6/9/24 Through 6/15/24

 6/9/24 Through 6/15/24

Sunday

Naked and afraid

That day will come for all.

No hiding in the shade,

But plain to see, our fall.

No earthly lame excuses

Appease the fall from grace

But humbleness produces

A way to God embrace.

His love the fine elixir

To save the sinful man

Repentance now the fixer

According to His plan.

The all is there for taking

The only way to lose

Is foolishly forsaking

And failing life to choose.

Monday

Are you persecuted now?

Do you rejoice in this somehow?

Can you see beyond the pain,

And hope in your eternal gain?

Not many see within such light

We cower in the daily fight,

Then choose our comfort here and now

Instead of lasting life somehow.

We see with narrow focused eyes

And fall for cheap and thin disguise.

No lasting joys are here below

And yet we choose but these to know.

Lord, give me eyes to see beyond

To where the light of Christ has dawned

And recognize what's here below

As none but Satan's empty show.

For only in Your ways we find

The treasure that Your Cross has mined,

The resurrection joys of love

You hold for those who choose above.

Tuesday

(Feast of St. Barnabas)

Sons of encouragement many have been

Forsaking their riches, confessing their sin.

Being the helper who gets not the fame

Ardently working proclaiming God's name.

Taking the seat at the back of the class

Quiet and humble with none to surpass

All ready to do whatever needs done,

Proclaiming the glory of God's only Son.

Make me a helper quite ready like him

Who fears not to fail going out on a limb

Trusting in God every step of the way

Whatever may come at the end of the day.

Wednesday

If God is God, get off the fence

And then with lesser gods dispense.

There's One alone whose sacrifice

Was God for man to pay the price.

The price of sin is Truth unknown

But on the Cross True Love was shown.

His word is light and life for man,

The Truth to deepest valley span.

So, why refuse or turn away

From that alone which holds such sway,

To reach for emptiness and straw

When Truth upon the Cross you saw?

The tepid He will vomit out

Who see the Truth and then still doubt

Love crucified should be for thee

The window to the ALL we see.

Thursday

At last a drenching rain shall come

When earth and sky and man succumb

To do His will and ponder well

The stories that each life can tell.

How patient He has been with me

That I not perish in the sea

Of selfishness, and greed, and lust,

But somehow found the way to trust.

A life so easy gone astray

When we abandon time to pray

We sacrifice our time with God

And choose another path to trod.

Lured by pleasure quick and fleeting

Lasting peace and joy defeating

Hooking to the train of evil

Spending time with sinful people.

Yet He calls to every person

In the drought to only worsen,

Come and see how life will flower

When, like rain, My grace I shower.

Friday

That little whispered sound may be

The voice of God that speaks to thee

Discern it as to where it leads

And type of fruit the pathway breeds.

So, don't be fooled by voices high

That promise much, but little buy.

Weed out what leads to go astray

And seek the straight but narrow way.

Saturday

The cloak be cast upon me now

The call to leave behind somehow

My leisures and my labors too

And make my ALL pursuit of You

A ready, "Yes" to every word

No fond request at all deferred

But action to employ Your grace

And make this world a better place.

Disciple who ne'er turns away

Nor falters on the narrow way

But heeds Your every whispered lead

And turns to You for every need.