Monday, June 17, 2013

Captivated by Grace

A grace note embellishes music
like the necklace he slipped on
my neck that morning in church

Surprise! After a good cry
then a prayer and hug from a friend
you, turtle, greeted me in the garage

Can you lasso the clouds?
or tether the dragonfly?
Can I lace the moonbeams
through my fingers?
Or finger wear the firefly light?

You sprinkle diamonds over dewy grass 
and hide pearls in shells at sea

You call the stars by their names
You created us,... me


My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God.
How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
Psalm 139:15-18a

But my sin,
How I can put my fingers in my ears
Scream back at Him
Turn my back, slam a door,
Running reckless
Selfish
Hurting those around me
Not caring

But God,
 being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

So I stand,
beneath this waterfall of grace
My cup fills, re-fills, splashes over

You own it all, You share it all...
Your love knows no limits
It found out me.