Depth over Distance

Summer days

In a distant land.

Evening walks to unknown places.

Kisses in a stranger's garden,

In between hopeful words

Of an unseen future.

Hours that could go on forever.

You were there.

Always close,

But never close enough.

Take Me Back

1987

Father, You formed every part of Ruth

And saw that it was good.

You knitted her

Alongside me 

In our mother's womb.

I thank You Jesus

For you made Ruth;

Fearfully and wonderfully.

Your words spoke life into her body,

Formed perfectly,

Intricately crafted in Your hands.

Truly wonderful are Your works, oh God!

Ruth's life a reflection of this.

In the secret place

You created her for good works;
Her hands to bring forth new life

And her mouth to speak the Truth.

Compassion, love, kindness and gentleness,

Creativity, tenderness, strength and faithfulness,

Humour, generosity, wisdom and understanding

Intricately woven into her being

By You, her Creator.

You knew her days before she saw the light

Yesterday, today and tomorrow,

Each held in Your hands.

Your presence constant

Through them all.

Oh Lord!

How precious she is to You,

Your love towards her immeasurable,

Unchanging.

 Ruth, in Jesus

 You are free to be all He created you to be.

Great are the works of Your hands, my God!

Completeness

For an unending number of days
I have known an incompleteness.
Words and phrases fail to form a string of sentences,
My head is full of half-thought out ideas
Half empty pages are evidence of this.
My days are scarred with good intentions
Once thought,
Twice planned,
But never carried out.
Sometimes my work feels half done,
My imperfect humanness tells me, that's alright.
I don't believe it
But I don't do a thing to change it.

And stuck in this incomplete world
I am reminded of a completeness
That is simple,
Yet almost unthinkable,
Still, it is mine.
"Come to me"
Are the words engraved on the pages,
Spoken by the One I love.
How can I deny myself the joy of living this?
If I put my incomplete self in Him
There I will find completeness.
Complete peace.
Complete joy.
Complete freedom.
Complete love.
Complete forgiveness.
Complete grace.
And so,
I give my incomplete self completely to You.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

"Do you love Me enough to scale the highest heights and cover the deepest valleys with Me?

Do you love Me enough to set aside your pride and freely receive My grace?

Do you love Me enough to clothe the naked?

Do you love Me enough to show love to the unlovely?

Do you love Me enough to give with no expectations?

Do you love Me enough to forgive in an unforgiving world?

Do you love Me enough to bring all that you are and selflessly lay it at My feet,

That I might use it for My glory?

Do you love Me enough to hold onto My promises when you feel all is lost?

Do you love Me enough to fully know Me?

Do you love Me enough to make Me King of your life?

Do you truly love Me?" He asked.

There are good days coming,

They help turn these bleak hours into a world of colour

Full of endless possibilities.

I cannot help but smile at the thought of them.

This waiting is brimming with anticipation,

And every morning expectancy greets me.

To be with those you know best,

The ones you hold closest,

What a blessing.

Words are just not enough.