Passion's Cost

what price sun and moon
of wind and rain
what price Your pain
what price tree and sky
what price You and i

these days we spend
temporal, mortal
yet in in-between
gives fleeting glance upon
what endures forever

this price, Your passion

- revel8r, 7/30/18 -

Inferno

when fire has no flame

when paper has no ink

for the writer has no pen

then strike the flint, tend the spark

the words will flow

to the rhythm of all He knows

and coals will hold again

the inferno of all I Am

- revel8r, 7/28/18 -

A Being More

lead on to seas beyond what we perceive

to sure footing beyond our solid ground

to wind beyond what licks our skin today

let crowns and robes be as they may

there is a way, a being more

than the rank and rancor of mortal men

- revel8r, 7/26/18 -

A Mystery for the Angels

what lies beyond this glistening veil

what lies beyond these temporal chains

the strains that pull

between now and tomorrow's shores

pull me on as the moon upon the tide

- revel8r, 7/24/18 -

Yours

all this is Yours

the oceans and the waves

the mountains and the trees

all this is yours

the shadows and the sun

the stillness and the breeze

I bequeath to thee

through the blood of My Son

the Creator of these

- revel8r, 7/24/18 -

Family

He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12:48, 49 

It takes more than seeing or hearing to have a relationship.  Relating to someone with depth requires perceiving, listening, and responding.  That's when a friendship begins to grow.  That's how families get close.

From the point of the Sermon on the Mount until now, Jesus had been revealing Himself to the people through powerful teaching, miracles and healings.  All were amazed.  Some reacted by rejecting Him.  But some had responded and were truly in relationship with Him.

For those who simply wanted the show - to see the signs or to hear the next hot words - Jesus had harsh words.  His life in skin was not simply to show how mighty He was(is), every interaction with the people was an invitation for people to respond to Him - to become His family and to relate to Him, especially as obedient children.

We must not be ones who simply see or hear Him from afar.  It is critical that we respond and relate to Him.  This is how the family grows.

Deliberate Intent

Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue

Matthew 12:9

Jesus was just challenged by the Pharisees over his disciples harvesting on the Sabbath.  And he answered them handily.  But instead of leaving it at that, he made a deliberate action to stick his hand into a nest of bees that were already a-buzz with the act poking the bear of their religious control.  Yet it wasn't simply to annoy them for his own entertainment; he intended to send them over the edge for the knew that it was his destiny to die a criminal's death for the sake of humanity's crimes.

He had challenged them before - forgiving the sins of a crippled man, speaking as a shepherd of true authority.  This time his challenges came in rapid succession - doing "work" on the Sabbath, accusing them of not knowing the Word of Yahweh, exalting Himself as Lord of the Sabbath - and then, instead of leaving them to stew in their anger, He entered into their "turf": their synagogue.  And with a final blow of healing a man with a shriveled hand, they began to plot to kill him.

There are times when Jesus does the same thing in our lives - even today.  When He has an agenda for us but we choose to remain stagnant, He uses circumstances to steer us into obedience.  Clearly the end result won't be nearly as ugly, but His sovereignty remains supreme.  It must.