Stand Up

Stand up

in the strength
of your Savior,

and see
salvation power
spread across the land.

Stand up
secure in
everlasting truth,

your feet on
solid ground,

unmoved by
tempest storm
or besetting trials.

Stand up
and be counted
for righteousness sake.

There is a time
to clearly choose
your side,
and stay steadfastly in it.

Stand up
for the trumpet
is sounding,

and the Kingdom
is advancing
in the name of our King.

Stand up.

Be ready,

for the time
to slumber has past.

Stand up
for the King.

He is coming.

Walk On By

She sat slumped,

in a jumbled heap of clothes,

in cold late evening air,

on city pavement edge.

Elated and joyful,
I walked past with my son
at my side.

I glanced at her
for a single second,

my heart hardened by countless
beggars already encountered,
waving paper cups for loose change.

She didn't ask me for anything,
just looking straight ahead.

I didn't want to look for longer.

How could I respond to so much need
on city streets?

I had no home there to take her to.

I had no significant money to give.

If I gave anything,
would it feed an addiction?

Her image burned into my mind,
as I choose in that second
not to respond at all.

I was not the Good Samaritan,
or even a slightly open hearted one.

I failed in my humanity.

I judge myself to have fallen short
of Christ's call,

but I don't judge her.

God spoke to me
through her silent form.

How do I truly show His love,

and not just walk on by?

Burning Bright

I see your life

burning bright,

glow of God's Spirit
in you,

manifestly present
by His presence.

Encroaching darkness
does not dim
your brightness,

but adds
beautiful contrast
to your witness.

The lines are
clearly drawn.

There is no
mistaking now,
those whose
walk witnesses
to the world
wonder and God's glory.

Some may not
understand or
want to see,

but the brightness
of His light
in you shines
for them anyway.

Your light beckons gently,

the safe space among
the world's ever
increasing injury,

as events so crammed
with trauma,

drip feed despair
from every device.

So burn bright,

and do not
dim your light,

through choices made

without understanding
proper preparation,
and critical consequence.

Your one light life
can show the way
to multitudes,

if you allow yourself
to be perfectly positioned.

So keep burning bright.

Burn bright.

Burn bright.

Unborn Child

 I’m in your womb,

I can’t yet say words for you to hear.

I sense your feelings, happy or sad,

so strongly we are linked.

I look forward to seeing you,

in the moment I am born.

It is a precious bond between us,

that I want to last a lifetime.

If that cannot happen I’m sure

there is an open heart house,

somewhere else for me.

Please can my life be

for more than a few months.

I have heart dreams,

ready to express with learnt language.

You need to trust my life

 is as real as your own.

Please let me see sunrise and sunsets,

and run beneath the big blue sky.

Please let me explore the world,

you already have the privilege of knowing.

I have so much potential,

a unique character with purposeful plans to fulfill.

Please don’t end my life,

when it has only just begun.

Your mother chose to let you live,

please do the same for me.

Well Done

'Well done good and faithful servant.'

How we long to hear
those spoken words,

when all is done and dusted,

and the world is wrapped up,

to be replaced
with something infinitely more wonderful.

Well done for what?

Being part of Christ's body on Earth?

Showing up on a Sunday?

The well done will look much deeper.

It is for all the times when you faithfully did,
what you were born to do,
even when no one was recording it
for posterity.

God saw and He smiled.

Such a smile,
and He only gives that particular smile to you.

For within its frame is held
every interaction
and conversation
between the two of you.

All your struggles,
all your triumphs,
all the choices made
to never give up on
your together journey.

'Well done' will mean what is does to you alone.

And you and God will share another smile.