Song: One through your mercy

Reading through 1 Corinthians over the past 3 months has reminded me of a number of things as a Christian.
1. I am a dirty, rotten sinner. I've grieved God's heart, and deserve to die.
2. I am amazingly, scandalously forgiven because of what Jesus did for me. This is totally undeserved. Nothing I do can change either that I am forgiven, or that I deserve this.
3. My identity is now in Jesus - not in my job, skills, status, state of mind/heart or future prospects. And that is unchangeable. I am now one with God. Amazing.

This song came out of thinking on that this evening. We're not lone rangers any more as Christians. We're one, but one with God.

The score for the song is downloadable at the bottom

One through the mercy (you've offered to me)

v1
Cut from your presence,
denied on just grounds,
a life in your goodness,
a sinner, but now found;
Welcomed entirely,
forgotten, my sin,
covered entirely
you welcome me in.

Ch
One in your body,
one in your love,
one in the sancified
state of your son
one now I'm ransomed
one now I'm free
one through the mercy
you've offered to me.

v2
Compassionate eyes and
wide open arms
welcome me to you, with
nail-scarred palms,
cost fully paid out,
justice complete
you beckon me nearer
to pierce'ed feet.

v3
Life now unlocked to
the fulness in you,
you beckon me onwards
to imitate you,
to shoulder your burden
and walk the hard path
but knowing that future joy's
mine through your love.

Download score

Download score with lyrics

TheWeeScottie

Winter's tree

Walking back from town today after a lovely cup with Cat, I took a detour through Freedom Fields Park, nearby where I live at the moment. I love trees in the winter. They look like the bad guys out of a comic book about nature. This poem came out of enjoying time out with them in the park.

Winter's tree

As I walk home, there you stand;
my park companion.
Time and elements pass you by,
What's it like to live your life?
Twisted legs reaching deep,
Toes probing the darkness.
What secrets do you know?
Gnarly fingers stretching towards the sky
Can you reach?
Could you use a boost?
Light warms your arms,
swinging to the breeze,
Turning sunlight to shadow
Casting haunting shadows on the ground
Yet children play beneath you,
Couples carve their hopes in your bark,
Old men dream their lives away beside you.
Not so scary after all,
My winter's tree.

TheWeeScottie

Candle

I've begun taking time out at the end of each day just to stop. To turn off everything electronic, go somewhere quiet, and just be. What a blessing it's been just to stop and 'be'! Lighting a candle last night before heading to bed, this poem started forming in my head.

Candle
My flame burns quietly,
But you know I'm there
Keeping you warm
Showing you hidden things
Dispelling the dark.
I don't need to shout
Or light up in a roaring inferno,
That's not my light.
I am small, but significant
My light casts shadows
And dispels them
It burns away the darkness
Replacing it with dancing light;
I dance for you.
Surely you see this?
My light is for you
I give it to you
Come closer
Feel my warmth
Let me light up your smile
Show you how much I care
Only don't put me out
Anything but that
Care for me
Nurture me
Help me grow strong and bright
Let me light you up more clearly
Don't be afraid
I love you as you are
My light only reminds you
What you already know
Nothing new
But my flame
Burning the darkness
Replacing it with dancing light.

TheWeeScottie

To burning, walk (not lukewarm, stand)

A poem that came out of meditating on Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane where he told his father, "not my will, but yours". This poem is one man's choice to live it out, and its consequences.

To burning, walk, not lukewarm, stand

"Have your way," I heard him say

though half-heartedly at first.

Then gradually, increasingly,

he began to realise and see

that saying "have your way" was not

a solemn walk of drudgery,

but rather better that he'd panned,

to burning, walk, not lukewarm, stand.

His older ways now faded past,

their appeal lost to new desire

to kindle flames of dangerous fire,

to follow close the narrow trail

and down this pathway, oft' unmanned

to burning, walk, not lukewarm, stand.

Growing to live in sacrifice,

your way became his better best

and slings and arrows mattered not,

a simpler life, he would attest,

and choosing first your greatest good,

he burning walked, not lukewarm, stood.

And at the end, he turned to me and shared

"A life better lived, I can't compare.

I thought I knew, but his way was better

free from all my self-made fetters.

He taught me to walk, and now I'll run,

his arms are waiting, my journey's done."

With that, he left me there beside his bed

all he'd been no longer stayed.

Simpler trust to live out "have your way"

I've not seen to this very day.

A life lived fearless, bright as sunlit sand,

a man who chose to burning, walk, not lukewarm, stand.

TheWeeScottie

New song: Entirely by your grace

Entirely by your grace

V1

Beautiful grace,

what can compare to the risen son

to your holy one, Jesus?

Marvellous grace,

more than I ever can comprehend

the depth of your love is without end, Jesus.

Freely yours to give

and joyfully we receive!

Ch

Jesus, all of creation is by your making,

Jesus, powers and authorities you are shaking.

All of us, forgiven and welcomed to your fold.

Captives no more, we stand before you, entirely by your grace.

V2

Scandelous grace,

you make this filthy sinner clean

at the greatest cost there could ever be, Jesus.

Perfect grace,

enough for my past and present sin,

even my future's been forgiven, Jesus.

Freely yours to give

and joyfully we receive.

Chorus

Bridge

And oh, I once was lost but now am found by you,

no more a slave, but now your own,

and nothing that I do can change the fact

that I'm accepted through your chosen one.

Chorus

TheWeeScottie