"Above All Others"

It is so much more than a gift—
It is granted authority,
A burden of great power:
A grave responsibility.

It’s much more than ending a prayer,
An oft-spoken punctuation;
More than a formula…or
Pers’nal identification.

An extension of His presence,
An ambass’dor: “Excellency.”
You are adopted, a child
Now trusted with King’s signet, see?

He lived—perfectly innocent—
And then He bled and died for us;
He set all that aside and
Arose, stood back up for us.

Now, “I am standing in for Him”
—It’s a very bold thing to claim,
But this is what He promised
When He bequeathed His holy name.

"Minimum Wage"

Earn a paycheck,
Not God’s grace;
Earn your pillow,
Not salvation

The check we strive for is
Six feet long and six feet deep;
But it was already done,
Already finished

The gift we get,
The love of God
Wrapped in flesh, was
Twelve feet up
And millennia foretold

Learn your Savior,
Who brought God’s grace;
Learn your Lord,
Who gives you rest

"Where My Heart Is"

I dig for treasure—
It’s hidden
And beyond my grasp.

I don't really want it,
Don’t want the responsibility,
Or the ache in my back.

I know that,
According to the law in this place,
It will end up in a museum.
I’d get my name in the paper,
But what good is that?

It’s not mine to mine,
And not mine to dole out,
And not mine at all.

I quit the search
And surrender my shovel

"You're The Holy God"

You’re the holy God,
You’re the Ancient of Days
And forever in truth do You reign.

You’re Creator of
All that exists,
You spoke ev’rything in six days.

Ev’ry heart leads false,
But You’ve forgiven us—
In only Your grace can we brag.

So when that ol’ serpent fires his darts,
We put trust in You, holy God!

---

adapted from “You’re A Grand Old Flag”
George M. Cohan, 1906
Public domain

"Turning Every Way"

To rush the gate
is to invite death;
You will not enter,
You shall not pass

But to come with faith?
To kneel? To yield?

Flames burn off every blemish,
Heated blade presses out every wrinkle;
Spirit purifies as it gives light,
Word washes even as He speaks

To kneel,
to yield,
trusting that which pierces heart
and divides the soul?
This is life.

Therefore, choose:
How will you approach?

"Light Of The World"

Like blind salamanders, we were all born
Into a world of nothing but darkness:
Going to and fro, stumbling all the more,
Held captive by a tempter most heartless;

To ever grope about, a life of scorn,
Oft falling into dread sarcophagus;
For clothes, it’s rags, already tattered, worn
Thro’ to reveal our shameful nakedness;

How to see, to grow? How to fin’lly shine,
Exit this awful and cavernous maw?
We can’t ever even begin to be;

Our only hope, the only way to thrive,
Rests solely with one who paints every dawn;
Lord Jesus, you are the One, you are He:
Died and buried; then suddenly alive!

"Thirty Silver Coins"

My pocket sags
—the weight of my plan

Jingle, jangle

A mob follows me
I know their intent
—And I agree

After all, he's wasted so much

Can't believe he didn't stop that...
     ...woman!
     That perfume!
     So many could have eaten
He deserves this

He's here, right where I expected
—excellent!
I greet him
—a friendly kiss

"Swords and spears?"
Violence! An ear!
He heals
He submits
We turn, they flee

My pocket sags
—the weight of my plan

Jingle, jangle

In the distance, a rooster crows
A soul moans
Some poor wretch is guilty

Guilty?
What have I done?
"Take it back!"

Clinkle, clangle

My pocket is lighter
My heart bears a millstone

I should have spilled my guts;
Instead, I'll hang my head
—and spill my guts

Dingle. Dangle.

"Keep It Up"

Holy Spirit poured on them
A-sounding like a windstorm
He gave them all a tongue of flame
And powered them for service

Holy Spirit, keep it up
Holy Spirit mighty
Lead the worship and the praise
and with the truth teach rightly!

Eunuch worshiped in ‘Salem
Then pondered on Isaiah
Philip ran and taught him well
And baptized him in water

Holy Spirit, keep it up
Holy Spirit mighty
Lead the worship and the praise
and with the truth teach rightly!

Inspiration of the Lord
He breathed on writers olden
So then they penned it on a scroll
And they were so emboldened

Holy Spirit, keep it up
Holy Spirit mighty
Lead the worship and the praise
and with the truth teach rightly!

---

adapted from "Yankee Doodle"
Edward Bangs, 1776
Public Domain

"Briefing"

Abe negotiated from fifty
and got all the way to ten;
Would it not be fun, and nifty,
to imagine such a discussion
between the Father and the Son?

“I love them, truly I do,
but Son, I intend to judge”

“I see, Father. What if there was one?”

“I would spare the world for one,
but We both know there is none”

“I will go; I will be that one”

“I see you, Son;
Very good, consider this done”

"Exchange"

It’s all about the One who did this
He told His one and only Son,
The very apple of His eye,
Him who never thought and
     Never said and
     Never did anything
That missed the mark,
He told him: “Become what
     You are not,
That they, who think and
     Speak and
     Do everything
That misses the mark,
     Might be like you are now,
     You know, become what they
     are not?”

“This is the task I have for you”

See? I told you it’s all about
The One who does this

"Glory And Righteousness"

"Glory and righteousness,"
The heavens do declare;
He's a skillful artist:
Hunter, bull, sisters, bear

He called to the stars: "Be!"
Placed each with precision,
Set them all in motion:
A master's keen vision

The stars tell His story
From beginning to end:
From creation to Christ,
And that He'll come again

Lighting the night, the stars
Also light my life's path;
Jesus, Lord of my heart:
A clocksmith, plying His craft

"Rest"

The sun thro' window shining,
Shadows on the wall dancing,
A cat on pillow, taking a nap

The Son, His glory shining;
The cross, all my sins lancing;
A man, bended knees, totally enrapt

"CPR"

Phanatik has rapped it:
We're all "breathing to death"
With decaying hearts,
Daily losing our breath

Quick!

Fifteen verses,
Two songs of worship
Fifteen verses,
Two songs of worship

Change it up!

Thirty verses,
And a song of worship

Keep it up!

We need resuscitation:
Christ's
Peace and
Resurrection

"A New Wardrobe"

Our old clothes are stained rags,
Filled with holes, torn from snags,
Hung from bones since we were born,
Totally tattered and overly worn

But a new wardrobe has been bought,
Paid for with blood—that of the Begot,
Hung from a cross all beaten and bruised
To give us the following, each garment new:

Patience is our pants (both start with letter P)
Our shirt? Think sober of self, a.k.a. humility
Walk in forgiveness (how else shall bitterness lose?)
—Makes sense that it's our socks and shoes

A kindness coat gives an impression that lingers
Mercy and meekness: mittens for fidgeting fingers
I made these pairings, most off the top of my head,
But God stitched them with love, a most powerful thread

"Grace Like"

Vigilant, distant sentinel
Marching across the plain,
His whispered shouts
Echoing off fragile pane

Cleansing away the grime
Washing away the stain,
Pounding downpour
Eases scorch’s pain

Constant, steady gale
Stops a spinning vane
Direction thro’ chaos
To walk the narrow lane

Soaks all the earth
For harvesting some grain
Trees grow and stretch
Producing fruit to sustain

Thunderous roar
And shaking of mane
Vigilant, nearby sentinel
Returning to reign

"It Has Begun"

Let there be
Let them be gathered
Let them produce
And it was good

Let us make
And it was very good

Two certain trees
Surrounded by a garden
Two cherished ones
Parents of all men

Eve was tempted
Adam complicit
Nakedness known

The gate closed
God looked on,
Sorrowed, forlorn
"It has begun"

Let there be
Let her conceive
Let her choose
And she was good

Let him live
And he was very good

One certain tree
Not in a garden
One cherished one
Penance for all men

Christ was silent
Accusers complained
Righteousness sown

The nails pierced
God looked down,
Bleeding and scorned
"It is done"

Let them see
Let them be gathered
Let them rejoice
The news was good

Let him save
The news was very good

One certain stone
Rolled in a garden
One promised one
Presence to the end

Love is moving
Always comforting
Righteousness known

The Son rose
God looked 'round,
Veil's been torn
"It has begun"

"Nevermore"

A desert land of doom and gloom,
sadness and madness,
dampened hope and knotted rope

But in the darkness
shines a Light that beckons us tonight
Put it behind you again,
this prison den called sin

But quoth the Savior, "Nevermore"

"A Fistful Of Air"

I take aim with my bow

and realize my quiver,

once full,

has been neglected

My arrows are sharp

and wonderfully made

They'd sure fly straight

But I've scattered them,

left them behind

I can pull

until muscles ache

or bow breaks

But no target will I strike,

nor prize will be won,

shooting with a fistful of air

"Therefore I Am"

The Lord's name is called
Everlasting Father
My God loves me
With everlasting love

Nothing shall separate
Daddy's love from me
I am
More than a conqueror

I will be like Daddy
I should abide in Him
I can abide in Him
I will not be ashamed at His coming

I am born of Him so
I can do righteousness
I can do righteousness?
I can do righteousness!


I am beloved


I have hope in my Father;
He has purified me
As He is pure

He was revealed
In Jesus the Christ
Took my sin (away)
There is no sin in Christ
I am in Christ

I am not deceived
I practice righteousness
I am righteous
As He is righteous
Because He is righteous

I have passed from death

to Life

I will not love in word only
Actions speak louder
So I will love in deed
So I will love in truth

God is greater
Than my heart
I have confidence
Toward my great God

Therefore I am

"Bad Breath"

Garlic and onions
Horseradish
Gross and strong
Foulness—phew!
Discomfort
Indigestion
Undone by some gum?
Halitosis

Pride and anger
Hatred, lust
Greed and sloth
Faithless—phew!
Disobedience
Incarnation
Undone by the Son
Hallelujah!