Now, That's A Miracle!
Stories
Now, That's A Miracle!
Reflections On Faith And Life
Of all the miracles I've known
the greatest one must be
that God in Jesus Christ can love
the likes of you and me!
Called To Freedom2
You were called to freedom ...
freedom from the worship of the idol of success;
freedom from the bondage of the passion to possess;
freedom from the conscience-binding pressure to conform;
freedom from the selfish will's resistance to reform;
freedom to embrace the truth, when others would deny it;
freedom to defend the right, when others would defy it;
freedom to be humble, when the world would make you proud;
freedom to go God's way, caring not to please the crowd.
And the truth will make you free ...
free to be a servant and yet call none other master;
free to trust God's gracious will in triumph or disaster;
free to love your enemies and pray for those who curse you;
free to give without expecting life to reimburse you;
free, persuaded naught can separate you from God's love;
free, empowered by God's grace and wisdom from above;
free, believing God can work for good in everything;
free! more than a conqueror, through Jesus Christ the King!
A Friendship Prayer3
Give me a friend, O God --
not one who makes me feel I'm right, whenever I am wrong,
confirms me in my prejudice and pushes me along
the always easy pathways of my self-deceiving sin,
where good intentions quickly die and conscience soon wears thin.
I need a friend, O God --
not one who flatters me with praise I know I don't deserve,
or when I need to hear the truth, declines for lack of nerve,
and tells me just what others think is music to my ears,
condoning or excusing all my failures, faults, and fears.
I want a friend, O God --
whose love for me demands I take the higher, harder way
and calls me to confess my guilt, whatever price I pay.
Far better that I choose to live with honor in defeat,
than bask in fame and glory gained by falsehood and deceit.
I have a friend, O God --
who wants my best, inspires my best, accepts no less from me,
who sets me an example I can follow earnestly,
expecting me to stand for truth and goodness, come what may,
and judging me by what I do and not just what I say.
You are that friend, O God --
a friend whose love is life itself, whose truth has set me free,
who sees not only what I am but what I long to be,
who knows my every weakness yet forgives the wrongs I've done.
Such friendship is for all to share, through Jesus Christ, your Son.
Incident At Nazareth4
He came one day to Nazareth, where he had been brought up,
and went into the synagogue by custom. He stood up
to read. They handed him a book Isaiah's book. He knew
what they should hear. He found the place and read it through:
"The Spirit of the Lord," he said, "is on me. I have been
anointed to proclaim good news ..." They seemed to take it in.
"Release to captives; to the blind, recovery of sight;
and liberty to those oppressed by poverty or might."
He closed the book and took his seat, all eyes on him intent.
Today this scripture is fulfilled!" They nodded their assent,
and wondered at his gracious words. Was this not Joseph's son?
But soon their favor turned, when he went on to say that none
of them could claim to be by right among the Lord's elect,
for God was free to choose or save those whom they would reject.
"No prophet is acceptable in his own land," he said.
"The Lord may pass his people by, and bless someone instead
like Zarephath, the Sidonite, to whom Elijah went.
To Naaman the Syrian, the prophet, too, was sent."
The synagogue was filled with wrath. "Who does he think he is?
-- this carpenter!" They led him out. They were no friends of his!
They marched him to a nearby cliff and would have thrown him down,
but passing through the midst of them, he left his own home town.
Caution On Causes
It's good when your heart has been gripped by a cause
that calls for devotion and zeal.
But if your cause blinds you to God's higher laws,
how can you to God then appeal?
When cause without conscience gives purpose its prod
and on the expedient leans,
The question remains for the servant of God:
Are ends justified by the means?
No matter how worthy the cause you espouse,
no matter how noble the goal,
If gaining that end is the first of your vows,
beware, lest you mortgage your soul!
Race And The Race5
Defining identity strictly by race
denies that in Christ all are one.
For God does not look at the skin on your face;
God judges the race you have run.
Hard To Swallow6
Behold,
you scoffers, and wonder and perish.
The Lord does a deed in your days,
a deed you will never believe, when they tell you
a Savior from death God did raise.
This word from Paul and the prophet Habakkuk
gives pause to our confident claim
that we
would not have resisted, as some did
in Paul's day, nor acted the same.
So, too, their forebears did wonder and marvel,
nor could their cold hearts take it in
that God had decided to rouse the Chaldeans --
a judgment on Israel's sin!
To fight the truth is our sad inclination,
whenever a cross is involved;
for when our own heart has been hardened against it,
by grace must our doubt be resolved.
Wrestling With Sin7
Why can't I do the good I want,
the things I know I should?
Why do I always do the things
I hate and not the good?
Why is it I can know what's right,
and yet my will complies
not with the good I know, but with
the sin that in me lies?
O wretched me! Who can relieve
my soul from this discord?
My faith cries out, "Thanks be to God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
the greatest one must be
that God in Jesus Christ can love
the likes of you and me!
Called To Freedom2
You were called to freedom ...
freedom from the worship of the idol of success;
freedom from the bondage of the passion to possess;
freedom from the conscience-binding pressure to conform;
freedom from the selfish will's resistance to reform;
freedom to embrace the truth, when others would deny it;
freedom to defend the right, when others would defy it;
freedom to be humble, when the world would make you proud;
freedom to go God's way, caring not to please the crowd.
And the truth will make you free ...
free to be a servant and yet call none other master;
free to trust God's gracious will in triumph or disaster;
free to love your enemies and pray for those who curse you;
free to give without expecting life to reimburse you;
free, persuaded naught can separate you from God's love;
free, empowered by God's grace and wisdom from above;
free, believing God can work for good in everything;
free! more than a conqueror, through Jesus Christ the King!
A Friendship Prayer3
Give me a friend, O God --
not one who makes me feel I'm right, whenever I am wrong,
confirms me in my prejudice and pushes me along
the always easy pathways of my self-deceiving sin,
where good intentions quickly die and conscience soon wears thin.
I need a friend, O God --
not one who flatters me with praise I know I don't deserve,
or when I need to hear the truth, declines for lack of nerve,
and tells me just what others think is music to my ears,
condoning or excusing all my failures, faults, and fears.
I want a friend, O God --
whose love for me demands I take the higher, harder way
and calls me to confess my guilt, whatever price I pay.
Far better that I choose to live with honor in defeat,
than bask in fame and glory gained by falsehood and deceit.
I have a friend, O God --
who wants my best, inspires my best, accepts no less from me,
who sets me an example I can follow earnestly,
expecting me to stand for truth and goodness, come what may,
and judging me by what I do and not just what I say.
You are that friend, O God --
a friend whose love is life itself, whose truth has set me free,
who sees not only what I am but what I long to be,
who knows my every weakness yet forgives the wrongs I've done.
Such friendship is for all to share, through Jesus Christ, your Son.
Incident At Nazareth4
He came one day to Nazareth, where he had been brought up,
and went into the synagogue by custom. He stood up
to read. They handed him a book Isaiah's book. He knew
what they should hear. He found the place and read it through:
"The Spirit of the Lord," he said, "is on me. I have been
anointed to proclaim good news ..." They seemed to take it in.
"Release to captives; to the blind, recovery of sight;
and liberty to those oppressed by poverty or might."
He closed the book and took his seat, all eyes on him intent.
Today this scripture is fulfilled!" They nodded their assent,
and wondered at his gracious words. Was this not Joseph's son?
But soon their favor turned, when he went on to say that none
of them could claim to be by right among the Lord's elect,
for God was free to choose or save those whom they would reject.
"No prophet is acceptable in his own land," he said.
"The Lord may pass his people by, and bless someone instead
like Zarephath, the Sidonite, to whom Elijah went.
To Naaman the Syrian, the prophet, too, was sent."
The synagogue was filled with wrath. "Who does he think he is?
-- this carpenter!" They led him out. They were no friends of his!
They marched him to a nearby cliff and would have thrown him down,
but passing through the midst of them, he left his own home town.
Caution On Causes
It's good when your heart has been gripped by a cause
that calls for devotion and zeal.
But if your cause blinds you to God's higher laws,
how can you to God then appeal?
When cause without conscience gives purpose its prod
and on the expedient leans,
The question remains for the servant of God:
Are ends justified by the means?
No matter how worthy the cause you espouse,
no matter how noble the goal,
If gaining that end is the first of your vows,
beware, lest you mortgage your soul!
Race And The Race5
Defining identity strictly by race
denies that in Christ all are one.
For God does not look at the skin on your face;
God judges the race you have run.
Hard To Swallow6
Behold,
you scoffers, and wonder and perish.
The Lord does a deed in your days,
a deed you will never believe, when they tell you
a Savior from death God did raise.
This word from Paul and the prophet Habakkuk
gives pause to our confident claim
that we
would not have resisted, as some did
in Paul's day, nor acted the same.
So, too, their forebears did wonder and marvel,
nor could their cold hearts take it in
that God had decided to rouse the Chaldeans --
a judgment on Israel's sin!
To fight the truth is our sad inclination,
whenever a cross is involved;
for when our own heart has been hardened against it,
by grace must our doubt be resolved.
Wrestling With Sin7
Why can't I do the good I want,
the things I know I should?
Why do I always do the things
I hate and not the good?
Why is it I can know what's right,
and yet my will complies
not with the good I know, but with
the sin that in me lies?
O wretched me! Who can relieve
my soul from this discord?
My faith cries out, "Thanks be to God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
