Showing posts with label awe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label awe. Show all posts

Thursday, October 19, 2023

It's Not What But Who You Know...






Do you know He who delights us with awe, indescribable
Gold and crimson candelabras splashed on vistas, autumnal...


Heavens, wild with glints of glory where faith waits sight's recompense
Earth’s sin-ruined Eden roaring with Relentless Evidence...


This quote “It’s not what you know but who you know”
was mentioned the other day during my Old Stone Farm House visit;
in regard, to how good connections can be invaluable when undertaking a project!
It's so beneficial to know 'the right person who knows the right person for the job' etc.!

When Jesus came to this earth He was fully human and fully God
and no matter who we know, no matter how great and talented
and helpful, it never can compare to knowing He
 who gifts and grants our abilities and talents,
and who worked the greatest work of all; our soul-salvation!
Do you know Him; 
the Saviour of the soul,
the King of kings 
and Lord of Lords?
Do you long to know Him better?
I do, and we can, each time we open His Word
and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us!

Eph.1:17-21
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
 the glorious Father, may give you (us) the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation,
 so that you (we) may know him better. 
18 I pray that the eyes of your (our) heart/s may be enlightened 
in order that you (we) may know the hope to which he has called you, (us)
the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
and his incomparably great power for us who believe. 
That power is the same as the mighty strength 
20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead 
and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 
21 far above all rule and authority, 
power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, 
not only in the present age but also in the one to come.



In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.



Do you know the One who orders earth’s four-season carousel
He who rends night’s starry heavens with daybreak, unstoppable
He who instills seed-sized kernels with bounty of harvest-hymn
He who created and knows us with a love that will not dim

Do you know He who delights us with awe, indescribable
Gold and crimson candelabras splashed on vistas, autumnal
Heavens, wild with glints of glory where faith waits sight's recompense
Earth’s sin-ruined Eden roaring with Relentless Evidence

Do you know He who so loved us that He bore the sinner’s rod
He who paid our debt with His blood; the begotten Son of God
He who shattered Satan’s scheming, bridging death and hell’s dark rift
The Light of the world who longs for all to receive His grace-gift

Do you know the One who grants us strength beyond all human scope
He who is to every mortal, unchanging, immortal hope
He whose mercy none can fathom, whose compassion none can drain
He whose loving kindness forgives, over and over again

Do You know Him; I AM, who is without beginning or end
Builder and Ruler of Zion desires to be our Friend
He who stuns the eye with seeing and the ear with nature’s lay
He who melts hard hearts, embittered by the troubles of the day

Do you know Him, love Him, trust Him, fear , revere, His Holy Word
To You long to know Him better with devotion undeterred
Do you fix your eyes on a prize beyond this brief, (grief) broken world
For someday on clouds of Heaven, all will see I AM unfurled

© Janet Martin

It was one of those so-beautiful-it-hurt sunrises ...






Friday, June 23, 2023

Wonder-Thunder

 





That I should have 
the benefit
Of strolling beneath 
lofty trees
With eyes to see
 the height of it
And ears to hear 
the sighing breeze
And ink to spell
 the sight of it
And thought to fill 
with wonder’s verve
And drink in 
the delight of it
Is so much more than
 I deserve

© Janet Martin




Thursday, May 4, 2023

Tangible Reminders (of Who God Is)

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Psalm 68:19

Sometimes when we pass through seasons of (prayer)-discouragement,
God convicts and comforts us 
with tangible reminders of who He is; 
Faithful 
As surely as nature displays his faithfulness
in every season,
so too is His perfect timing in our lives!

These two poems by Edgar A. Guest remind us to take a breath
...and Behold!




The birthplace of today runs rife
(In spite of weight of care)
With much to make this little life
A lovely thing to bear

Beauty’s showcase is marvelous
Winter-spring-summer-fall
Makes it impossible to miss
The One who wills it all

The budded branch bursts into song
The tresses of its hymn
A shelter for the feathered throng
The nests in lofty limb

A masterpiece of petals spills
From frilly lily-loom
River-ribbons wind between hills
At night star-gardens bloom

…and as the afternoon unwinds
To twilight’s vestibules
The Artist of dusk’s murals finds
Constant originals

Beneath a canopy of sky
Oft aweing mortal gaze
We go; God sees the low and high
Of every trail we blaze

…and beckons us to trust the love
That moves His mighty Hand
In ways that grants grand glimpses of
Who none can understand

© Janet Martin


…and as the afternoon unwinds
To twilight’s vestibules
The Artist of dusk’s murals finds
Constant originals...


The budded branch bursts into song...


The tresses of its hymn
A shelter for the feathered throng
The nests in lofty limb...


1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 
that if we ask anything according to his will, 
he hears us.





Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Does It Not (Bid Thought to Marvel)


 


Grace and peace to you from God our Father 
and the Lord Jesus Christ,
 4 who gave himself for our sins 
to rescue us from the present evil age, 
according to the will of our God and Father, 
5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. 
Amen. 
Gal.1:3-5


Does it not bid thought to marvel
He who knew no sin became
Sin's sacrifice for all people
To redeem us through His Name

Does it not stir adoration 
For He whose blood was out-poured
Once for all, the soul's salvation
Wrought, through Jesus Christ the Lord

Does it not stun contemplation
That the Son of God should be
Humbled to death's meanest station
On a cross for all to see

Crushed beneath the weight He carries
Sinless, bearing all our sins
For we, beneficiaries
Of His holy sufferings 

Does it not undo vainglory
To view hate's presumptuousness
While love, clothed in bloodshed, gory
Wove faith's robes of righteousness

Does it not renew surrender
Does it not steal our breath
To behold the soul's Defender 
Obedient unto death

Look, where love's manifestation
Suffered voluntarily  
Does it not stir adoration
From the likes of you and me

Jesus Christ gave Himself for us
Bearing Pardon's Albatross 
So that we we may be victorious
Through the power of the cross

Does it not bid thought to marvel
At the hope the cross affords
Through sin's sacrifice so royal-
King of Kings and Lord of lords

   © Janet Martin















Monday, April 3, 2023

A Meek Appeal


“I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh
and give you a heart of flesh. 
And I will put my Spirit within you . . . 
and you shall be my people, 
and I will be your God”







Forgive my apathy
My soul, not wholly awed
Forgetful, where a blood-drenched tree
Extolled the Lamb of God

Forgive my wayward eye
From Cal’vry’s silhouette
Where grief does not compose a cry
Of true repentance yet

Forgive my easy loss
Of sorrow for my sin
Forbid, I gaze upon the cross
Yet bar the Door within

Forgive my errant whim
Desires, prone to pride
Unshaken, as I gaze on Him
With Self, not yet denied

Forgive my lack of zeal
For Your sufficient grace
Draw me back to the cross to feel
Your blood drops on my face

Forbid that I should bow
O Christ, beneath thy Blood
Only to return to sin’s slough
Like a pig to the mud

Remove my heart of stone
Break through my ache of skin
With renewed awe for You alone
Who takes away my sin

Forgive me when I seek
The willing ways of men 
Lord, enter in where flesh is weak
And make me strong again 

© Janet Martin






Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Rad Glory




I began this poem at sunrise...
then the day took over...
Off to a local meat shop first thing,
to take advantage of their annual sausage sale...
stopping for a few photos along the way...




...then grandchildren came for a while to entertain gramma😂💖


What is it about a gate/fence/barrier that instantly draws curiosity
of all ages, even babies?!!


 
Grand daughter borrows gramma's sunglasses for a better look at the clouds...


It all started when she spotted the one on the first photo,
 a billowy, pillow-y one and wished she could jump in it


Now, after the last round of sausage is on to steam,
(Yes! I water-bath-can sausage!)
back to what began almost today-ago 😅


Where the heavens are flung
With profound clarity
A Voice of universal tongue

His awesome evidence
(That only fools deny)
Thunders with untold testaments
From earth and sea and sky

…to confound creature boast
To humble human hearts
As wonder wows Want’s uttermost
With what God’s hand imparts

Hark! Ere the dark of night
Dissolves, the morning rings
With feathered, unfettered delight
From choristers with wings

Both mighty and minute
Astonish and enthrall
Until only fools dare dispute
The One who authored all

Creation stuns the eye
And kindles joyful due
To join the throngs of earth and sky
With songs of worship too

Buds, primed with petaled proof
Pulse with glorious laud
While sorry fool still holds aloof
The rad glory of God

© Janet Martin

 (Using the word 'rad' today, in its most sacred sense!)

WORDS RELATED TO RAD -DICTIONARY.COM



Psalm 14:1
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” 
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; 
there is no one who does good.




Wednesday, December 14, 2022

For All The World To See

 







From divine providence
And unplumbed majesty
God spills unrivaled excellence
For all the world to see

The wonder that yet waits
Evades our eyes and ears
Save, through a gap in pearly gates
Where glory’s glimpse appears

Before dumbfounded gaze
God flings His artistry
The firmaments declare His praise
For all the world to see

     Let's pause, because the earth
And sky profusely brim
With creation's marvelous mirth
In evidence of Him

...and it would be a shame
To rush negligently
Where all creation shouts His Name
For all the world to see

© Janet Martin

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is lifted up;
        his majesty transcends earth and heaven.



Wednesday, October 5, 2022

An Enveloping Grandeur

 This day flew by in a flurry of beauty and duty...

spending as much time as possible outside on a perfect fall day!


Romans 1:20
 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—
his eternal power and divine nature—
have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, 
so that people are without excuse.




Neighbours cutting corn...
The hum of a harvester is one of my favorite fall tunes!

First grape harvest...at last!
(After years of waiting, eight grapes😅!!)


A striking chord of color takes the countryside by storm
Like an autumnal orchestra delighted to perform
What a terrific montage nature’s conductor untwists
Generous virtuoso of choirs and soloists
As planting season’s hope rings with harvest hymn’s crescendo
And fills heights, deeps and slopes with visual arpeggio

An enchanting ensemble of crimson, scarlet and gold
Ignites each woodland candle before it turns dark and cold
Where glory-hallelujah meets us from The Hand that gives
With beauty that depletes the poet’s pen of adjectives
And thankfulness is at a loss for words; the creature knows
That we are so unworthy of the goodness God bestows

A sacred exaltation is unfurled in autumn’s blaze
The wonders of creation never ceasing to amaze
Ah, how can we be quiet when the whole earth shouts His name
In an unrivaled riot of panoramas aflame
Where only fools do not join in, declaring ‘it is good’
God’s divine nature clearly seen and clearly understood

…where aspen halos shimmer like lampposts along the lane
Where silver poplars glimmer against backdrops blue with rain
Where hemlock, oak and mountain ash, willow and maple tree
Spill green and bronze and garnet splash to autumn’s symphony
Evoking in its splendor a most tender beckoning
An enveloping grandeur bidding everyone to sing

© Janet Martin


...and last but not least a big pan full of black beans!
I hope to try the above recipe tomorrow
substituting black beans for corn



Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Oh Thou Whose Glory Earth and Sky Declares For All To See...

Inspired in part by

He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Ps.33:5

Facebook flowed with photos of  last night's glorious sunset
that at our house, we can only glimpse the outer fringes of...


But what a metaphor for faith,
 as the outer fringes of his works
rouse a wild desire to 'see in full'

When Jim called this morning to ask what's new, do you know what I said?
I said 'nothing'! Nothing at all? he asked and I repeated 'nothing'.
And then I said 'wait a minute! how can I say 'nothing' after reading Isa. 55?!!
and I shared with him some of the glorious pleas, reminders, invitations and promises
from this beautiful chapter and I shared the poem
inspired by the manifold majesties of the sunset-artist!

God's mercies are new every morning.
Lam.3:22-23
Hallelujah!

Oh, thou whose glory earth and sky declares for all to see
Day after day, night after night exhibits majesty (Ps. 19:1-2)
Since the creation of the world Evidence streams, profuse (Rom.1:20)
Without a word (so all may know and be without excuse)

Majestic is your name, oh Lord, our Lord, in all the earth (Ps.8:1)
No wealth of mortal can afford Goodness and Mercy’s worth
Without money you bid us come to freely drink and eat (Isa.55:1)
You vow to satisfy the humble soul with joy complete

Thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory without end (Matt.6:13)
Your thoughts and ways a tower whose height none comprehend (Isa.55:9)
Forgive us when we doubt because we cannot understand
How pitiful we are without faith in Your righteous Hand (Isa.29:19)

How easily our eyes can blind us by the things we see
How proudly want can bind us to the lure of luxury
How greatly, what/Who is hidden waits to rend denial’s veil
And leave us wholly/holy smitten with Thy love that cannot fail

How terrible to wait to call until it is too late (Rev.6:16)
Love’s kindest beckoning of all (Isa.55:6) transcends time’s mortal state
Oh, Thou whose glory earth and sky declares for all to see
May we unite to magnify Thy Name eternally

© Janet Martin

So, cling to His Hand/Word 
and He will help us cling to our marriages;
He whose glory we behold but outer fringes (Job 26:14)  of has said,
What He has joined let no man put asunder/separate.(Mark 10:9)

Cling to his Hand/Word 
and he will guide us through dark channels of conflict.(Isa.41:10)

Cling to his Hand/Word 
and He will calm the storms of fear. (Matt.14:31)

Cling to His Hand/Word 
and let His truth thwart lies from the enemy (Ephes.6:14)

The list of benefits is endless 
when we cling to His Hand/Word! 
(Eph.3:20)  (1 Tim.1:14) (Psalm 23)






Friday, January 22, 2021

Marvel-Medley

In the book The Dean's Watch
the Dean, Adam Ayscough's great sorrow was 
that he did not discover joy until near
the end of his life.
But when he did, how he marveled at
how wonder-filled life became.

Glimpse Him in sky-grandeur, 
in rock-wefted specks of snow






Marvel where a myriad of masterpieces spill
Crunching beneath footsteps and bedecking tree and hill
Waiting in the wake of winter to break boreal mud
Ensconcing earth in rich em’rald of unfettered bud

Marvel at the mercy that disperses second try
Meting, ever meting so much more than meets the eye
Like the wind that whispers in the winnowing of dark
Tugging at bare branches and strings tangled ‘round the heart

Marvel at stars lilting in the laughter of a child
Season-panoramas stitched like patchwork quilts run wild 
Fashion from thy ration of life’s lease, a counterpane
Pieced by sun and shadow, clover meadow, rush of rain

Marvel at the melody that throbs with God’s ‘behold’
All that He created waits, pure worship to unfold
Glimpse Him in sky-grandeur, in rock-wefted specks of snow
Savour the sweet flavour of joy, wonder’s afterglow

Marvel at the way mere man is lavished with God's grace
Fitted to love's masterplan with ways thought cannot trace
Permeating purpose into every single breath
"To God be the glory, Maker of heaven and earth" 

Marvel at the endless possibilities of awe
God's forgiveness is the bedrock and crown of love's law
Marvel at the hemline of Majesty trailing where
We behold but the fringes of His Everlasting care

© Janet Martin


For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.

this marvel-medley was pieced together between
pre-dawn lego-creations, 


scrambled eggs...

second coffees 

and other such domestic marvels💗
(tell me, is not the sound of tea or coffee being poured
one of life's sweetest, simplest marvels?!)