Faithful Lines

Build up

The House of the Lord

Tend to the walls

Clear the courtyard

Arrange the utensils

Purify those that minister

Build up

The People of the Lord

Surround those who weep

Raise up those in mourning

Encourage the downcast

Look after the lonely

Share the testimony

Of His goodness 

In all areas of life

In unity we tell the story

Of His perfect love

In unity we recount history

His great salvation

Young and old

Together

The right joining hands with the left

This is not about what we believe

It’s what we know 

Through His great revelation

His words never come back void

The mission

Love God 

Love others

And build

Ascend the holy hill

Lord, transfer your holiness

To us

One drop at a time

So that we may withstand the change

Wherever the Spirit of the Lord

Is welcomed

There is renewal and revival

The lame walk

The land produces

The heavens rejoice

In the sweetness of His mercy

In the abundance of His grace

Build build build!

Today

I open the curtains

Before the sun

Waiting

I sit beside you

Thankful to have this time

To say goodbye

My heart is beating

Your heart is beating

But this won’t always be true

Change comes

Praise God

From the rising of the sun

To its setting

Here is your setting

And I praise Him accordingly 

I’m thankful for the time

The moments we shared

Your silly ways

Thanks be to the Lord

The creator

The giver and protector of life

May we praise Him

Today

You might do well

Following rules

Giving

Helping

And life may may wonderful

Or terrible 

Or, more likely, a mix of both

You might 

Live in corruption

Hurting

Being selfish

And life may be terrible

Or wonderful 

Or, more likely, a mix of both

You can feed the hungry

Give to the poor

Help the widows

Parent the orphans

And you may be healed

Or you may not

Because this is not a points system

This is an overlapping

Of God’s common grace

And His specific mercy

In a broken world

In which we don’t fully understand

How to obey

Or what lessons we need to learn

And what the plan will be

To learn those lessons

Or to live out that knowledge gained

You will live under His wing

But it will still rain

Your house may stand

But it will still flood

And life may be blessed

And sanctified 

And holy

And set apart

Yet within the mess

It will be

A mix of both

Like Jesus

All God

All man

We are not given to understand fully

We are asked to live meekly

my prayers 

rise up to meet You 

Lord, God, Creator, Abba 

my prayers 

ascend with those 

of the multitude of saints 

like rain in reverse 

we drip our needs 

our praise 

our repentance 

to the mercy seat 

a stillness in that moment 

a moment of relief 

the calm and the quiet 

within your heartbeat 

the rhythm within your flow 

is precious and astounding 

such a marked difference 

from the pulse of the world around us 

chaotic, broken, dissonant 

in reaching they never attain 

in striving they never rest 

they run with wild passion 

yet the finish line 

keeps moving farther away 

I swirl my fingers in the dust 

knowing I too cannot be an accuser 

but I am thankful 

humbled and thankful 

I found a better race to run 

and the heavenly father to give 

my prayers

Turn your eyes upon Me

Repent and 

Release the past

Today is restored

In a moment

I can heal your heart

Reveal your way

Answer your longings

Turn and face my commands

They are simple and true

Love Me

Love others

Do justice

Love mercy

Walk humbly

Turn turn turn

Like clay in my hands

Allow me to shape you

Into what will edify your soul

I shape you for My good purpose

But also for your restoration 

Turn

And look for something new in Me

Do not rely on the manna of yesterday

It will not sustain you today

I am fresh every morning

I will give you this day

Your daily bread

I yearn to walk with you

I long for you to know Me

And not by My punishment

But by My great salvation

Cast what is binding

To the right

Cast what hinders

To the left

Turn

I will never stop waiting

I stretched out My hand

Then I stretched out My hands

I made a way

As the Living God

I made life

I stooped down

Offered you My arms

To carry you

To show you things above your ability

But instead of embrace

You ran

Determined in your own mind

To find your own way to see

But you were unable

Like the gods of old

Who neither see, nor speak, nor hear

Yet that hold fast the attention

Of the wayward heart

Why don’t you sing to Me?

Why don’t you sing to Me anymore? 

I would create a way

In the midst of the chaos

In the midst of oppression 

I would carry you

And teach you how to take solid steps

But you have made for yourselves

Tiny gods

That demand everything

Rest. In. Me.

Rest! 

Why toil after all that will not save? 

You look to your gods

And even when stowed

The reflection is still in your eyes

Limiting your vision

I require a change

I have placed you

In the wilderness

But see

There is a trickle of a stream

Learn to rely on this

And it will become a raging river

Powerful, delightful, mighty 

Able to supply and wash

Take one tiny step

And sing to Me

Open our eyes

To things that defile

That are not worth our while

Open our eyes

Open our ears

To hear when You’re calling 

To understand our failing

Open our ears

Open our hands

To release things that hinder

Cast away what enables

Open our hands

Face to the ground

Heart turned upward

There is hope

So we pray

Open our hearts

To amend ways and deeds

To love those in need

Open our hearts