Author: Dan

What kind of look do you think
Would be on God’s face
Should you suddenly go before
Him in that heavenly place?

Would it be that of a professor?
Judging solely by your grades.
Ignoring the things done well -
Focusing only on your mistakes?

Or would it be that of a judge?
Slamming down a gavel of blame.
Cementing the guilt of the past.
Shackling you with future shame.

Are you willing to receive the truth
Of what the Bible has to say?
Noah found in the Lord’s eyes
Was a look of loving grace.

Do you not understand this?
You are His beloved creation.
Indifference is not in His heart.
Give the cross an examination.

He looked at your life of sin
And could of chose condemnation.
Yet from a place of devoted love,
He gave His life for your salvation.

If you choose to believe this truth,
You, too, will find the same grace.
Should you go before His throne
You will see a smile on His face.

Remember this as you walk -
Moving forward through the day.
He’s walking right beside you
Watching with the eyes of grace.

Who am I to ask for anything
Beyond Your abundant provision?
Beyond Your amazing grace
That allowed me to be forgiven

Of every sin I’ve committed,
And all the ones that are to come.
That were paid for on the cross
By Your only begotten Son.

Yet, You encourage me to ask,
So, I humbly approach Your throne.
The one thing I request, my Lord.
Is to make Yourself more known

To a heart that keeps wandering.
Like a sheep from its Shepherd.
Keep Your promise to hold on
And never let me go untethered.

Thanks be to Your Holy Spirit.
Who reminds me what is true.
My identity is no longer my past
But a free creation made new.

So, here am I, my beloved God.
To serve at Your good pleasure.
Let my life spent glorifying You
Be the only basis of my measure.

I don’t know what that looks like,
So, Jehovah Jireh lead the way
On Your path of righteousness
May I faithfully always stay.

Until You return on that great day,
Or choose to call me home,
May Your love flow through me
To make the truth of You known.

As the sun begins to set
Upon the sea of my life,
Its rays glisten and shimmer
Ushering in the coming night.

With each roll of the waves,
I pause and join the reflections
On the purpose of this journey -
Wrestling with my imperfections.

Personal failures haunt my soul.
Judgment bangs on my door.
Battling my arrogant defenses.
The guilt impossible to ignore.

The people who crossed my path -
Seemingly so often by design;
Will I ever see them again
When the sunset lowers the blinds?

Regret is no way to be a legacy.
That is the fate of unforgiveness.
This is the foregone conclusion
If this life is our final existence.

Such thoughts make me wonder
What is the point of this life?
Even the most flawed of loves
Gives the heart a reason to fight.

True love never thinks of ending,
So, hope is a worthwhile pursuit.
Can this setting sun rise again?
Could there be such a truth?

This is the Scriptures’ promise.
Beyond the sunset we will find,
Faith in the risen Lord Jesus
Assures this is not the last time.

It was the night before Passover,
And we’re all in the upper room.
We were completely unaware
Of what was coming soon.

When Jesus finished his meal,
He girded himself for labor.
Not something we expected
From whom would be our Savior.

He began to wash our feet - 
Work typically done by a slave.
Would you be doing this
Inside a day before your grave?

Peter objected to this work -
Refusing Him to wash his feet.
“If you don’t let Me do this
You can have no part with Me.”

The lesson He was teaching was
His followers were to be of service.
Following our Master’s deeds
Is a disciple’s greatest purpose.

A humble servant is not greater
Than his humble Lord and master.
Sacrificial love and obedience are
What His followers are to be after.

He finished washing all our feet
Ensuring everyone was clean.
Proving He never leaves behind
Anyone who opts to believe.

Don’t do what Judas did
And deny His sacrificial love.
Every good and perfect gift
Comes from heaven above.

What more can you ask of
A God who makes you clean?
Washing off all of life’s dirt
Forgiving every evil deed.

If you will call on His name,
He’ll wash your feet and more.
This is His promise and gift
As your humble Savior and Lord. 

I was walking one winter’s eve
With a cold bitterness in the air.
Not unlike my tired heart - 
Damaged and in disrepair.

I looked up into the dark sky
Wondering if God really cared.
I prayed that He would give
Some wisdom He could share.

Then descended a snowflake
Fluttering down from the night.
I recalled this proven truth.
No two snowflakes are alike.

Seemingly out of nowhere
I felt a calm and gentle breeze.
As the snow kept falling,
With it came a strange peace.

An old man came upon me.
Put his arm around my shoulder.
“If you don’t listen to Me,
Things will get much colder.”

“Do you see these snowflakes?
Each one coming from above.
Think of each one as a blessing
As proof of My faithful love.”

Then the man walked away
And disappeared into the dark.
As I saw the flakes as blessings,
I felt a thawing in my heart.

And I was reminded God is there
Even in the dark of the night.
The blessings of His snowflakes
Are proof of His love and light.

When God created Eden,
Everything was full of life.
He told Adam and Eve
Don’t eat from the tree
If you do, you will surely die.

Satan showed up as a serpent
Challenging what they had heard.
They denied God’s voice
When they made a choice
To eat; and God kept His word.

This was not the end of our story
For God loves what He creates.
Another promise from Him
To rescue us from our sin,
He would Himself come to save.

One night in Bethlehem,
The angels announced the birth.
The baby in the manger
Would become that Savior
Proving God had kept His word.

That baby would become a man
Doing what’s good and right.
Out of love for the lost
He went to the cross
To offer forgiveness and new life.

That offer is made to all -
To every human being on the earth.
There are no exceptions.
There are no rejections.
Because God keeps His word.

During this Christmas season
Will you listen to His holy voice?
By believing the promise
From a God who is honest
You’ll cause all of heaven to rejoice!

So, you can join the chorus
The shepherds long ago heard.
Give praise to the Savior.
That baby in the manger
Is proof that God kept His word.

You are of great value and worth.

What is it that I am searching for?
It can’t be found on a website or in a store.
The things that I’ve sought.
The things that I’ve bought.
Don’t leave me fulfilled but wanting more.

I look for answers but don’t hear a sound
That can lift the burdens holding me down.
Through no fault of my own,
Or the seeds that I’ve sown.
I need rescue from my damaged grounds.

A stranger came upon me one winter’s day.
He looked at me in the most unusual way.
“Do you know the reason
For this Christmas season?
If you don’t, would you mind if I pray?”

He looked to the heavens as if he knew
Whatever he said would for sure get through.
“Father, I give you thanks and praise,
And that You are a God of grace.
Please help me to share what is true.”

He then looked at me with care in his eyes
And spoke of that first Christmas night.
“That baby in the manger
Would become no stranger
To the sorrows and betrayals of this life.”

I never went to church or believed.
It was just a crutch for those in need.
But what this man was saying
And the way he was praying,
Was something I had never before seen.

Then I saw the holes in his hands.
He smiled and said, “I understand.
You see I am the reason
For this Christmas season
I see your future, and it is grand.”

Tears began to well up in my eyes.
Am I hearing the truth - not lies?
“If you choose to believe
From Me you will receive
Love, forgiveness and new life.”

Will you believe in the first Christmas day?
And His gift that can never be taken away?
That baby in a manger
Will become your savior
And stay beside you come what may.

When are we ever going to learn?
Every emotion or thought God can discern.
There’s no point in hiding
Through secrets or lying.
He knows where we’re going before we turn.

He does this purely out of love.
For that’s what a Good Shepherd does.
He’s a watchful eye
Each day and each night.
He’s a constant light shining from above.

But we won’t see it if we don’t’ believe
Even though He is exactly what we need.
For who’s hiding in darkness
Is evil and heartless
Isn’t greater than the Truth that sets us free. 

Thankfully, God is a patient Lord.
Whose desire is to forgive and restore.
He wipes away our tears
And conquers our fears.
We are His creations whom He adores.

He’s always seeking to save the lost.
His method is through a rugged cross.
His blood that was spilled
When He was killed
Was the payment to all our sin’s cost.

He rose again even if we don’t believe.
We can’t see air, but it is what we breathe.
He’s standing at our shores
And knocking at our doors
With the greatest gift we can receive.

His love is faithful throughout eternity.
Backed by a promise to meet every need.
We can let go of our pride
Because He can’t lie.
He lifts the veil to the blind so we can see. 

We can love Him for He loved us first.
He gives living water to all who thirst.
He is eternal hope
Whom He calls His own,
We become blessings - no longer a curse.

He is the way the life and the truth.
He forgives the past and makes things new.
All our guilt and our shame
Will go up in flames
By the burning love He has for me and you.

So, are you weary of this life’s race?
Will you receive God’s amazing grace?
The ball’s in your court
To be hated or adored.
His arms are open wide ready to embrace.

What am I doing?
Am I just mooing
In the pastures of uselessness?
All the worrying.
All the scurrying
In the grand scheme it’s foolishness.

All the vanity.
All the insanity
And the lies that I’m fed each day.
All the denial
Or the exile
Of the truth that You are the way.

God, I need You,
And I beseech You
That You will hear what I have to say.
Please forgive me
For my iniquity.
Help me to follow You every day.

God, I’m thankful.
So very grateful
For all that You have done for me.
For salvation
And reconciliation
And peace with You for eternity.

Shine Your light
Into the nights
Of my foolish doubt and unbelief.
Your resurrection
Is my protection
From Satan’s attacks and deceits.

Help me embrace
All the grace
That You gave me at the cross.
With this new life,
Give me Your eyes
And a heart for the hurt and lost.

Lord I’m thankful
That You were faithful
To take my place at Calvary.
Hear my praise
For all my days
And my gratitude through eternity.