Garden

Genesis 2:15 — The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

I miss You,

Lord.

I want to return

to the garden,

to the place

where we dwelled

together -

where I was

Yours

and You were

mine,

where I stood

in awe

of the image

I was made to bear,

where nothing mattered

but You

and the love

we shared.

I am counting down

the days

until it is so

again.

Amen.

In The End

Joel 2:1 — Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord is coming

What good are you,

life,

apart from

salvation?

What power have you,

death,

without the

cross?

Is the grave

not empty -

the stone

not rolled away?

Will the trumpet

not sound -

the Word

not return again?

In the end

all will be told

and only

the side of Life

will remain.

Amen.

First

Genesis 2:7 — Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

I was made

to bear the image of

to be blessed by

the One

who made me.

I was made

to live

to be

a pure and righteous

delight

for my Maker.

I was made

to create

to be entrusted with

the flawless display

of the Creator’s

creation.

I was made

first -

before sin was born

before the fall poisoned

before death destroyed

before separation had to be -

to exist

as a divine

masterpiece

in a perfect union

with Divinity itself -

God

Spirit,

and Word

and for eternity

I will do

just that.

Amen.

I Will Sing

Psalm 150:6 — Let everything that have breath praise the Lord.

Though the moment

it leaves my lips

it cannot

do You justice

I will sing praise

to You, Lord.

Though it will never

properly exult

accurately quantify

fully exemplify

Your worth

I will sing praise

to You, O God.

I -

a monument of Your

glorious desire,

a vessel of Your

gracious will -

along with all creation

I will sing praise

to You, O Wonderful Father.

Amen.

Today

Lamentations 3:22-23 — Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

To live this day

is to rejoice

and receive

with gratitude

the new mercies

given to me

by the Lord

for this day

and to abundantly

overflow with joy

in all circumstances

toward all people

in total surrender

and fullness of gratitude

because of the

eternal inheritance

and everlasting promise

made possible

only by the blood of Christ

to dwell with

my holy Creator God

in heavenly paradise

for the rest of my days.

Amen.

Inheritance

Hebrews 12:22-24 — But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

My inheritance

is not found

where any human eye

can see,

where any human feet

can go.

My joy

is not found

in what any human mind

devised,

in what any human hand

created.

My heart

belongs to the Lord of hosts,

my soul

belongs to the Creator of heaven -

with You, Father,

I was made to walk

to commune

to hope

to bear all things

before I return

to Your feet.

Amen.

Speak

Numbers 22:28 — Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam…

You always

speak -

I so rarely

listen.

I am

too busy

too loud

too distracted

too self-absorbed

to know Your voice

and follow.

Yet

I blame You

when things seem unclear,

when I feel uneasy;

I curse You

when things are restless,

when life feels overwhelming.

I want You

to serve me

to suit me -

to leave me alone

but never let me feel alone.

Amen.

Whole

Colossians 2:9-10 — For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Love

given

sacrifice

chosen

grace

unleashed

suffering

endured -

- hope

renewed

eternity

reconciled

intimacy

restored

goodness

reignited

I am

whole

because of the cross.

Amen.

Lovely

Job 33:4 — The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Your mercy

is my

breath

Your grace

is my

bread

I can do

nothing

apart from

You -

how lovely.

Amen.

Correction

Jeremiah 30:11, 17 — “I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished… But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord.

O Lord,

how I cherish Your grace,

how I adore Your justice.

Is Your correction

not more beautiful than silver?

Is Your instruction

not more valuable than gold?

I have seen the blessing

of Your stern discipline;

I know the joy that comes

through Your firm judgment.

Though I adore Your tenderness

it is Your correction that spares me.

Though I rejoice in Your compassion

it is Your justice that guards my course.

The path of righteousness is narrow

because I have a habit to wander.

Teach me, Father,

to love Your justice

like I rely on Your grace.

Teach me, Lord,

to delightfully follow Your commands

like I delightfully accept Your mercy.

Amen.

To

Matthew 11:25 — At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.”

To the

faithful

You prove yourself

faithful.

To the

righteous

You give

all things.

To the

loved

You provide

deep rest.

To the

pure

You show yourself

clearly.

To the

hopeful

You anoint

with total confidence.

Amen.

Faith

Hebrews 13:15 — Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

How often

is my

worship

contingent on my

control?

How often

is my

joy

dependent on my

circumstance?

How often

is my

hope

reliant on my

self-sufficiency?

I cannot

have faith

worth anything

until

I have completely

given up

the illusion

that my life

is my own.

Amen.

Nothing Wasted

Philippians 1:6 — …being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

O Lord,

open my eyes

to what is real —

the heavenly realms

and opposing forces,

the eternal story

and present purpose,

the undeserved grace

and ensuing ministry,

the past tribulations

and future glories,

the sovereign power

and human authority,

the loving order

and humble response,

the fleeting distractions

and permanent pleasures,

the unshakeable hopes

and decaying self-centeredness —

and I

will be

set free.

Amen.

Enmeshed

Psalm 16:11 — In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

The greatest pleasure

I will

ever know

is when

the flesh in me

unites with

the divine in You

and the two

become enmeshed

to the point

of indistinction.

Amen.

Very Bottom

2 Corinthians 3:16-17 — But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

If there

at the very bottom -

a heap of bones,

abandoned and accused,

crushed and neglected -

You drew near,

You surrounded,

You rescued me

what fear

what unknown

what threat

should prevent me

from walking in

freedom?

Amen.

All Things New

Revelation 21:5 — And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Death

de-

fanged,

Life

re-

newed,

Earth

re-

stored,

Heaven

re-

opened,

Body

re-

awakened,

Soul

re-

united —

all things

will soon be

made new.

Amen.

No More

John 15:18-19 — “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

I want my world

to shrink,

I want to know

less.

I want my peace

to expand,

I want to rest

more.

I want my consumption

to decrease,

I want to envy

no more.

I want my generosity

to increase,

I want to give

always.

Though the world

wants my conformity,

I want to be

of the world

no more.

Amen.

Still Free

Romans 5:3-5 — Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Burdens weigh

hurts cut

wounds reopen

thorns pierce

chains hold

darkness blinds -

but still

I am free.

I may grieve

for a night,

I may weep

for a moment,

I may suffer

for a lifetime -

but still

I am free.

The blood prevails,

the grave is empty -

forever

I am free.

Amen.

Fear | Worship

Ecclesiastes 7:15-18 — … I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness. Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

In sunshine

and storms,

in wide

and narrow,

in joy

and sorrow,

in freedom

and bondage,

in plenty

and drought,

in health

and sickness,

in peace

and turmoil,

in wonder

and confusion,

in fullness

and emptiness,

in life

and death

I will fear

the Lord

and worship Him

no matter.

Amen.

Like God

Ecclesiastes 1:18 — For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

What will I

accomplish

in my attempts

to know what You know?

What do I think

is waiting for me

if I became like You, Lord?

How could I ever

hold the weight

of the world?

Yet

I live

and question You

as if my only way

to peace

is if I did.

Amen.