WINDOWS OF THE SOUL

Their eyes were dull, content with life;
I could not see myself mirrored there.
From some I turn, not having spirit to engage that stare.
They seek not mine.

Others engage my look with mirrored look,
And seek me out to engage yet more.

Some have still lively souls,
Still seeking life, still seeking mine.
It speaks well of future discourse,
Face to face and eye to eye.

What of that look that changes not through all the years.
complacent, happy with themselves?
They see not that look upon their face,
Frozen in time, glory fading slowly.

No man's eye, the window to the soul inside,
can behold itself and so no tales can tell
to the soul within.

Happy man who lives to see another day,
with hope to seek more glory than before.
Seeking out a face which marks the look on his.
Questing, striving, knocking, finding,
and so a future builds, one brick upon another.

A face with which to face the face of God,
only to find His face restored in man.

BETROTHED

Slipping the ring of eternity on,
heart and mind transfixed,
a moment of song.

Look to the moon,
promise of more,
going home to another shore.

What awaits?
A dance at a feast,
wine flowing free.
The Prince of all time, dancing with me.

Dressed in pure white,
the dance goes on,
joining in with delight, the God of my song.

DANCING ON ROCKY HEIGHTS

Incredible, unbelievable, God surely wise,
Hides from His people,
Hidden in goodness, then springs a surprise.
Just when we thought He had gone from our side,
He peeps round the corner and smiles a broad smile.
'Here I am, when you thought I was gone.
A blink of an eye and you see Me again.'

The goodness you thought was just happy chance,
was Me all along, calling you to the dance.

I make your feet nimble, like that of the hind,
a dance on the rocks with Me by your side.
You dance all alone, and swing your arms wide,
Little do others know I'm by your side.

You whistle and sing, as you skip round the house,
It's all part of prayer, expressing delight,
delight in the Lord who promised you joy,
Joy in His love so true and so sure.

Habakkuk 3 vs 19

Psalm 18 vs 33

BEAUTY CLOTHING BARRENESS

A new form, a new comeliness,
the bindweed entwines itself about her.
Close clinging glory of new life covers the dry cow parsley
abandoned in the ditch.
Pure white flowers trumpet new beauty,
garments of glory to cover dry stalks.

So it is when we shall lie in the dust,
nothing but dry bones.
The Spirit of God will blow in the valley,
bones shall come together and put on flesh.
Life will flow into that flesh and
we shall see our God.

Our God who took on flesh,
covering His glory for a while
so that we could see His glory,
dwelling with us in the valley of desolation.
That flesh mutilated
so that we could see that glory.

Weep not at your barreness,
but look up at that glory, a foretaste of our own.
God loves to clothe His children and together we will stand,
a Bride adorned with glory in Emmanuel's land.

REFLECTIONS ON A SPA

Bathed not in bubbles
of bright effervescent water,
but in the cold, silent waters of death.
Taken by swirls from currents of evil,
dragging Him down,
seeking to disintegrate body and soul.
and torment with abandonment.

Placed under the curse of God
to know our fear and shame,
the Shepherd smitten, the sheep scattered.
Delivered up by an angry God and hostile foe.
Both wreaking vengeance, both accusing,
seeking condemnation of the One holy Man,
taking on evil not His own.

A willing Victim to seal God's covenant,
a covenant of everlasting, steadfast love,
seal with His blood,
making it operative,
the door keeper of hell overcome,
now reaching down to the depths of hell,
drawing His captive people out.

The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world,
taking away evil rebellion,
with its heart of jealousy, hate and murder.
Now to Him be ascribed
blessing and honour and majesty and power forever.
God in Christ,
reconciling the world unto Himself.

WEDDING FEAST

Touches here, hints there
about a wedding feast.
A drama of God's love to men
unfolding from eternity.

HOMELESS MAJESTY

To shepherds and kings, the glad news made known.
Breaking the silence of the ages,
Ages of exile and fear.
Servants to foreign lords, rulers of empires not their own.
No rescue nor respite near.

God broke the silence of the night;
His herald of good tidings shone forth.
The rejoicing of heaven made known to men,
God's kingdom coming on earth.

Where was the Shepherd King to be found?
In Bethlehem, birthplace of kings.
But not in a palace.
Homeless in a feeding trough,
The Saviour of all mankind.