Watching Daily At Wisdom's Gates

 This poem, inspired by the Biblical book of Lamentations, was co-written with Luke Sheldrake over a decade ago from the time of publishing this post. This is from memory, so there may be one or two extra verses jotted down somewhere and forgotten! There's also a half remembered tune that goes with it that I'll have to dust off! Lord, how desolate the city That was once so full of mirth. Look to Zion now with pity Your own child you brought to birth In times past, in days of favour There was seen a festive throng But our love for you did waver Now all festive days are gone The Lord's good to those who seek him Those who wait upon his word In the stillness now we trust him As we rest upon the Lord It is seen in all its brightness Heaven's city on a hill It is seen in all its whiteness  God is dwelling with us still The Lord's good to those who seek him Those who wait upon his word In the stillness now we trust him As we rest upon the Lord

 Matthew 10:20 ESV For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.  I'm reminded of a similar verse that if we speak, we should do so as though we're speaking the very words of God. Elsewhere, we're warned that we'll be judged for every idle word. Spiritual speech isn't just quoting chapter and verse at people though. God became a Man. In doing so, he bridged the gap between the spiritual and the physical. Our speech is to be seasoned with salt as it were, but not just pure salt. Of course we're to be wholesome, but we don't have to preach with every breath. Our very lives should demonstrate the truth of the gospel. When we are called to give an account, God will speak through us. Jesus in context was warning his disciples that worldly authorities would prosecute them for their faith. He assured them that his Spirit would give them the words to say. God gives us the boldness to stand in the evil hour. 'Heavenly Father, th...

 Isaiah 12:2 ESV Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” It's always good to remember who God is to us. He's not some distant force way out there in the universe. He's our Saviour. God is trustworthy. If we fear him as we ought, he'll dispel our fears. As I often say, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the love of God is the heart of wisdom. If we have any strength, that is thanks to God's work in us. If there's a song of praise in our lungs, God's put it there. Sadly, lots of 'worship' songs are centred on self rather than God himself. Note that God isn't our salvation by default. He needs to become so. We have to trust in Christ crucified on our behalf. 'Our Saviour God, we worship you for saving us. May we ever live to glorify you. In Jesus' name we ask this, amen'.

 Proverbs 13:20 ESV  Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. When the Bible talks about wisdom, it's not on about I.Q. Biblical wisdom is the ability to discern and to walk the right way in life. Foolishness Biblically isn't about having a low I.Q. Foolishness here is choosing the wrong way in life. Who we choose to hang out with matters. 'Bad company corrupts good morals'. On the flip side, good company can help to reform bad morals. It's not a guarantee. Nevertheless, as a general rule, if we walk with the wise, we're likely to become wise. I don't think this is literally about joining a hiking club; it's about our general direction of travel. If we choose to hang out with foolish people, that's probably going to be detrimental to us. That's why it's all the more amazing that Jesus, wisdom personified, was known as a 'friend of (foolish) sinners'. God's grace can transform a fool in...

 Romans 10:9 ESV  because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Jesus as Lord isn't a mantra. It isn't some magical phrase, a 'get out of hell free card' Nevertheless, we have to openly acknowledge him. Of course, just saying that Jesus is Lord doesn't necessarily save us. We have to believe wholeheartedly that God raised him from the dead. If we don't believe that, we don't think he's Lord. Thankfully, it is historically verifiable that Jesus did indeed defeat death. Christianity isn't just a philosophy, a nice idea. It is grounded in historical events. Because Jesus gave his life for us and defeated death, we can trust him as our Lord. He will never let us down. May we ever live for him. 'Lord our God, we praise you for defeating death and ask that you would give us bold faith in you to declare your truth to the world. For your glory, amen'.

 Mark 16:15 ESV  And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  If someone comes back from the dead, we have to take what they say seriously. Jesus wasn't just advising his followers. He was commanding them. This isn't just a commandment for the twelve Apostles. This is for every believer in Christ down the ages. We're not just to know Christ but to make him known. We're not to be stingy and selective with the gospel. It's for all and sundry. Jesus isn't saying to be Franciscan and to preach to animals (!), but to every person who will hear. God isn't stingy with the Good News. He doesn't want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to come to faith- so should we. 'Sovereign Father, may we be obedient to your call to make you known. Please save souls through our witness, for we pray in Jesus' name, amen'.

 Psalm 32:8 ESV I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. God doesn't leave us in the dark as to the way we should go. Many people think the way we should go is hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure. Others think we should be moral and religious. Hedonism and moralism aren't the ways God wants us to go. He does want us to take pleasure in him and to obey his word. Ultimately however, we must follow Jesus who perfectly fulfils God's law. Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to Father God except through him. He's the only way by whom we must go. God isn't some 'blind watchmaker' as it were. He's not some distant, uncaring, unfeeling force way out there in the universe. He's got his loving eyes upon us. 'Dear God our Lord, please watch over us with your loving care, and guide us in the way you would have us to go. For we pray in Jesus' name, amen'.

 John 20:21 ESV Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  The disciples felt the opposite of peaceful. Their Teacher and Lord had been crucified. They assumed they would be next. When Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples understandably thought he was a ghost, initially. Thankfully, he reassured them. Jesus poured out his peaceful Spirit upon them. When we think of peace we might think of a tropical beach holiday. Jesus shatters that impression here. He wasn't telling his followers to rest on their laurels as it were! The Father sent the Son to give his life for his people. The Son sends us his people to give our lives for the world. One of our main purposes in life apart from knowing God is to make him known. 'Dear Father God, thank you for sending your Son. May he give us his peace, even as 

 1 Corinthians 3:7 ESV  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  The Corinthian church was tempted to idolise Christian leaders. Christians to this day struggle with the same tendency. Some favoured Paul, or Apollos, or Peter. The Apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for their 'cult of personality' tendencies. More than sexual immorality, this divisiveness was the primary issue in that church. It's the first issue Paul addressed. Paul sought to realign the Corinthians' priorities. He had planted God's word in their hearts; Apollos had watered it. Yet it was God who gave the increase. A farmer doesn't pat himself on the back for the harvest. He's not passive- he still plants and waters. Yet he gives the Lord thanksgiving for the growth. 'God our Lord, we praise you for those who plant and water your word in our lives. We give you the glory for your work through them. Please forgive any idolatrous te...