The Song of a Lamb

The Psalms are one of my favorite books of the Bible. They teach us of the faithfulness and love of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And they teach us how to cry out to him in prayer. In Psalm twenty-three, we learn how God tenderly shepherds us. Our Shepherd gave his life to save us from our sins and cares for us all our days (John 10:1-18.)

 

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:17-18

 

I invite you to read and meditate on Psalm twenty-three. I would also like to share a poem that reflects on the Psalm.

 

The song of a lamb

The song of a lamb

My Shepherd

My All

Yours I am

 

Let me rest in pastures green

Lead me to a quiet brook

Flowing with living water

 

Restore my soul

Make me walk with you

Along the path of Light

Glorify yourself in me

Glorify yourself

O king of kings

King of glory

 

Shadows of a former life 

Threaten to consume me

Darkness seems to overcome me

But a song sings in my heart:

O death where is your sting?

O grave where is your victory?

My shepherd took up his life again

I live. I live in him

 

Amidst voices of condemnation

I hear you dear Shepherd, tenderly calling

Come eat. Come eat

Yes, Lord

Feed me your Heavenly Manna

Lavish oil is poured on my head

O what blessings are mine

O the unsearchable riches of Christ!

 

Don't let me go Lord

Though I often wander

Captivate me again 

Let me look on you with wonder 

Beholding Goodness

As I see new mercies day by day

Day by day you carry me

I shall dwell in your house

Forever!

 

The King Desires My Beauty

 I would like to share a reflection on Ephesians 6:29-32 and Psalm 45, particularly verses 10-11:

Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
    forget your people and your father's house,
and the king will desire your beauty.

 

Echoes from a former life

Whisper to my soul

Please come in, darling

I’m an angel of light

Welcome to my home

I’m your father

How could you walk out on me?

Don’t flee

See what I have to offer thee

Treasures untold

Let me endow you with gifts

Everything this world can offer

You can have it all my dear

At least, linger, just a little while

Let’s reminisce of good old days

 

The King desires my beauty

His craftmanship

How could I stay?

I belong to a heavenly country

What God has put together

No one shall put asunder

In Christ

I’m rich beyond all measure

Earthly trinkets shatter and fade

Their temporary glimmer

Poisons my soul

I have treasure in heaven untold

My Father has blessed me

His love is pure

No, I’ll not linger

Perhaps I’m weak

And cannot flee

But

He’ll carry me

He’ll carry me

 

To learn more of Christ’s love for us, please see Ephesians 2:1-10. He welcomes with open arms all who come to him and his love for us is steadfast (John 6:37, Psalm 136:1-3.)

Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!

Psalm 117:1

A Zealous Man

 This week I would like to share a reflection on a parable that Jesus told in Luke 18:9-14.

A zealous man prayed to God and thanked him for his good works. This man was a man of integrity, he dealt fairly with others and was morally pure. He committed time to prayer, even giving up meals to do so, and he gave faithfully to the church. Likely, he attended church regularly and was active in the church, and a good neighbor, likely respected by others.  He was zealous. Perhaps he felt fired up in his heart for God. Perhaps he imagined that all that he did was because of his zeal. He was not like other people who sinned in ways which were beneath him. He was serious about religion. He would persevere. He would keep polishing himself up and fight the good fight.

But our Lord Jesus Christ tells us this upright man was not fighting the good fight at all (Luke 18:14.) He had zeal without knowledge (Romans 10:1-4.) This man did not see himself as he was, a sinner in desperate need. Like all of us, he needed to be cleansed from his sins by the blood of Christ (Romans 3:9-31.)

Another man, a tax collector who had a bad reputation, and perhaps had lived a scandalous life, deeply felt the weight of his sin one day. He saw himself as the worst of the worst. He could not lift his face up to heaven. He called out to God for mercy and received it. The blood of Christ washed away his sin and he walked with the risen Lord in newness of life (1 John:5-9, 2 Corinthians 5:17.)

As the tax collector walked with the Lord, perhaps he did not so much feel himself to be on fire for God. Perhaps at times he thought his fire for God had gone out. But then he remembered that God had promised:

He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
    or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
    he will faithfully bring forth justice. Isaiah 42:3

Justice had been served at the cross, his sins had been paid for. He would go on. He would go on by the mercies of the Lord Jesus Christ who would carry him in his bosom until he reached his heavenly home where he would see his Savior face to face (Isaiah 40:11.) He would go on, at times walking in almost darkness, but never without the light of Christ leading the way (Psalm 23:4). He would go on, groveling for mercy as he learned even more of the sin he had within him. The Holy Spirit cut at the tax collector’s heart with his double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12.)  The tax collector saw his sins of pride, his sins of self-righteousness, his immorality, his lies, his theft, his idolatry, his sloth, and his lack of love for his God. He saw that he violated each of God’s commands, daily. Though he wanted to be done with sin, it clung to him. It smelled like hot sweaty feet on a summer day. Each day, the Lord washed his feet (John 13:1-13.) He did things he did not want to do and did not do the things he wanted to do (Romans 7:15-20.) He felt himself to be dull in heart, not a very zealous man. Just a desperate one. He clung to Christ, his only hope. He meekly told others about his wonderful Savior. Because he knew he had been forgiven of much, he loved much (Luke 7:47.) The tax collector deeply loved his God and those around him. In a dark world, he shone like a candle. This was a zealous man. 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 2:11-14 KJV

Fed with Bread from Heaven

We all know the feeling of hunger. We know what it is like to be famished after a long day. Just as our bodies need food, our souls need Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:4, John 6.) He helps us with our greatest need, to be set free from our sin and condemnation (Romans 8:1-2.)

Often, we may not spend as much time in God’s Word as we desire. I have seen this in my own life for various reasons, perhaps a lack of time or some other providential circumstance. Or sometimes a dullness of heart leading to less time with the Lord. Whatever the case, God is faithful and will feed us from his Word. Just as he fed the five thousand with a loaf of bread, (John 6:1-13,) He will feed us with his Word and multiply it in our soul.

Our Lord gives us more than we think or ask (Eph 3:20.) He gives us himself. Who can fathom the wonders of that? He gives us peace. He gives us freedom from sin’s bondage. He gives us eternal life. As the old hymn written by Johnson Oatman says: “Count your blessings name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done!” Take time to meditate on the blessings you have in Christ.

 

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35

 

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”  Acts 16:11

 

In closing, I would like to share a poem:

 

Food from heaven

Better than bread

A loaf fed five thousand

A verse feeds my soul

Your Word is multiplied

I came to you hungry

I came to you weary

I came to you malnourished-

Sick with sin

You fed me with words of love

Words of grace

Words of peace

You fed me with Manna from heaven

You fed me O’ Living Bread

 

Innocent, You Bore My Guilt

The Lord recently drew my attention to Psalm 39; He encouraged and sharpened me with this passage. I would like to share a poem I wrote as a personal reflection on the Psalm. My poem also reflects on James 3-4:11, Isaiah 53:5-7, and 1 Peter 2:22-25 as well as some other scripture passages.

Innocent, you bore my guilt

My rebellion reviled your Name

The word you spoke to me was peace

A spotless Lamb slaughtered

With a striped body and reproached heart

Threatening was far from your tongue

Trusting him who judges justly

You uttered: “It is finished”

My heart’s portrait is on my tongue

Once a canvas of forest fires and asps

Washed white by the blood of the lamb

Muzzle my lips that I may speak

From a heart enchanted with grace

Cloak me in humility

Crown me with wisdom

May I delight in you, O Righteous Vine

As a breath evaporates, so shall I

As a shadow fading in the noonday sun

Yet my days go on forever

One day soon, I’ll see Glory face to face

Treasures lose their lustrous twinkle

As you set my eyes on heaven

Time redeemed

Is loving God and neighbor

Moths consume the trinkets in my heart

Shall my mouth utter discontent?

Let not bitterness choke me

Keep me silent as you melt off dross

Hear my cry, Lord cast my sins away

Throw them in the deepest sea

Your face shines through the clouds

Restore to me the joy of your salvation*

* The last line of the poem is Psalm 51:12a.

What is Love?

I would like to share a poem that reflects on Philippians 2:5-10:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The poem is a feeble explanation of God’s immeasurable love. I cannot fully comprehend the height and depth and width of God’s love. My words cannot express the depth of God’s love. His word tells us: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This brings us to a kind of speechlessness as we gaze upon our heavenly treasure. His pure holy words to us reveal to us the grace he has given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes our poor lisping lips utter praise and sometimes we are brought to silence as our hearts bow to our Maker in adoration. Sometimes in our fallenness, we forget to look at him. And even in our best moments, our view of him is clouded with our sin. By the riches of his glory, may he grant us hearts and lips confess that he is Lord to the glory of God our Father. In his strength, may we look forward to the day when faith will be sight and all the clouds of sin will be removed from our eyes as we gaze upon the Son. May the prayer of Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit be in our hearts.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen Ephesians 3:14-21

What is love?

A baby pure and holy

In a cruel manger

The Son of God

Born to sinful flesh

A spotless lamb

To bear our curse

What is love?

Our righteous Savior

Fulfilled the law

Loving God and neighbor

Tempted and scorned

A man of sorrows

With joy set before him

What is love?

A naked man on a cross

Bruised and bloody

Thorns crowning his holy head

The high eternal One

Counted as nothing by us

Drinking his Father’s wrath

What is love?
Our precious Savior
Who uttered it is finished
Conquered death
Our debt is paid
We have no condemnation
We’re risen to new life 

What is love?
Words can’t express
O LORD what love is this?
Father, Son, and Spirit
You gave your Son
You gave your life
You dwell within a worthless worm

Do I love?

Lord teach me how

I’m cold and weak

Crush the trinkets

That glitter in my sight

Your grace anoints me

O the depths of my treasure

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

God is love. 1 John 4:8b

Rejoice in the Lord

The Lord has been weeding out discontent from my life and in the process, (which is still ongoing,) I wrote two poems. I had intended to post these around Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is long past, yet, every day is a day of thanksgiving for the Christian so I thought it fitting to share them this week. As it says in Philippians 4:4, let us “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Over the years, I have been immensely encouraged by the testimony of persecuted saints who bless the Lord amidst horrific circumstances. Lately, God has humbled and encouraged me by the example of my brother, Pastor Wang Yi, who is currently imprisoned for his faith in Christ.

God’s power is on display when time after time, a persecuted saint mirrors the grace God has set in his or heart, even on the brink of execution. In Acts 20:59-60, God gives us this account of Stephens’s final moments on earth:

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

The apostle Paul was persecuted for years and imprisoned for his faith yet he learned to be content in all circumstances. (Philippians 4:11-13.) Although, the Bible doesn’t record how Paul died, based on historical evidences, it is likely he was beheaded.

History is filled with stories of saints who suffered dearly for bearing the Name. God’s glory shines through the darkness of these moments, giving testimony of God’s ineffable love to us in Christ and his abounding grace toward sinners.

I wrote the following poem as I reflected on the persecution of my brothers and sisters and God’s grace to them. The poem exemplifies the testimony of persecuted saints. Scripture referenced in the poem includes Matthew 6:26 and John 6:22-59.

Sings the man in a jail cell,

His crime: being saved by grace

“Lord have you forgotten me?”

It cannot be, you feed the sparrows

Surely you feedeth me

The bread I eat and water I drink

Indeed sustaineth me

And far richer, I feast dear Lord on thee

How can I thank thee Lord?”

With feeble song, he lifts his voice

Praising the High eternal King

In sleepless fits, the man cries out:

“I suffer Lord. My body aches

Bleariness besets me

In my labyrinth of grief

Tender mercies woo me

What did you suffer on the tree?

I know not what my sin cost thee

O spotless Lamb of God

Into bitter darkness plunged

You conquered death to set me free

What wondrous grace is this!”

Although, not all believers are called to suffer severe persecution, in God's providence, we all are allotted our share of suffering. The Lord tells us in Ecclesiastes 7:14, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.”

It is hard to see good in our suffering. It is hard to trust God’s promise that he works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28.) But he graciously leads us to the comfort that is found in Him alone. The Heidelberg Catechism, Question One wonderfully sums up this comfort:

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

If you are interested, about a year ago, I wrote a poem based on this Catechism question. https://ponderingsofclay.blogspot.com/2019/03/my-only-comfort.html

On a side note, I am reading through Trusting God by Jerry Bridges. I would highly recommend this book. I began reading this book on a prideful note, as it is on a reading list for some material I am studying but I didn’t consider my own need of it. Thankfully, God has used this book along with Scripture to help me understand his sovereignty more and rest in his love.  

In closing I would like to share a poem I wrote shortly after I read Ecclesiastes 7:14.

Two merry girls

Danced along

A path of golden leaves

Kissed by the sparkling sun

Hand in hand

Singing “thank you Lord

For this splendid day”

Two sullen girls

Trod along

A river of rain

Bitten by the wind

As bitter as the weather

Were their hearts

Of discontent

Their father

A man as wise

As his hair was gray

Said “children dear

Let us praise the Lord

Did he only make the sun?

Is not the rain his too?”

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:6-11

New Mercies

Happy New Year everyone! I’d like to share a poem I wrote as the Lord helped me put off self-pity and worry. Rather than discontentedly looking back at the past and looking to the new year with chagrin, I needed to look to the One who makes all things new (Revelation 21:5.)

Does bleakness lie ahead?

Will it follow me into another year?

What does it matter?

Today is the Lord’s

You give strength for each day

Strength to live and strength to die

Strength to dance and strength to cry

Mercy in pelting hail

That melts my icy heart

Mercy in laughter

Humor and a voice to boot

Mercy.

What am I that you are mindful me?

What am I?

Dust and a filthy sinner

For me you came to die?!

Wonder fills my soul 

Breaking apart dread

Of anther bleak year

Were not the years past

Good indeed?

Day by day your mercy was new

I am not consumed.

You were consumed

Astounding grace

Words can't express...

Pondering, I catch a glimpse 

Of a small cloud in the winter air

As I breathe, it blooms then dissipates

What are my years?

A momentary light affliction

Dust to dust as a vapor

Tomorrow you'll say "well done"

Scripture for reflection:

What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:4

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. James 4:14

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

And as your days, so shall your strength be. “There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:25b-27

Steadfast Love

In reading some of the Psalms recently, I was struck with how frequently God's steadfast love is mentioned. It is mentioned over 120 times in the 150 Psalms. One passage that particularly stood out to me was Psalm 36:7-9:

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.

Wow! What an invitation to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, (Psalm 27:4,) bask in his Light and drink his delights. All of Scripture explicitly reveals God's steadfast love toward us through Christ.

In Exodus 20, the Lord gives us the Ten Commandments. After the second commandment, the Lord tells us:

I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:5b-6

The Lord shows steadfast love to those who love him and keep his commandments. That begs the questions:

Who has kept the Lord’s law? Who has loved the Lord?

God tells us the answers:

 As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3:10-12

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8

God also tells us:

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

How then, can it be it be, that thousands love God and keep his commandments? In a word, the answer is Jesus.

Christ loved God and kept his commandments. Christ bore our sins on the cross and he clothes us in his righteousness when we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9.)

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

As 2 Corinthians 9:15 says: “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” Mercy is bestowed on the unmerciful. Love is given to the unlovable. God's life was poured out to bring life to the spiritually dead. Death dies at the cross and new life is born as sinners are raised from the grave with their Savior. God created a people in his image, knowing they would rebel against him. He chose a people for himself before he created them (Ephesians 1:4.) God’s steadfast love has no beginning or end. He keeps us to the end of our pilgrimage and brings us safely home.

 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. Colossians 1:21-23

God’s love is steadfast in the valley of the shadow of death and in sunny days.  I love Betty Alden Stam’s poem “Stand Still, And See.” The poem is Betty’s reflection of Exodus 14:13 and tells of God’s steadfast love amidst hard providences.

“I'm Standing, Lord.
There is a mist that blinds my sight.
Steep jagged rocks, front, left, and right.
Lower, dim, gigantic, in the night.
Where is the way?

“I’m Standing, Lord.
The black rock hems me in behind.
Above my head a moaning wind
Chills and oppresses heart and mind.
I am afraid!

“I’m Standing, Lord.
The rock is hard beneath my feet.
I nearly slipped, Lord, on the sleet.
So weary, Lord, and where a seat?
Still must I stand? "

He answered me, and on His face
A look ineffable of grace,
Of perfect, understanding love,
Which all my murmuring did remove.

“I’m Standing, Lord.
Since Thou hast spoken, Lord, I see
Thou hast beset; these rocks are Thee;
And, since Thy love encloses me,
I stand and sing!"

Betty was a missionary to China in the 1930’s. She and her husband were martyred for their faith. In steadfast love, God redeemed them from their sins, brought them through providences that worked together for their good, (Romans 8:28,) and carried them home.

In closing I would like to share a poem I wrote while reflecting on God’s steadfast love.

When did you love me O Holy One?

Always. Before the World began

Before you formed me in your hands

When you sent your Son to die

For a loveless vile transgressor

Bitter spikes pierced Righteousness

When you said: Thy will be done

Bearing my sin, a crushing boulder

A curse upon the tree

When on that glorious day

You rose, death’s power broken

A victor of the grave

When I, a dead man walking

Drank sorrows and smiled at demise

You tended me with everlasting water

When I sin, you aren’t sent reeling

With healing touch, tenderly you wound

Ever loving, faithful Friend

When on the day you call me home

To see your face and sin no more

When did you love me? Always and forever.