WOODLAND SONG

Joyfully, joyfully, the feathered friends call,
the chickadees and grosbeaks and orioles all,
to sing a lyric melody at opening of day,
and start the winging choir, a-chirping all the way!
 
Over high, over there, beside the babbling brook,
the cardinals and veeries resound in every nook;
the drumming of the ruffed grouse, the cooing of the dove,
the tapping of the woodpecker that echoes high above!
 
“Yahweh God! Yahweh God!”, into the evening night,
hummingbirds and nuthatches turn in from their flight.
And in the final light of day, the robin sings her song.
What joy to hear the woodland birds sing praises all day long!

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Luke 1:46-47

 

 

WOODLAND SONG

The veeries are very glad, here in Veery Glade. And so am I. These deep-forest thrushes have returned to the woods. Their mystical, swirling tones lift my spirit and remind me to call on God in prayer. The robins, also thrushes, are equally vocal here in the woodland realm.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Luke 1:48

We join with Mary in magnifying the Lord and rejoicing in spirit. Let the birds sing their full, lyrical song that Creator God is loving, rich in mercy, and compassionate.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

John 10:10

Jesus' purpose is to bring life. He declares it Himself. Everyone must decide for themselves whether this statement of purpose is true or false. I believe it is true. The thief is the devil, Satan. His purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy any of God's creation including, mostly, humans who are made in God's image.

And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

Philippians 4:3

Paul with Timothy is writing to the Christians in Philippi and he mentions the Book of Life. In this Book are recorded the names of those people who have eternal life. Who has authority to be the writer of the book? Only the One whose purpose is to bring life— Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb of God.

The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

John 1:29

The Book of Life that Paul wrote about is also known as the Lamb's Book of Life. And in Heaven, that book will be opened. In Heaven, that book will be read.

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Revelation 21: 23, 27

John, by the power of the Holy Spirit (as was Paul as others), was given revelations about Heaven. He wrote down what he saw and we can read for ourselves. Trust God's infallible, inerrant Word.

"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."

Revelation 3:5

Only the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world has the power to open His Book of Life. Further, only the Lamb of God has power to clothe believers with righteousness. Only Jesus, who bore our sins on the cross, has power to blot out names from His Book. Only God's perfect Son has power to confess believer's names before His Father. If you are a believer, won't that be the most amazing thing ever to hear your name confessed before our Creator?

If you are not a believer, decide now to believe. It is very real to be condemned. We stand condemned already (John 3:18)! But Jesus' purpose is to bring life and more abundantly. God sent His Son to be our Savior, and that is very good news!

FOR THE JOY: Christian Poems about Good Friday and Easter

Here is my work-in-progress (WIP) back book blurb (which means it could still change!):

FOR THE JOY: Christian Poems about

Good Friday and Easter

Why do Christians call Good Friday Good?

Why is Easter Sunday filled with joy?

For The Joy: Christian Poems about Good Friday and Easter is a collection of reverent poems and vivid paintings leading up to Christ’s death on the cross, His crucifixion, and His resurrection from the dead. Lisa Belknap shares her testimony, offering answers to the above questions through a variety of poetic forms and colorful paintings. The reader is drawn to meditate on God’s infallible and inerrant Word. Each of the thirty-two poems with accompanying Bible verses encourage the reader to trust in the love and grace of humanity’s only redeeming Savior, Jesus Christ, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

FOCUS ON PRAYER

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:1-6

How nice to be with believers in Jesus Christ! How encouraging to be with Christian brothers and sisters, studying the Word and partnering in the Gospel! What comfort to pray together with confidence in Christ's ability to carry out His good work in us to completion!

FINAL THOUGHTS

"O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Veeries are singing in Veery Glade as are the robins! The woodland birds are very glad. The names of people written in the Lamb's Book of Life will go on to hear woodland birds singing in Heaven.