Living in Time

That sad feeling that our vacation is almost over has hit me today. No matter how much fun we have it is always sad when it is coming to an end. At times like this I often think of what C.S. Lewis said about the timelessnes of the age to come. He said that we have never known joy untainted by time. Every joy we have ever known has been accompanied by the knowledge that it would end. The joy of youth, the pleasure of children, the goodness of a meal, the goodness of pleasant conversation with friends, we always know that it is coming to an end. When Jesus comes back we will experience joy without the limitation of time. I can't wait.

Broken

Broken hearts rule broken lives,
Shattered dreams, damaged drives,
Groaning, yearning, longing, wishing,
Hoping, falling, knowing, loathing.

A Kingdom coming though dismissed.
A King accomplishing justice
With perfect offering. Holy God
Now granting truce from threatening rod.

A mighty resurrection roar
Has proven true the rumored war.
For men who suffer Adam’s curse
Have helpless fallen, bad to worse.

Little girls with dingy glory
Beaten boys who wish the story
Wouldn’t end like this. Question, can
The heroes word still heal a man?

New freedom calls to all oppressed.
The demons must and will say yes.
They cannot hold whom he demands.
Release the shattered to his hands.

Now we who tremble through our tears
Unfolding grief with guilt and fears
Find something deep and true and real.
A present help with power to heal.

The skeptic cannot know its start,
But witness now the remade heart.
Flawed flesh with Spirit struggling mixed.
The Kingdom means that something’s fixed.

I Woke Up This Morning Afraid

I woke this morning shock afraid
I don’t remember when I laid

Down last night, this feeling
Of a squandered life or reeling
Staggered sense. But when I woke
And greeted day my heart quick spoke
Familiar dread. Unwanted friend
Or hellbent foe happy to lend
His dark opinion to my heart
And give this day its foggy start.

Unclaimed grief at squandered chance
Or haunting insignificance?
Fear for knowing what’s at stake
Or shame for knowing all that’s fake?
Regretting what’s been left undone
Gone forever with no one
To resurrect those hoping dreams
Dead in the past or so it seems.
Alone and scared I try to calm
My heart with some sweet magic balm.

Do I have cause for reasoned panic?
Would some doctor find me manic
Or diagnose its evil twin?
Or find in me some hidden sin.
I’m not the first to suffer torment
Of a dark unsettled moment.
I won’t easily surrender
To this demon charge. I render
To the one who calls my name,
Of burning glory, matchless fame.

My worship lends a feeble part
And joins the song. Soon light will start
To flood the day with something sure
For faithful and bright glory pure
Commanding voice and deeply true
Mere whispers, “go” and off they flew.
Unpromised they be gone forever,
Stubborn sneaky, very clever.
I will again in shadow grope
But he is my cloud burning hope.

I woke up this morning afraid.

07/05

Business and Ministry

I really liked this article by Lynn Anderson on the Hope Network site. He writes about the opportunity and challenge of ministry as a businessman. As a former businessman I often think about how to encourage business leaders to think about their calling and vocation as a place for ministry, not just a way to earn a living. Hope you enjoy it.

If the link above doesn't work here is the address:

http://hope.faithsite.com/content.asp?SID=17&CID=82333