Poetry

To You

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To You our hearts are open
And to You our lives unfold
Made new as You have chosen
And revealed since days of old

Our boundaries fall before You
In Your love our hearts are lost
We pour our hearts before You
You are worth the highest cost

To You be all the glory
All the majesty and praise
To you be all the wisdom
‘Midst our weak and humble ways

For You have looked upon us
In our weak and lowly state
And sent for us a Savior
To redeem us in the gate

For You is praise in Zion
And dominion in those gates
For You are Judah’s lion
And for You the throne awaits

For You are blessed forever
King eternal in the skies
In You our souls find shelter
And we lift our weary eyes

For who on earth is like You?
None in heaven could compare
When in Your Name we gather
You come down and meet us there

By mercy You have called us
And have known us each by name
You wrought great wonders for us
And through grace thus far we came

So we raise the holy banner
Of Your triumph and Your praise
As this story keeps unfolding
In the most amazing ways

Thus we keep on marching further
On the path ordained of old
Till the day Your matchless splendor
With unveiled face we behold

Israel/Poetry

My Contribution

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Oh, what shall be my contribution
To the Temple of my King?
When I ascend His holy mountain
What right tribute could I bring?

What present would my Lord desire?
What might serve His kingdom plan?
See, He is a consuming fire
Can we meet? By grace we can!

What goodness could I ever give Him?
How shall I approach my Lord?
I never could deserve to see him
Ne’er could I His grace afford

Is Yahweh pleased with streams of oil?
With ten thousand fatted rams?
How shall I prove that I am loyal?
Humbly guarding His commands

Yes, He has shown what He deems proper
Blood-cleansed hands; a firm, pure heart
A life of trust in my good Father
Was His purpose from the start

I climb His mount with joy and singing
With a heart to volunteer
Surrender is what I am bringing
As He calls me to come near

Poetry/The Gospel

My God Has Not Failed

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This poem is written in memory of Marilou McCully and the four other widows who all found God’s special strength and peace following the martyrdom of their husbands in Ecuador in January 1956. The story of Ed McCully, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, and Peter Fleming giving their lives for the gospel is arguably the most well-known missionary story of the twentieth century. Less known, though, is the story of the wives and children who these men left behind—who successfully learned to cling to God despite the deep grief. Just months after her husband’s death, Marilou gave this speech “Did God Fail?” which served as inspiration for this poem. This poem is for anyone who believes that God is stronger than death’s sting. May we all learn to walk in resurrection power! (Psalm 48:14, 1 Corinthians 15:55)

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My God has not failed, though the world says He has
My God has not failed, though through flames I must pass
Though grief fills my heart, I do not have despair
My Savior still loves me and hears every prayer

My God has not failed, though mere men taunt and laugh
My God has not failed on this difficult path
His Word never said I would not suffer pain
But simply that He also suffered the same

My God has not failed, though my loved one is gone
My God has not failed—He has done me no wrong
My loved one is now like a seed in the ground
Yet out of His death fruit and life shall abound

My God has not failed—He still reigns in the skies
My God has not failed, for He gives me His eyes
To see that this pain has a good end one day
To see all the blessings He leaves on my way

My God has not failed—He is still by my side
My God has not failed, neither left me nor lied
I say to these young ones, “This God is our God.
Since He is our guide, over death we have trod.”

Poetry

Before the King

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Before the King we bow the knee
And pledge eternal loyalty
For He has saved us from our foes
Thus we shall go where’er He goes

Before the King we march ahead
And cross the Jordan’s riverbed
To take possession of the land
He pledged to us with upraised hand

Before the King we bravely fight
Defending what is true and right
Whate’er the risks, despite the odds
We wage a war ‘gainst Caanan’s gods

Before the King we serve and stand
To do whate’er He shall command
To learn His wisdom, sing His praise
And glory in His wondrous ways

Before the King we shall rejoice
So glad to hear His mighty voice
So humbled that for us He cares
Our troubles and concerns He shares

Before the King we shout His fame
Our victory is in His Name
To every nation we shall tell
There is a King in Israel

Before the King a river flows
Which sends forth life where’er it goes
Before our King shall we abide
By Him forever satisfied

Poetry

What Would You Leave?

Posted on by Faith Williams / 4 Comments

On the day you die, what would you leave upon this earth?
Is what you treasure temporal, or of true, eternal worth?

What is left? A well-filled house? A closet full of clothes?
And influence that spreads as far as only Yahweh knows?

Would you leave a tidy Bible on the shelf displayed?
Or would you leave it open on the bed-stand—worn and frayed?

Would you leave much wealth and stuff you thought that you would use?
Would you be pleased with how you lived, with what you daily choose?

What is left behind? Your kids? Your husband or your wife?
And how would they describe you when they think about your life?

Would you leave regrets or grief or countless words unsaid?
And would there be so many things you should have done instead?

Would you leave behind old fights, or did you all forgive?
For sin and selfish pleasure, or for Yahweh did you live?

When your life on earth is done, what would you leave behind?
Sweet mem’ries of a life well-lived—a heart both firm and kind?

Would you leave a legacy of honest truth and love?
Would you have shown your loved ones how to get to heav’n above?

When this life is done, what could your bring to heaven’s reign?
Your blood-cleansed soul, and those who through your influence were changed

Love/Poetry

Show Steadfast Love

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This poem is based on the story of Jonathan and David.
“And you shall not only show me the steadfast love of Yehovah while I still live, and I shall not die”
-1 Samuel 20:14

According to the covenant
Show steadfast love to me
Whatever comes, do not forget
The oath ‘tween you and me

Though bound by temporal time and space
And brief my life must be
Show all my seed this love and grace
That you have shown to me

For you have been my faithful friend
With love that shall not fade
And also when my life shall end
Recall the oath we made

For surely yours shall be the reign
And you shall have the crown
And when you rise your throne to claim
Your foes shall be crushed down

For surely shall your reign be blessed
With glorious victory
And when on Israel’s throne you rest
Then please remember me

I wish that I could live to serve
Before you in your reign
But even if this shall not be
Our oath remains the same

Please give my seed whatever good
You wished to give to me
That in your reign, my children would
Within your palace be

That though my life on earth will end
My form in dust shall lie
Show steadfast love to me, your friend
Then I shall never die

Poetry

How Deep is the Fountain

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How deep is the fountain from which my joy floweth
How high is the mountain on which my feet stand
How vast are the marvelous wonders He showeth
How great is the strength of His mighty Right Hand

How sure are His mercies—made new every morning
How bright is His light in the the days that are dim
How great is His goodness stored up for those fearing
His Name—all those finding their refuge in Him

How strong is the bedrock on which I am founded
How dear is the heritage given to me
How deep are my roots—in that land I am grounded
How true are His words, and forever shall be

How free is His grace, never purchased by silver
How dear is His love, more than men e’er could tell
How full is my heart, satisfied by my Savior
How good is Yehovah unto Israel

Poetry

Greater Joy

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My heart has found a greater joy
More strong than what I see or feel
My eyes have seen a better world
Though heavenly, still near and real

My strength comes not from earthly means
From wealth that flees, or man who dies
My might comes from the ceaseless fount
Of living waters He supplies

My eyes have seen a better way
Though narrow and hard-pressed it be
My eyes are fixed on Zion’s mount
Where I shall live eternally

My heart has found a better life
Than living for my selfish gain
My soul has found a kinder Lord
And I shall ever serve Him fain

My soul has found a lasting peace
Through pain it stands—sent from above
My ears have heard a sweeter song
Of priceless, covenantal love

My eyes have seen a fairer place
A portion beautiful is mine
My heart has made the better choice
Surrendering to His design

Israel/Poetry

Where I Long to Be

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I long to be where Abraham
Stood ready to give up his son
Where Yah provided him a ram
And promised children without sum

I long to be where Isaac lay
Believing what the father said
They climbed Moriah to obey
Believing Yah will raise the dead

I long to be where David dwelt
Where Israel’s tribes all joined as one
There David’s throne was firmly built
Confirmed by oath to David’s Son

I long to be where Solomon
Raised up a Temple for Yah’s Name
A house of prayer for everyone
Where fire fell down—Yah’s glory came

I long to be where prophets stood
To call the people back from sin
Through eyes of faith, they knew Yah would
One day this city enter in

I long to be where Bab’lon came
With siege mound, sword, and many men
Yet for the sake of Yahweh’s Name
That city would be built again

I long to be where Ezra stood
To read Yah’s Word to everyone
Where Nehemiah fought for good
When seventy long years were done

I long to be where Simon went
To meet the Hope of Israel
The Heir of David’s covenant
Has come to us—Immanuel

I long to be where He has walked
Within the town my King did love
Where He and His disciples talked
He taught them of the things above

I long to be where He was slain
Victorious, then He rose again
Yes, our Messiah overcame
To Zion He shall come again

I long to be in Yahweh’s home
The place preserved by zealous care
The city chosen as His own
His eyes and heart are always there

Walking on the same stones on which our Savior walked! In ancient Jerusalem, February 2024
Poetry

The Lord of Mysteries

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I praise the Lord of mysteries
For You cause wonders to unfold
The counsels of antiquities
Trustworthiness and truth of old

You made an oath to Abraham
Confirming it unto his seed
Your prophets wrote Your words to them
And to this day, we still can read

The things You promised, and arranged
We live those ancient words today
Through time, Your Word has never changed
You always do the things You say

You weave Your plot-lines through the years
And ne’er forget Your steadfast love
Amidst our world of temporal fears
You work Your wonders from above

For You build up the ancient walls
Establishing just as You said
Of all your promises, none falls
You raised Your nation from the dead!

You shall remain the Faithful One
And choose those faithful to take part
In doing that which should be done
To share in what is near Your heart

I praise You for Your wonders shown
Foretold millennia ago
And praise You for the things unknown
The beauties we do not yet know

Amidst the pain of temporal strife
Your matchless plans shall come to be
As ancient wonders line my life
Such knowledge is too high for me!

Inspired by Isaiah 25:1 and Psalm 139:6