It All Goes Back in the Box

(Musings, and Prayer for 2008)

Again, we stand at the threshold of a new year
A year awaiting, the days to be lived through
Minute by minute, hour by hour
crossed out little boxes
never to return, only spent

One of the great universal constants - Time
Great and poor, rich and urchin subject to its tyranny and generosity
For all are given the same each day
Yea, some get to cross out more little boxes, others less,
(before we end up in a little box ourselves)
but the same is expected, no less, of each of us
to give an account of our days.

Teach me to number them then,
my wand'ring days on this green earth,
so I might have a heart of wisdom.
Wisdom to know the time and seasons
to know to sow and when to reap
when to till and to prune
Teach me to know your Spirit's call
to let the north-wind blow on my garden
and let its fragrance, the fragrance of Christ,
a-bound to all who are perishing
Lead us continually in triumphal procession,
bearing the death and resurrection of Christ
the power therein, in meekness and humility!

Another bend, 'round the pilgrim path
fellow peregrines on the journey of faith
toward the wicker gate
and fair Reepicheep calls to us,
amidst the great cloud of witnesses
"Further up and Farther in!"
they chorus, the saints who've gone before us
In the distance the city shines:
pennants fluttering in the winds
and white gulls chatter,
a horn sounds - The White City.

But the time is not yet nigh for most of us
Temperance and temptation, love and life
are yet before us, to make change in community, to affect nations
Thou root of Jesse, come, have thy life in us
that we bud like Aaron's dry staff
giving life where once there was none
Shine, like stars, Glow like cities on a hill,
life-preserving saltiness.
Looking forward to the upward way
Carpe Aeternum, Carpe Diem

For soon the days will darken,
the sun will grow cold and nights will be long
Hope among men will dwindle
and ere grace fades
The time will come when time itself
ceases to run, ceases to exist for us
Our pieces on the board all spent
the reckoning comes - the last door unlocks
When the game is over
it all goes back in the box

So teach us to number our days aright
to have wisdom in our hearts.
Strength for the year ahead,
Renewed mercies for each morning
Sustain us in your abiding grace
as we abide in you, we bear much fruit
Raise in us a holy desperation,
a holy despair with our kingdoms and castles in the air
A righteous despondence with the status quo
and utter disgust at our saccharine trophies which moth and rust destroy
O to be weak enough
to trust you, to rely on you wholly.

More of you, Jesus
and less of me.
That you Increase,
and I decrease.

Amen. אמן

Snow!

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I do wish it would snow...

Oh Humble King

The ultimate scandal - the Creator condescends, stooping to be a man, to bear upon Himself all of our brokenness, distress and pain. The only man to deserve no punishment bears the brunt of all mankind's evil. He comes, unassuming, showing us a Way to live and love, and redeems us from ourselves, paying the ultimate cost. Losing Himself, he gains us; losing ourselves, we gain Him. So that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The topsy-turvy economy of the Kingdom.

You came and served, spent and poured out yourself for us, reserving none for your own. You healed, and gave life, walked on water and caused the blind to see and hearts to open. You gave hope to the hopeless, grace to the guilty, terror to those who control, manipulate and deceive. You were the hero, who broke through our walls to save us from ourselves.

1 In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him,
and apart from Him nothing came into being
that has come into being.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

9 There was the true Light which,
coming into the world,
enlightens every man.
10 He was in the world,
and the world was made through Him,
and the world did not know Him.

11 He came to His own,
and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born,
not of blood nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh,
and dwelt among us,
and we saw His glory,
glory as of the only begotten from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
16 From the fullness of his grace
we have all received one blessing after another.

17 For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God,
but God the One and Only,
who is at the Father's side,
has made him known.