2/27/22 Through 3/5/22

 2/27/22 Through 3/5/22

Sunday

The speech reveals the inner core,

The tongue the rudder for the store

Of that within that shapes the tree

And kind of fruit you'll get from me.

So, how to shape this steering bit, 

To good, or make the best of it?

I must reform what lies within

Where all my thoughts and words begin.

Oh God of goodness and of love

Descend Thy Spirit from above

And change my sinful heart of stone

To one for love and love alone.

A docile spirit, make of me

Who does Your will most eagerly,

Who acts upon Your each command

To build on rock, and not on sand.

Monday

There's always yet another thing

We to the sacrifice must bring.

Some little portion tucked away

That we've held back for rainy day.

The price is all we own for love,

For life in endless peace above,

But that retained will weigh us down

Then peace and joy be never found.

A sadness comes when much is owned,

But truthfully, It's all been loaned.

For none of this we take to grave,

And none of this has power to save.

So give whatever's asked of you

And use the gifts He's given you,

For talents wasted bring no gain,

And storing them will end in pain.

Tuesday

What awaits, so far beyond,

Upon the mind has never dawned.

The resurrection glory there

For man, is far beyond compare.

No eye has seen, nor ear has heard

A song so sweet from earthly bird,

Or beauty taking breath away

As that amid eternal day.

A hundredfold upon the earth

For those who have their second birth,

And more in ages yet to come

For those who sin have overcome.

So see in ever clearer light

As battle rages through the night

The prize of everlasting joy

And all for good in you employ.

Wednesday

Do not appear as one in gloom,

But let your face light up the room.

The fasting of most worthy kind

Is that of which no others find.

The one that trumpets all he does

Gets no reward above because

His glory found on earth below

Was letting all the others know.

In secret pray and offer alms

For humble service always calms

The burning selfish base desire

And kindles yet a different fire.

A fire of love that heals the soul,

A fire to cleanse and make us whole.

Refining heat that purifies

With great reward when humble dies.

Thursday

There before you life and death

Stretch out your hand to that you choose.

Honor God in every breath

And never your salvation lose.

Turn away and you will find

No blessing and no peace of mind.

Law will guide the faithful though,

Prosperity then they will know.  

Friday

In lent we hear the upward call 

To come to Him, to give our all.

To cast aside the pleasures here

And evermore to Him draw near.

This dreaded sacred fasting now

Will draw us closer in somehow

If we can learn humility

And how a loving soul should be.

Not wallowing within our pain,

But working for another's gain,

And helping free those under sin,

Undoing evil's chains within.

To make your voice be heard on high

Don't pass the naked homeless by.

Release the ones unjustly bound,

And see the light of dawn is found.

For Lent this year, again renew

The gift of Christ once given you

When water washed away the sin,

And life in Christ did then begin.

Saturday

Amid the darkness light shall rise

As midday be the gloom.

A holy fast within His eyes

Drives darkness from the room.

No snide remarks, or judging those

Who different though they be,

And there within the parched land grows

Enough for such as these.

A garden watered with a stream

Of life that never fails,

A rising to the top the cream

Where love alone prevails.