertile ground

Where love and quiet peace are found

Abundant grains and olive trees

Will feed the faithful ones like these.

Friday

The flute is played, yet few will dance

They see His face and look askance

The dirge is played for all the rest

Yet mourn they not, or beat their breast

For all too often we ignore

The call of Him to offer more

We find our little comfort zone

And wish, there to, be left alone

So less is more for greedy eyes

For in our want we recognize

The way to make it through the strife

Is call upon the Lord of Life

Put all your faith and trust in He

Who cured the sick and calmed the sea

Believe and follow in His way

To find the bright eternal day.

Saturday

Unchecked the evil spirit would

destroy the love of fatherhood

As in the garden's whisper where

He fostered fear and spread despair

Yet in the Father's love for man

He had an even greater plan

His Son to all the earth would show

It's true!  The Father love's us so.