20090915
20090916
20090917
Nothing, and Everything
What if that which is central is not center, but more pervasively permeating and constant? And I wonder at the contrast of day, and light to night, to dark, to darkness, and to nothing. Have you ever looked and seen nothing, and within nothing, quantifiable darkness? Plain and measurable, yet complicatedly invisible, like the edge of a shadow on a bleakly dark-ashen day.
Now what of light? Does the former state have an opposite? Can there be a light that we know, and then a brilliance undepictable? Indescribable brilliance existing through and around the constrictiveness of dimension and time? Endlessly Everywhere, throughout everything, and diametrically opposed to the emptiness of Nothing? A nothing which cannot even retain light or darkness except in suspension?
Is it this contrast of Nothing and Everything to which our souls war and struggle? We know of requirements which must be met in varying measure to sustain us. We know of failures which can limit or constrain us. But what do we really know of Death, and of Life? Are there places of Nothing and Everything beyond the darkness and lightness of this world we know? Yes, there is Death Everlasting, and there is Life Eternal. We know this truth: God truly is central: truly by Him and for Him do all things exist. The heavens declare Him; by His artistry they were fashioned. It is by His breath and His will that we live and understand. It is in His splendor we find true worship, and in His Love we find salvation. We were made to love Him, to this end is the composition of all desire. When we pursue emptiness it kills us, but when we pursue Him, He can pour through us. And when we find ourselves before Him, and His greatness overwhelms, our separation from Him thins. We learn of His nature, and of His Love, and we are swept away. We were made for this: for eternity, and for Him. Nothing will never satisfy, and Everything is only found in Him.
Open, Lord, Your word to me. Pour out Your heart upon my own and heal my brokenness. Replace my shattered vision with Your gaze, and hold fast my course to You. Teach me Your friendship, and how the God of All Things is fully the Father, and the Husband of His bride. Lord, show me things I cannot fathom or hope to understand; show me who You are, and make me more like You. Change me every day, draw me closer, and closer still, until there is no mistaking Your light on my face or your mind in my heart. Touch the world by me, and lose myself in The Light. Change the world by Your sovereignty, and change all I am with the touch of Your breath, and Your hand. You are the way, You alone are Everything.
~JLB
20090913
Pass Us Not By || 20090912
20090912
Pass us not by
God, don't let us let you pass us by again
According to Your word, our cry, and our faith
Move away the mountain and let Your glory flow
Stand us faithful in the deluge
And tear away from us what is not of You
Let our fear not blot out our longing
And our earnest know nothing of pacification
Deny us not Your Presence
Don't hold back your flood
Let us know your torrent
withing a mile of its start
And every turbulence be removed
Rush upon us Lord, but make us ready
When you pass this way clasp our hand in Yours
Slow as You did for the blind men who called
And followed You to receive their sight
Pour us out to spread Your fame
Move us by Your compassion
Speak from us by Your spirit
And grant us endurance
But pass us not by
Show us Your mercy
Show us Your face
~JLB
Pass us not by
God, don't let us let you pass us by again
According to Your word, our cry, and our faith
Move away the mountain and let Your glory flow
Stand us faithful in the deluge
And tear away from us what is not of You
Let our fear not blot out our longing
And our earnest know nothing of pacification
Deny us not Your Presence
Don't hold back your flood
Let us know your torrent
withing a mile of its start
And every turbulence be removed
Rush upon us Lord, but make us ready
When you pass this way clasp our hand in Yours
Slow as You did for the blind men who called
And followed You to receive their sight
Pour us out to spread Your fame
Move us by Your compassion
Speak from us by Your spirit
And grant us endurance
But pass us not by
Show us Your mercy
Show us Your face
~JLB
20090912
Fear of God || 20090908&12
20090908
Fear of God
I will die to look upon You
And I will die if I am denied
Lord show me Your glory
How can I possibly turn away?
But for Your salvation
would my soul itself be ended
You resurrected my brokenness
tying me to eternity
Show me Your face
let me tremble before you
Engage my spirit
captivate my inner heart
Teach me your paths
Discipline me to the way of your heart
All I am is set
determined to know You
~JLB
Fear of God
I will die to look upon You
And I will die if I am denied
Lord show me Your glory
How can I possibly turn away?
But for Your salvation
would my soul itself be ended
You resurrected my brokenness
tying me to eternity
Show me Your face
let me tremble before you
Engage my spirit
captivate my inner heart
Teach me your paths
Discipline me to the way of your heart
All I am is set
determined to know You
~JLB
20090911
Who can Stand || 2009.09.10
20090910
Who can stand
Who can stand
when faced with The One like no other
He is Holy
and righteous above all
Just in all truth
and worthy beyond all which can be given
All heaven bows down
the earth itself shakes
Who can stand in Your Holy place
Who can ascend
into Your glory
How tall
can this mountain go?
Don't hide me in the rock
let Your glory consume me
Show me your reason
let me feel what stirs You
Change the thing that I am
let it change all I here-on could be
Show me Your glory
that the rock cannot hide
Make into me the fear
of knowing You
Overwhelm me
until I cannot dare stand
Take from me any complacency
or ability to fall back
Light fire to the earth behind me
and drive me to You
Gloriously terrible
illuminate the way
Who can ascend
Your holy mountain
Who can seek out
Your awesome face
purify emptiness from my being
sear truth alone in my soul
Wash from my hands
the stain of the past
And let my heart undefiled
be for You alone
This is the time
to search into worship
This is the time
ordained for Your presence
Ready the outer entry
ready the inner gate
Let the King of all Glory move in
Who is this Glory King
He is force and power
His power none can stand
Through the outer entry
through the inner gate
Who is my King of Glory?
The God of the Hosts is Glory's King.
~JLB
Who can stand
Who can stand
when faced with The One like no other
He is Holy
and righteous above all
Just in all truth
and worthy beyond all which can be given
All heaven bows down
the earth itself shakes
Who can stand in Your Holy place
Who can ascend
into Your glory
How tall
can this mountain go?
Don't hide me in the rock
let Your glory consume me
Show me your reason
let me feel what stirs You
Change the thing that I am
let it change all I here-on could be
Show me Your glory
that the rock cannot hide
Make into me the fear
of knowing You
Overwhelm me
until I cannot dare stand
Take from me any complacency
or ability to fall back
Light fire to the earth behind me
and drive me to You
Gloriously terrible
illuminate the way
Who can ascend
Your holy mountain
Who can seek out
Your awesome face
purify emptiness from my being
sear truth alone in my soul
Wash from my hands
the stain of the past
And let my heart undefiled
be for You alone
This is the time
to search into worship
This is the time
ordained for Your presence
Ready the outer entry
ready the inner gate
Let the King of all Glory move in
Who is this Glory King
He is force and power
His power none can stand
Through the outer entry
through the inner gate
Who is my King of Glory?
The God of the Hosts is Glory's King.
~JLB
how great would it be...? || 2009.09.05&6
200909056
How great would it be...
...unto jealousy craves the breath who's inhabitation is appointed in us...
It would seem possible that we (humanity) inherited the God-capacity for jealousy. Not only is God jealous for us, but designed in us the solidarity of focus to fulfill singly His love. How we have fallen! We still crave and yearn to our purpose, but have neglected Him. So we brood malice and ill-will against all but our misaligned objects of supposed value; we hate our brethren for they are not as us.
How great would it be to focus our face again upon our purpose and the true God: for our jealousy to be lost in His love, and His jealousy to find no home?
How great would it be to know God the way originally intended, to walk with God always, to be consciously accustomed to His presence more greatly than our own?
How great would it be to be full of God so that God pours out of us, covering inside and out, so that ever our view of others is bathed in the purity of God as the pouring envelops, and even reaches to them.
How much more deeply are the lowly covered than the tall-standing proud, how much more fully immersed? And what of the broken, whose fragments easily lift up in the pouring?
How great would it be to know life as it is written, and touch the author's hand as His love scribes each moment?
Melt time away, its limits bound not love! By God Himself is our breath given! Any breath I lift in praise, all I can voice in Holy acclamation, all I can sing, is just a portion returned. So in life, voice is not enough: the heart must join. The heart must breathe His praises, the heart must love Him, and all must worship.
How great would it be when our spirit's craving does not rule us, but in Presence is longing surpassed.
~JLB
How great would it be...
...unto jealousy craves the breath who's inhabitation is appointed in us...
It would seem possible that we (humanity) inherited the God-capacity for jealousy. Not only is God jealous for us, but designed in us the solidarity of focus to fulfill singly His love. How we have fallen! We still crave and yearn to our purpose, but have neglected Him. So we brood malice and ill-will against all but our misaligned objects of supposed value; we hate our brethren for they are not as us.
How great would it be to focus our face again upon our purpose and the true God: for our jealousy to be lost in His love, and His jealousy to find no home?
How great would it be to know God the way originally intended, to walk with God always, to be consciously accustomed to His presence more greatly than our own?
How great would it be to be full of God so that God pours out of us, covering inside and out, so that ever our view of others is bathed in the purity of God as the pouring envelops, and even reaches to them.
How much more deeply are the lowly covered than the tall-standing proud, how much more fully immersed? And what of the broken, whose fragments easily lift up in the pouring?
How great would it be to know life as it is written, and touch the author's hand as His love scribes each moment?
Melt time away, its limits bound not love! By God Himself is our breath given! Any breath I lift in praise, all I can voice in Holy acclamation, all I can sing, is just a portion returned. So in life, voice is not enough: the heart must join. The heart must breathe His praises, the heart must love Him, and all must worship.
How great would it be when our spirit's craving does not rule us, but in Presence is longing surpassed.
~JLB
20090904
From the Sea || 2009.09.02
from the sea
20090902
Upside down,
What wall is up?
What course is to stay?
or ship to captain?
Do the dragons beneath
threaten above the waves?
God be my anchor,
to point the way through the rising
and falling of this journey.
If the water be flames
then carry me away. What lodging will He bear me?
What haven should berth my home?
My course is waves
but my Captain pilots the stars.
His path is always true, though tempest roar
and dragons pump the waves.
Even when the water towers into flames
and foam overtakes the decks.
His unwavering hand holds faithful.
His love fetches the lost from the seas.
~JLB
20090902
Upside down,
What wall is up?
What course is to stay?
or ship to captain?
Do the dragons beneath
threaten above the waves?
God be my anchor,
to point the way through the rising
and falling of this journey.
If the water be flames
then carry me away. What lodging will He bear me?
What haven should berth my home?
My course is waves
but my Captain pilots the stars.
His path is always true, though tempest roar
and dragons pump the waves.
Even when the water towers into flames
and foam overtakes the decks.
His unwavering hand holds faithful.
His love fetches the lost from the seas.
~JLB
Let me carry Love || 2009.09.01
Let me carry love
20090901
And now I shall wait
within the depths of raging tempest
beneath a sun darked orange with smoke.
And all that comes to mind is Your love...
I think of the things carefully fashioned and made
that we are holding to
and wonder at surrender:
What You have sculpted for us to cling to.
Not a reflection of us, but a focus of You,
A focus on You.
And I wonder at the times
when you want us to look but not touch
and how lonely that feels.
Because sometimes there is smoke
and sometimes there is fog
and often there is mud then suddenly desert,
with scorching and searing and longing
for a drop
of rain, of water
Of Your face again, the touch of Your breath,
the smell of your voice,
instead of the stink of the algae
and the gator before me
and the smoke in the sky
while the dragons roost for the night.
I know I have felt Your love,
now let me carry it!
I have seen Your face through lenses,
let me now gaze on You face to face!
I have felt the breeze, and even the wind.
Now breathe upon me with Your breath.
I must have You, must have it all
I must know You, I must come to You
Draw me to You, don't wait a single moment more.
My existence cannot sustain me
You alone are my source
You alone are my life
I open my hands, relinquish my creations and trinkets
Open my hands to find You, to dig for more
To never get enough. To seek You through night
To hear Your voice call up the dawn
Longing for You - Endlessly
Your love like a tempest enters my form
and from the holes of me stream to you melody.
Love, yes love
Flood Your Love through me
Teach me to love You the way You love me
Show Your love of others, and let this love burn in me
Move me by Your love ways I have never know
Move me by Your love, and stir me with compassion.
~JLB
20090901
And now I shall wait
within the depths of raging tempest
beneath a sun darked orange with smoke.
And all that comes to mind is Your love...
I think of the things carefully fashioned and made
that we are holding to
and wonder at surrender:
What You have sculpted for us to cling to.
Not a reflection of us, but a focus of You,
A focus on You.
And I wonder at the times
when you want us to look but not touch
and how lonely that feels.
Because sometimes there is smoke
and sometimes there is fog
and often there is mud then suddenly desert,
with scorching and searing and longing
for a drop
of rain, of water
Of Your face again, the touch of Your breath,
the smell of your voice,
instead of the stink of the algae
and the gator before me
and the smoke in the sky
while the dragons roost for the night.
I know I have felt Your love,
now let me carry it!
I have seen Your face through lenses,
let me now gaze on You face to face!
I have felt the breeze, and even the wind.
Now breathe upon me with Your breath.
I must have You, must have it all
I must know You, I must come to You
Draw me to You, don't wait a single moment more.
My existence cannot sustain me
You alone are my source
You alone are my life
I open my hands, relinquish my creations and trinkets
Open my hands to find You, to dig for more
To never get enough. To seek You through night
To hear Your voice call up the dawn
Longing for You - Endlessly
Your love like a tempest enters my form
and from the holes of me stream to you melody.
Love, yes love
Flood Your Love through me
Teach me to love You the way You love me
Show Your love of others, and let this love burn in me
Move me by Your love ways I have never know
Move me by Your love, and stir me with compassion.
~JLB
At the end of His love || 2009.08.29
200090829
at the end of His love
At the end of His love
there is the end of freedom.
At the end of His love
there is death for everyone.
At the end of His love
is hopelessness without bottom.
At the end of His love
all truth is gone.
For His love is truth
and all that is true.
With all that I am
I know He loves you.
Whatever comes,
His love never ends.
It is not to point at you
it's not to go _to_ you.
It is love to enfold you,
it is love to cover you.
To the layers that when you reach out,
the touch of your hand
is the touch of His love.
His love is perfect full freedom
His love is the power for life
His love is hope
that exceeds circumstances and bounds.
His love is life,
and life is his willingness.
His wrath is a moment,
but His love is forever.
Sorrow lives,
and makes night its warm home
but the sun rises faithfully
each day by His love.
The only love I possess
by Him it is authored,
So my love for Him
is His love through me.
And His love through me
is His love around me,
And His love around me
desires to enfold me,
so that when i reach out,
His love reaches out.
Let my life be His,
for His love is mine,
and mine is in Him.
Let His life be mine,
for i desire to take it to me.
Let me love Him
so strongly
that it is mine.
Let me hope in Him,
my life be lived that all can see
the salvation made free
by love poured out.
~JLB
at the end of His love
At the end of His love
there is the end of freedom.
At the end of His love
there is death for everyone.
At the end of His love
is hopelessness without bottom.
At the end of His love
all truth is gone.
For His love is truth
and all that is true.
With all that I am
I know He loves you.
Whatever comes,
His love never ends.
It is not to point at you
it's not to go _to_ you.
It is love to enfold you,
it is love to cover you.
To the layers that when you reach out,
the touch of your hand
is the touch of His love.
His love is perfect full freedom
His love is the power for life
His love is hope
that exceeds circumstances and bounds.
His love is life,
and life is his willingness.
His wrath is a moment,
but His love is forever.
Sorrow lives,
and makes night its warm home
but the sun rises faithfully
each day by His love.
The only love I possess
by Him it is authored,
So my love for Him
is His love through me.
And His love through me
is His love around me,
And His love around me
desires to enfold me,
so that when i reach out,
His love reaches out.
Let my life be His,
for His love is mine,
and mine is in Him.
Let His life be mine,
for i desire to take it to me.
Let me love Him
so strongly
that it is mine.
Let me hope in Him,
my life be lived that all can see
the salvation made free
by love poured out.
~JLB
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