3/3/24 Through 3/9/24

 3/3/24 Through 3/9/24

Sunday

A cleansing of the Temple space

Can come from none but holy grace.

Upsetting of the tables there, 

The greed and lust for wealth to pare.

The whip to drive deceit away 

That one might truly learn to pray

He knows quite well the heart of man

Twas He who made it in His plan.

His plan for freedom, peace, and joy

That wickedness and sin destroy

But one repentant there may find

The will of God and man aligned.

Rebuild this temple clean and new

And make my will align with You

Forever humble, tried, and true

A change that's long been overdue.

Monday

Naaman, a pagan sign

Encountering God's love Divine.

One humbled so to do His will

Received his healing and his fill.

Obeying but a little girl

He finds the precious loving pearl

Of knowing that God cares for all

Who answer to His humbling call.

The self-sufficient nay will find

The healing comfort God designed

For lacking what the humble see

They fail to ever bend their knee.

Tuesday

Forgiveness far beyond all knowing

Jesus, every sinner showing

Debtors freed of all they owe

Mercy they must also show.

When I think of all I've done,

The debt amassed by only one,

I'm humbled He should ever care

And so, the Cross for such to bear.

Even now when Love is known

Indifference to the poor is shown

And though I well deserve His wrath

He shows me yet the narrow path.

Wednesday

Let me never forget You, Lord

And all the grace that You afford

For all that I have seen and heard

The gift of faith within me stirred.

So many unexpected ways

You spoke to me in darkest days

Or saved me from the snare of sin

When rash or foolish I had been.

I'm slow to see Your hand at work

Or where the traps of evil lurk

But then You speak or act in ways

Remembered well throughout my days

Yet still, oh Lord, I tend to sin

Forgetful of Your life within

Let not Your mercy cease to flow

But evermore Your love to know

Someday I pray, You'll cleanse within

My every stain or trace of sin,

And make of me a one like You

With love the key to all I do.

Thursday

A sign they want when plain as day

They see the Life, the Truth, the Way.

No sign will ever change the mind

Of those who are the willful blind.

Gone from their vocabulary,

Faithfulness and truth they bury.

Men fabricating lies to be

A "truth" for them, but not for me.

When faithfulness and truth are banished

All that's good and pure has vanished

No sign for such a present age

When war on all that's good they wage.

But those with open, watchful eyes

Can see beyond the wilful lies

To see the truth in glory crowned

Where faithful followers are found.

Friday

How long until you act upon

The word you know is true

Expecting not the morning dawn,

Or what shall come to you.

The word is true, we must obey

For happiness to know

But still from true, we turn away

And to destruction go.

For love is total gift of self,

Not turning one away,

But leaving nothing on the shelf,

Or saved for rainy day

Our God provides the all we need

For those who listen well

And to His every word take heed

To so, the Gospel tell.

Convicting here with my own pen

The writer of the verse

A hypocrite among the men

Or something maybe worse.

Saturday

A Pharisee, or tax collector,

Which am I today?

The Lord the only truth detector

Sees the clearest way.

If true repentance were at hand

I'd act on every word

Obeying quickly each command

Not shunning what is heard.

I wish to leave here justified

Not simply self-assured

For one could lead to suicide

And one to life procured.

In quandary so, I find myself

As both I see in me

Is that perhaps the truth itself,

That both are truly me?

What I hold back, Lord help me give

And turn away from sin

For giving all is how to live

And life with You begin.