Grafted in and Grateful

Today’s post was inspired by the reading of God’s word from the book of Isaiah Chapter 42 (NIV)-

You formed me and made me
In my Mother’s womb
You created me for Your glory
Set apart for Your Trophy room
Your word tells me I was chosen
To be your servant and Your witness
So that I may know and believe
I find comfort when I trust this
Apart from You there is no Savior
You have revealed, saved and proclaim
You are not a foreign god among us
From ancient days until now
You have never changed
You are The Alpha and The Omega
The Beginning and The End
We are justified through faith alone
All believer’s will transcend
Giving up this earthly body
To be transformed in Your glorious light
Forever praising You in song
In the “New Heaven”, where there is no night
For darkness is broken
Your radiance bends
From one medium to another
This life refracts and extends
Beyond earth’s boundaries
Beyond all space and time
Living for You only
In the Spirit world of The Devine
For You are The One True God
Though You have been called by many names
Mastor, Savior, Lord Jesus, Jehoviah
You answered Moses regarding the same
“Who should I say sent me?” Moses asked.
“I Am that I Am” was Your refrain

Have you noticed the headlines lately
Every story is labeled “Breaking News”
Breaking our spirit, breaking our will
Breaking our hearts in two!

Turmoil and destruction
Are bold printed “Highlights”
Hate filled rhetoric is
“Live” on television too!

The threat of foreign war
Domestic tensions looming
What in the world
Is a sane person to do?

Everyone has an opinion
Most love to give it to you
But blinded eyes and blinded hearts
Keep us from “listening” too!

“Listening”…intently
To another’s point of view
Trying to see things
From their perspective

Try walking a mile
In your neighbor’s shoes
Now, that “feat”
Would be a new directive!

We are all too focused
On getting our own point across
Leaving apathy
The resulting infective

Infecting our hearts
Infecting our minds
Our opinions
Are all too subjective

If we would only
Live out the Golden Rule
“Doing unto others
As you would have done unto You”

Our narrative would be
A much kinder tale
With empathy and understanding
On a much larger scale

Can you imagine the Headlines
The TV interviews
Without caustic comments
There’s no need to diffuse

The fireworks we’ve seen
On every news channel
Spewing from commentators
Frothing to report a new scandal

Through the aches and pains of the ever-dying body
It is our priviledge to share in the sufferings of Christ
We are dying to be resurrected
In a new vessel akin… to His Glorious Light
New bodies to house our souls throughout eternity
New names to be given each one of us by Christ
Even the air we breath is a gift
Jesus physically gave us the breath of His life
Breathing onto His disciples, as He taught The Gospels
His Holy Spirit transferred, taking flight
Through their witness, He handed down through the generations
The Holy Spirit to permeate each life lived for Christ
Sent to protect us, The Holy Spirit is our Mentor
A trusted Guide, our truest Friend
He will always comfort and keep us
He will be our Advocate through to the end
Of the age…
When this mortal life will no longer be
Of flesh and blood and oxygen
From this dying-vessel
We will forever be FREE!
Freedom from the chains
The bondage of our sin
Free of all the sickness and pain
Our earthly transgressions have trapped us in
We can’t ignore the ever-dying body
But we can stand firm in what we believe
The aches and pains we will forever lay down
A new body we will receive
In the image of Christ
Transformed to His likeness
His glory we will perceive
Finally aware through our senses
All because we believed

The Infinite expresses His life through mine
Creating a vision, I cannot compare
Why am I here? What is my purpose?
I am His vessel, His gift given to share

How He speaks to me through inner promptings
Intuition and dreams, nudges and signs
In conversations with Him, when I commune,
I am the essence of Him…Uniquely defined

On a journey unfolding
New life He designs
Possibility and potential
When our hearts align

I connect, keep moving forward
Always toward the light
Manifesting a future,
Not found in my sights

Walking in this new design
Letting go of who I used to be
I embrace this unique journey
Of who God created me to be

Pain pushes
Until I allow His vision to pull
Walking with Jesus
Living life to the Full

Lead me O God
Into Your Heavens
Where Satan’s evil cannot trod
Lead me into Your paths of righteousness
Lead me in the faith by Your Staff… Your Rod
For they comfort me in times of weakness
Giving me Your strength, so that I can stand tall
Against every foe and minion of Satan
Against all evil Lord… do not let me fall

For You are my stronghold
My guardian over evil
You are the words
To ever praise filled song
Lead me O God
Into Your Heavens
Lead me where You, Lord
Will right every wrong

When my journey seems steep…rocky and rough
Lead me Lord, guide me, make my faith tough
Enough to stand against evildoers
Strong enough to subdue the most evil of all
Fake news, False prophets
Heralding “untrue stories”
Trying to trip me up…trying to make me fall

I once had great desires to become a journalist
Reporting the news of the day’s times and events
But You had different plans for this reporter…this author
To teach the “Good News” of The Gospel…to lead other’s to repent

For Your forgiveness allows mercy… Your forgiveness extends grace
So that my humble, earnest petitions in prayer
O God, My Father…You will hear and embrace

So, please lead me Lord Jesus into Your Heavens
Where the voice of many angels encircle Your throne
Praising and singing…
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and strength and honor and glory and praise” – Revelation 5:12 (NIV)

If I am heartless to the afflicted
If I can not empathize with their pain
If I am careless to their hurting
Tell me…In this life, what have I gained?

If I have it in my power to extend
God’s Grace, His Mercy and Love
But hold back these gifts, freely given to me
From The Lord God, up above

Then I am no better than the robber who steals
Demanding it is his right to claim
I am no better than the terrorist rejoicing
When inflicting pain

If I am apathetic to the cries of God’s people
If I close my ears to keep listening at bay
If I am callous toward other’s sufferings
If I close my eyes, not to see their dismay

Then I have become emotionally hardened
Insensitive, merciless to misery
As guilty as an accomplice in crime
For my complicity

But if I show compassion
A true understanding of a brother’s suffering and loss
I can stand in solidarity with Believer’s
Knowing that what Jesus did on The Cross

Was not just for those of us who Believe
Those who’ve surrendered their heart at all cost
But especially for the one’s being deceived
Especially for the soul that is lost

Therefore, if I am a true Believer
It must be my goal for every breath I breathe
To bring lost soul’s with me to meet Jesus
Living only for Him throughout eternity

Aah…the simplicity of rhyme
Weaving yarns that tell of time
Time spent alone with pen in hand
Waiting for His next command
To tell this story with much intent
To ensure the reader’s time well spent
Trailing each thought like a bloodhound
When searching out the true meaning
Enlightenment is found
In every word etched on the page
Therein lies meaning to engage
The heart the mind the body and soul
The depth of the Savior’s love unfolds
The truth behind His loving eyes
No longer veiled as in Moses’ disguise
The reader now is concentrating
The author’s point is captivating
Simple words used to gain the attention
Of the heart that beats
In full submission
To God, The Father, God, The Son
Through His Holy Spirit we have won
A mentor, advisor, confidant and friend
A personal trainer to the end
Of this mortal life here on earth
Our only reason to be given birth
To love The Father, love The Son
Who died on a tree for everyone
No, you can’t escape this story’s
Ultimate, true meaning
To say you have is just deceiving
For the heart, the body, mind and soul
The will of the author is under control
Of the greatest force, who invented time
For me to tell this story
Through verse and rhyme
Capturing the thoughtful curiosity
Of faithful readerS just like me
Who believe these simple words
For you, were meant
The sweet aroma of His love
Is Heaven “scent”

It’s been said…
“Those who forget history are
Doomed to repeat it.”
But I choose to overlook my past
Disregard it intentionally…to leave it
Behind!
Abandoned, alone and discarded
Letting go of the old
To embrace the new
Forgetting what is behind
I choose to move forward
Keeping only sweet memories
I bid the darkness …adieu!
Walking the path of forgiveness
I choose to receive His peace
And accept…
That what Jesus did on The Cross
He did specifically
For sinners like me

Fill us with Your wisdom, Your knowledge
Let decernment be our Teacher
Open our minds to understanding
With empathy for all men and creatures

Fill us with Your loving kindness
Let us overlook each other’s wrongs
Open our hearts to forgiveness
Let right standing with You be our song

Help us to be Your Hands, Your feet
Let our testimony reclaim the lost
Knowing the price You paid for our sin
An unconditional love at great cost

Fill us with the desire to know You
Yearning to seek Your face
For our days here on earth are numbered
Fill us with Your mercy, Your grace

Let Your Spirit take over our being
We surrender our ways and renew our minds
Bind Satan and keep us from danger
Clear a path to transcend space and time

We praise You for the eternity waiting
A promise You gave with Your Word
Give us courage to speak the name Jesus
Until every last sinner has heard

The Word of The Lord God, our Savior
Trusting in His sovereign truth
His yoke is light, His burden is easy
An eternity in Heaven… our proof

Will you leave this world
Just like you found it?
You know…
Life is only a chasing after the wind

Meaningless
Meaningless
Utterly
Meaningless

Dying to self
To be born again

Toiling and striving
Every waking hour
Working and laboring
Until the day’s end

Do you search for knowledge
Discernment and wisdom?

Or

Do you seek treasures of Kingdoms?
Gold dust in the wind

Meaningless
Meaningless
Utterly
Meaningless

Life here on earth is
Right up to the end
If you don’t know The Savior
The Master, King Jesus

If you don’t know
His name
And He can’t call you
Friend