Made Alive

 

We were buried with You
in baptism

raised with You
through faith

once dead in our sins
we’re alive again

together with You
remade.

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I am alive with You, for You are with me.

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“. . .buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,”

“having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

Colossians 2:12,13,14 NKJV

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A Title

 

They placed a sign
above Your head

JESUS OF NAZARETH
KING OF THE JEWS

how blessed I am
to know You as

my Lord and Savior
Bringer of Good News.

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You establish who You are.

“Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH
KING OF THE JEWS.” John 19:19 NKJV

Let Jesus Speak

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” 1 Corinthians 1:17

It’s okay when I can’t find the right words to say. Jesus said it all on the cross.

Oh Lord, we pray for the wisdom and the power of You crucified to be known more than our words. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Christ’s Cross Effect

There is a power and wisdom
only He can possess

though we try to describe it
our words fall short at best

the message of the cross
of Christ crucified

does what we cannot do
leaving Him alone glorified.

He Will Fight For You

“The Lord your God who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.” Deuteronomy 1:30-31

I slip into thinking I am only an errant child, forgetting You and I are on the same side.

Thank you Lord, for giving me a place on the winning team. And here’s a simple poem . . .

All You Do

I remember Your fight for me
there upon the cross

and all the times You carried me
when I could barely walk

And how You keep making a way
through the wilderness

and I fall down in worship
at just how much You bless.

Throw Yourself Down

“Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here’.” Luke 4:9

Jesus did not needlessly throw Himself down from the temple’s pinnacle. Instead, He chose to lay down His life for us on a cross.

Oh Lord, help us to throw ourselves down at the foot of the cross from any high place we’ve perched upon. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Because He Wanted To

He multiplied fish and bread
turned water to wine
healed the sick, raised the dead
gave sight to the blind.
He did whatever
God wanted Him to do
even endured the cross
for me and for you.

The Hard Things

“Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.” Mark 15:46

Joseph of Arimathea was a prominent member of the council. Still, he took courage and asked for Jesus’ body.

Lord, help me do those hard things for You, the things that no one else wants to do . . .the things that may even make me look bad to others. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Waiting To Be Wrapped

There are acts that no one
really wants to do
but You lay it on our hearts
and we’re compelled to move
like Joseph taking Your body
down from the cross
the broken and hurting are waiting
to be wrapped in linens of Love.

His Blood Be On Me

“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ ” Matthew 27:24
“And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’ ” Matthew 27:25

I understand the context in which the above words were spoken, but something in me wants to say “indeed” and “amen”.

Oh Lord, let Your blood be upon us and on our children, covering us and washing away our sins. Here’s a simple poem . . .

Rescued

I would that there
had been no cross
no beatings, no blood

but then there would’ve been
no sacrifice, no atoning
no forgiveness of my sin

so I stand within the multitude
guilty of Your blood
and rescued by its flow.