8/4/24 Through 8/10/24

 8/4/24 Through 8/10/24

Sunday

What is this?, the people said

It fell to Earth, the angels' bread

The Lord prepares in desert waste

A feast to satisfy each taste.

To daily trust the Lord would teach

As forty years the journey reached.

But in prosperity declined

And so, to other gods inclined.

His daily bread our precious food

What once was bread, now flesh imbued.

The source of life for men below

So all might feed and Jesus know.

Don't fall from hunger just because

You only see the bread that was.

It's true, His flesh will bring to man

What none of earthly pleasures can.

Monday

Roses and sunshine, not always the way.

The evil and selfish at sometime will pay.

To God we can listen and gladly obey,

Or sooner or later, the fun goes away.

The bearer of bad news is scorned

When those in wickedness are warned.

For though in finery adorned

Their poverty will soon be mourned.

Don't lead the little ones astray

To mortal sin and rank decay,

But lead them all to change before

The battle's lost, and so the war.

Tuesday

That day with Peter, James, and John

Before their eyes they looked upon

Change to glory far exceeding

There before the Cross preceding.

Grace was given in such measure

That the human heart could treasure

Every word that leads to glory

Given in salvation's story.

Every man is given glimpses

Which this earthly world eclipses

So to prove His love unending

And from heaven, down His bending.

Then if we heed His given word

And follow well the message heard

We too will share that glory seen,

But first the Cross lay in between.

Wednesday

I beg of You, Lord to make of me

A scrap that's saved for love of Thee.

An outcast welcomed, sinner saved

One rescued from all that's depraved.

Oh, let me ne'er return to sin

But always welcome graces in

And choose the door You cleft for me

So all Your glories I may see.

This nation too, has gone astray

But You can show again the Way.

Speak louder Lord, than Satan's call

That so, our nation may not fall.

I know this selfish greedy lot

Have squandered many blessings got

But You can turn a heart toward love

With just a word from up above.

Give eyes that see and freely choose

To never Your salvation lose.

Make here a beacon shining bright

For all those trapped in darkest night.

Thursday

The day has come when all should know

The name of Jesus Christ.

Yet occupied with empty show,

A fallacy high-priced.

Oh, change the heart and make anew

Your people gone astray.

Within the heart of man renew

The knowledge of Your way.

Though hard it be, it's thus ordained

The gift of self will save.

By giving self is thus obtained

The power o'er the grave.

While Satan mocks and spurns the gift

It's here we come to know

The love of God complete and swift

Within the soul will grow.

The choice He made to suffer well

Has changed the world we know.

So, freely all your neighbors tell 

Then all, in faith, shall grow.

Friday

Take up your cross and follow Me

If you would My disciple be.

For in the cross is found the way

To fill with gold these pots of clay.

The gift of self, the greatest gift

A stubborn heart and mind can shift

To see the light before too late

And many evil sins abate.

Our sacrifices offered well

Can save a wayward soul from hell.

When joined to Jesus on the Cross,

The gold we offer sheds the dross.

No road of comfort, ease, and bliss,

Or way for timid souls is this.

The narrow way has great demand,

But leads unto the Promised land.

Saturday

Another saint with such a name

I pray, oh Lord, would be the fame

Of every child born here below

Who comes our blessed Lord to know.

By casting many seeds about

And clearing every shade of doubt

We reap a bountied harvest in

With those who turn their backs on sin.

All seed must die before it grows

As every simple farmer knows.

But when it dies, the growth begins

And once a loser ever wins.

So, follow where the Master leads

And die to self you little seeds.

For what awaits is life anew

And everlasting joy for you.