Immanuel

Limitless, immense our God, creation’s great sustainer. Eternal light, the life of men, now lying in a manger. For cradled in a trough of stone, the Lord of Heaven cries while Shepherds crowd to see their king with wonder in their eyes. – REFRAIN Our holy Lord has come to earth, the endless war to […]

Wait for the Morning

He always rises like the sun after night— after the hours, played like years, the coldness, hurting and hardening, the darkness, stealing the light like dementia. Do not let the fiercest night take you for God will rise to blaze above the frosted hills and scatter magic across the diamond grass.

Morning Mercies

What have I Lord, but what Your grace has freely blessed to me? This patch of sunshine earth that spins, hurtling through space, the slowly dawning mind fuzz warmth of waking with the light, the crunch of buttered toast, the yolky run of breakfast eggs, the multi-swirl of colored leaves, the tingling sting of fall. […]

Omnis Terra, Jubilate

All the earth rejoices through the throne and flashes glory in its every deed. Every widening smile speaks a creed: eternal longing, hopeful, though unknown. And though the ways of right misbent have grown— persistent sin besmearing love with greed, and marring truth with lies that make men bleed— the longing for the light is […]

On a Foggy Morning

The earth has donned her misty veil, With softened beauty, waiting for the sun To bound up strong above the trees And live again the ancient dawn When night and day first wed above the seas, The stars as witness to the two as one Who dance till earth and sky shall fail.

Not Forever

The pounds of time weigh down upon this place. The crystal dome is creaking with the strain. The painted sky has fractured to the West. But not forever. The hanging lights still play beneath the trees though everyday the wind will catch another in its path and cast it to the ground. […]

The Book and the Ploughboy

“I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause the boy who drives the plough to know more of the scriptures than thou dost.” […]

Martin Luther Stands

Bang! Bang! Bang! Echoed through the streets and houses hammer strokes descend on wood. People, children, milled about him buying, running, all unknowing there on steps of long tradition, bowing head in firm conviction, challenging the church united, Martin Luther stood. – Bang! Bang! Bang! Echoed through the nave and rafters spreading fast throughout the […]

Layered

We’re layered, Lord, before Your face like bolts of cloth in folds of darker and of lighter shades. The sun bright side that people see and shake their head in wonderment at the shining, sun-flecked layers, made of light without a trace of shade. – We’re layered, Lord, before Your face, in bolts of unseen […]

Priorities

It’s the Reformation’s 500th anniversary the radio announcer said. Then he gave a review of The Walking Dead. – – – – – – –