MADE TO REIGN

Each wedding royal, king and queen at the feast,
to rule God's creation, bringing praises to Him.
Praises from nature, each adding its theme.
An anthem of glory to bring to its King.

Godly fruit called forth, multiplying praise,
A fruit bringing joy,
abundance for Him, maker of all.
A garden to walk in with man without sin.

Man turned from his Maker, having thoughts of his own,
to rule as he pleased, even over his soul.
This never was his and died without Him
whose breath called forth life to rule over all.

Tree of Life now forbidden to nourish his soul.
Thrust out of the garden, no hope of return.
Was this the end, no hope at all?
Was God yet Redeemer and Maker as well?

Perhaps Redeemer the name He loves best,
Saviour of men, loving them yet.
A king who died so that slaves can now reign,
Reign by His side as glorified men.

Genesis 3

A STORY FOR THE WORLD

The world needs a story of an eternal kind,
to lift us from darkness,
the darkness of mind which threatens to undo us,
us and all mankind.

Justice and beauty flee,
lives lashed by sudden chaos.
Change we neither choose nor understand,
a chaos of its own.

Oh for a calm voice and steadying hand,
like He who stilled the sea,
commanding with compassion,
bringing order out of chaos,
working only for our good.

God has always been thus.
It is our eyes that are blind,
our ears deaf to hear Him,
our hearts dull to love of an eternal kind.

We do not heed His story,
Whose death brings joy anew; His rising, life eternal:
A heart new to love Him, a spirit new to serve
in a world which now can flourish.
through the beauty of man's soul.

'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.'

VOICES

We all hear voices,
Voices from another room.
Another home we knew once well,
When God dwelt among His own.

Now far from home,
Through choice of our own,
Fugitives, forever seeking
The home once lost, lost to us all.

The mark of Cain, a killer of men.
Angry with God,
Bringing works of his hands,
Thorns and weeds held at bay.
But no pleasure from God who sought death of a life,
The lamb yet to come.

What voices we hear?
Beauty and justice, drawing us near.
The life of the Spirit, the love of true man,
Calling us back to begin once again.

New man in Christ, always part of God's plan,
At home forever, reigning with Him.

KINGDOM CLOTHES

God delights to clothe with beauty
That which He has called to life.
Profusion of colours, forms of fashion,
Each appropriate to its place.

Be not found naked,
Naked as Adam, who hid from God.
Whom God then clothed by His provision,
A life for a cover to hide men's shame.

We learn in life to put on raiment, children clothed with shining light,
Putting on Christ, garments of grace,
to fit us for the holy place.

COVERINGS

Naked with shame, O  be not found,
No need for He has killed the lamb,
Our bloody flesh to cover.

A bride clothed with white,
Prepared for the wedding,
The feast of God's Son,
Who Himself is the Lamb.

THE WORDS OF JESUS.

Metaphors many, no idle words.
Take time to pause, to heed those words.
Reasoned words, vibrant words,
Speaking life into our soul,
To tell His Story, the Father's Son.
Redeemer, Saviour,Shepherd, Man
Priest and King on our behalf.
Prophetic words,
Life-renewing, creating words.

Dance to these words, life-giving and true.
The dance at the feast prepared for the Son,
Bridegroom and Prince.
Calling us home to feast as His own.

PIECES OF A PUZZLE

Many themes from Scripture flow,
God speaking to our every need,
He alone the picture sees
Of that puzzle, still in pieces.

Each piece a glory speaks,
A glory yet to be revealed,
A fitting whole.

Glory to Him who forms us yet,
More glory than mere words can tell.

BEAUTY

Beauty that is fitting,

Even grass decked with flowers.

Beauty that is fading,

It lasts not many hours.

Beauty that is fair,

Bringing life and joy to all.

Some beauty lives forever,

The beauty of the soul,
The soul born of love, God's eternal goal.

EMMANUEL

Fruit, not from this life, we now bear for Him.
Attesting to that union
With the crucified, yet risen King.

Indwelt by His spirit, glory yet to come,
Yet also God on earth,
A haven once again.

GOD'S STORY

O man seek not your glory,
Seek it alone in Him
Who made you for His story, to rescue all from sin.

To rescue from all sin, and find a home in Him,
The beauty of the ages
Come to dwell within.

HOME IN A GARDEN

God made a garden, a fitting home for man.

The crown of His creation,

To rule on earth for Him.

A garden he should care for, to keep it fitting yet.

A steward in God’s place, bringing praise and grace.

At home in this creation, he sought godhead for himself.

Denying God the glory, the glory of obedience,

Bringing pleasure to His maker,

Bringing sin and death instead.

A home he was denied, taken from the Garden,

Cast out to weeds and thorns,

A sense of loss o’er took him.

He ever seeks that garden, that happiness he had.

A yearning for that home, a hunger for that beauty

Which eludes at every turn.

But wilful, turns from God and seeks it in himself.

Seeks it in creation

Turning nature into god.

A sense of man’s true greatness draws him ever on.

But seeing only ruins, ruins brought by sin,

Always turning from that greatness,

Denying it to others, he never finds a home

God longs to bring him home,

Promised it in love to those He holds most dear.

A paradise of glory,

A room within His home.

God yet draws us near, eager to redeem.

Restore a cosmos full of joy, joy and peace in Him,

True Son of God yet man, who died to make all new

And fullfil God’s victory plan.

Now a vale of tears and joy,

At home, yet always travelling,

At home in God who loves us.

A bride adorned for glory, a bride for Son of Man.

A groom who yet awaits us, drawing ever near.

Oh man seek not your glory, the way to sin and death.

Paradise awaits you. Look only up to Him.

A foretaste of that glory, a haven once again.

God dwelling with His people, forever home with Him.