Blood and Fire and Pillars of Smoke

(inspired by Joel 2:30)

The Lord sits regal on His throne,

He sends His angels to avenge

The blood of Innocents who died

Before they had a chance to live.

 

His fire flies out from Heaven’s place

His flaming sword shall sing

His enemies hide their evil face

Before the coming of the King.

 

The very earth brings forth His wrath,

Belching plumes of darkness cold,

Hiding men from light and warmth,

Consuming farm and field below.

 

Blood and fire and smoke shall earth devour,

The Day of Vengeance hastens to obey

The will of Him whose voice the ages hear,

Kings tremble as He summons them by name.

 

Let God the Maker bring down fire and smoke,

Let God the Father launch His final plan

To make again the heavens and the earth

With the glory of a pure and unstained land.

 

The Day of the Lord is here for man to rue,

The Captain of His Hosts rides forward now,

His armies march, His banner flies, His trumpeter will blow

The signal of the Coming of the Lord.

 

Make fast His way!  Let us rejoice

Who long to see His Hand,

Lift up your head, stretch for the sky

And join His fearsome band.

 

He comes to rule the earth

This world long lost to sin

Reclaimed with blood Divine

By the Son who died within.

 

He comes to make things new,

The cycle shall depart,

A golden age will now ensue

And life eternal start.

 

He came to end the pain

Of death, decay, and misery.

His power kills the stain

Of Sin and shame with Calvary

 

He now completes the waiting task

By making all things new,

With blood and fire and pillars of smoke

He re-creates it true.

 

Grateful

5/12/23

 

I’m grateful for the life I have; my family, friends, and work,

My Lord has been so good to me, though I have often shirked

My duties to my God and King, He’s patient all the while,

May my one goal forever be to make my Savior smile.

 

I claim the promise of His peace, I claim His healing too,

I pray that I can always be someone that He finds true,

My life is coming to its end some way in days to come

So let me live it with the bread of gratitude, not crumbs

 

No leftover thanks or hasty words before a meal to say,

Instead, a daily exercise of giving Him His praise,

By living in His light today and letting others see

His grace so full, His mercy fair, His Spirit within me.

 

This is the way to show our God how grateful I can be,

To let His love come shining through to everyone I see.

 

RAIN

1/3/2023

 

The rain falls upon a sodden world, a world of hopes and dreams

The cresting flood may sweep away all plans with swollen streams,

Or perhaps the rain will only cause the hidden seed to bloom,

And fill our world with life and joy that bursts from dirt-caked tombs.

 

The thunder sounds, the lightning flash, the wind howls in the air,

And all creation wonders when we’ll see a day so fair,

As what we had before the storm, before the rain and hail,

When sunlight filtered through the trees and shone upon the vale.

 

The day will pass, the night will too, and then we’ll see the sun,

A storm may come, but quickly goes, as time fulfills its run,

We all must know that rain must come, it’s vital for our earth,

Without the rain, there’d be no life, no coming of rebirth.

 

So seize the storm, and use the day, and recognize its worth

Understand the turning of the wheel that leads to mirth.

For happiness will have no price that shows without the pain,

That comes from standing in the dark and singing through the rain.