Devotions to Our God in the Manger: Turn Away

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Tom Bolton

A D V E N T   2 0 1 4:     D E V O T I O N S   T O   O U R   G O D   I N   T H E   M A N G E R

Week 3                                                                                                   Redeemed

Ezekiel 14:6
Acts 2:38

handhead

 Turn Away

Repent!
Again, Repent
Each day anew, turn away from all that which turns you the wrong way.
Turn back to the One.
Turn away from the putrid, the self-center,
the wealth that perishes.
Turn toward the infant, now in the manger,
Emanuel.
The eyes are hard to change some days.
Repent!
Again, Repent!
We are reminded and warm in the Spirit.
The passion overflows, and we
know.
Turn away and seek
to be cleaned and restored.
Repent!
At the manger, I come to repent.
Joy in the Word!
Joy to the World!

(c) Tom Bolton, 18 December 2014, Bay View

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Devotions to Our God in the Manger: Repenting

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Tom Bolton

 

A D V E N T   2 0 1 4:    D E V O T I O N S   T O   O U R   G O D   I N   T H E   M A N G E R

Week 3                                                                                                      Redeemed

Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
    and those in her who repent, by righteousness.       Isaiah 1:27 

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  -Matthew 3:11

             I Repent

I am called to repent, and
Here I stumble and come forth, called to justice,
Made for righteousness,
Stumbled and brought up, redeemed.
It is right and just that I yearn to repent,
Humble before the manger.
Unused to forgiveness,
straining to find forgiveness, myself,
I seek to turn away.
Let me not turn from this gift;
let me turn from my ways.
I would turn back and be in connection with
the most High.
I repent, restored to justice,
Restored to the right place.
At the manger, I yearn to repent.
Joy in the Word!
Joy to the World!

(c) Tom Bolton, 17 December 2014, Bay View

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Devotions to Our God in the Manger 2014: Clad in Guilt

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Tom Bolton

Isaiah 1: 18

A D V E N T   2 0 1 4:    D E V O T I O N S   T O   O U R   G O D   I N   T H E   M A N G E R

Week 3                                                                                                              Redeemed

English: Scroll of the Psalms

     In Guilt, Clad

All that God has done for His people,
I see it done for me.
The plaintive cry of the Psalmist rocks me,
and yet my heart cries more silently.
I hear the cry and feel the pain,
and I know the response of our savior.
His grace and care caress me today.
All the past records His grace,
and there is nothing less for me.
Sins so scarlet, marks crimson,
these are lifted up pure, as adorable as the favored lamb-toy.
Jesus took on our guilt,
and I know not to remove myself.
I would claim the divine justification;
I would be warm as the babe in the manger.
I see the innocence, and claim the guilt.
At the manger, I yearn to be redeemed.
Joy in the Word!
Joy to the World!

(c) Tom Bolton, 17 December 2013, with Chili

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Devotions to Our God in the Manger: Redeemed Anew

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Tom Bolton

Matthew 19:16-19
A D V E N T  2 0 1 4:   D E V O T I O N S   T O   O U R   G O D   I N   T H E   M A N G E R

Week 3                                                                                                           Redeemed

English: Roadside verge near Guilt Cross Young...

       Sinless Guilt

He has lifted it all off me,
and I seek to release my guilt.
It is not just the goodness of the baby,
for we know that goodness of the babe.
We struggle more to see the sacrifice,
how he lifts off our guilt.
He dwells with us now;
Human, He overcomes all that burdens us.
Brother, He takes us as we are, and
Dams up our guilt.

(c) Tom Bolton, 17 December 2013 Bay View

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On Word Law and Life: Teach Me

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Tom Bolton

 

S. Smile on Me

Set these miracles brilliantly in my life;
Smile on me and I will obey. Then, will I?
Son-shine, shine on me, sunshine bathing me,
an open door, revealing the words.
Sucking up your words, like some succulent
sponge, I
seek deep in me for your word.
See me, spare me, smile at me, and
Set me free.
Step beside me, lock-legged with you,
and bound together in your commands, gentle God.
Save me from evil-all-around me. Set me free!
Save me so that I will obey your commands to me.
Smile on me.
Teach me.
Streams pour from my eyes:
Joyful in the Word!
Saddened, I too grieve for those who miss the mark.

T. Treat Me With Kindness, Teach Me

Tense, I am wound tight in this tension,
Graceful God:
Treat me with kindness; why don’t you
act right now, God? Crush this evil.
Trounce them, crush them; why do you wait?
Treat them with my golden rule.
I hate this wickedness and I want you to punish,
but you, God, treat them with such patience!
Treat me patiently, too, God-of-Grace;
Treat me, treat me, treat me well.
Treat me with kindness. Teach me.
Trust binds me up, strengthens me, when
I am doubting; my
Trust is built in the strength of your words.
Trusting, I will be your servant;
Trusting, I serve when I still put myself
higher–not a servant!
Trusting, I pray in words that I know
God will know. Do I know? Do I trust?

(c) Tom Bolton, Milwaukee, February 2012

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Devotions to Our God in the Manger: Mysterious Love

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Tom Bolton

Sharing this mystery again:

Tom Bolton's avatarHopeful

A D V E N T  2 0 1 4:    D E V O T I O N S   T O   O U R   G O D   I N   T H E   M A N G E R

Week 2                                                                                                  Mystery in Our Midst

Phil. 1: 3-14

Dusk Dusk (Photo credit: ehpien)

                                     Love Mystery

I love that I am loved,
and I love that I know others pray for me each day.
I love that there are others held deep in my heart,
and that they hold me deep too.
All that is Christmas true originates in heaven;
it binds us together in spite of ourselves.
There are great mysteries in space,
and deep in atoms, and deep in our brains,
but the greatest mystery is our neighbor,
the greatest mystery is love,
the greatest mystery is our nearest guest.
Mysterious friends come together and love,
blessed by the love…

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Devotions to Our God in the Manger 2014: Everlasting Mysteries

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Tom Bolton

Habakkuk 3:6 and Matthew 25: 31-36
A D V E N T   2 0 1 4:    D E V O T I O N S   T O   O U R   G O D   I N   T H E   M A N G E R

Week 2                                                                                           Mystery in Our Midst

LongestNightPhoto1

 Everlasting Mysteries

He fills us with a promise of what He will do yet again.
The ancient paths are His.
The ancient paths pass through us, His Way.
He looks our way and the earth trembles, men tremble,
and when we see, we are set calm again.
His ways are everlasting.
His way of discipleship is made clear,
and we know the Way.
Relationship with Him is joined with
responsibility for His people.
It is love here.
He laid down His life and so we share life.
We serve Him as we serve others–
Hands and feet and His wealth!
To be the good news for the poor,
we are set out on His everlasting path.
Know the way!

(c) Tom Bolton, Bay View, December 1, 2014

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