Fill all the earth Fill all the earth with good creatures who with you Will take its resources and make a great plan; Find all you can about things that are living And make the whole earth a great haven for man. The sun will give warmth and rich foliage raise, And will measure the length of your years and your days. Use all these things and enjoy what you do, I’ve designed all these things to be suited to you. Big thoughts and new thoughts will press for attention, New lands and high mountains you may explore. Very small […]

Who is he? Who is he? Who is he? Who the people talk of- who is he? Jesus of Palestine. Lived among us, yes, but who is he? I have heard that he lived for his Father And for those he longed to have as brothers; That he felt their longing and their sorrows; Knew the way of freedom they could follow. It was he who saw life’s meaning clearly; Was not fooled or swayed by what he saw; Did no wrong nor restlessly accused us; Saw that we were hiding from our sin. All the Father’s love was then […]

New Year At the winding down of one year and the starting of another, When we’ve had a chance to think and pray and talk with one another, When the things we plan to do seem plain and duties are not pressing There has seemed to be a chance that we may do some slight progressing. But well we know that newness does not come with time’s mere passing; And our hearts have business of their own untouched by clocks and planning. They grind and bind when failures are their daily occupation But soar and sing and serve and love […]

In All Our History In all our history we have had Authorities who failed To strive for true society Where each man’s worth was hailed, But sought instead to keep their rank And ride a narrow ledge ‘Tween personal gain and pleasing all- Their judgement lies ahead. We hear the cries of discontent, Of hate and jealousy, From those who say life’s given them No opportunity. We see the silent moody crowd Who give less than their best; For reasons best known to themselves, Withdrawn to wishfulness. But we must search until we find What our vocation is, For all […]

How much can depend on one man? The gospel answer to this is ‘Everything’. In fact, we need to see that our personal and social problems are not just our own. We are part of a world problem, started and even caused by our forefather Adam. Seeing it this way tells us our problem is a problem with God and this is a step in the right direction. But Jesus is another ‘Adam’, another start to the human race. What hope there is in this! Our starting point is not a miserable act of lawlessness but God’s wonderful grace and […]

 Sad World Sad world That strives and frets for Newness And finds this ‘new’ is Sameness. Sad world That thinks its need is Money And cannot find its Treasure. Sad world When goals are selfish Whims And nearby is A neighbour. Sad world That dreams of Freedom And then its wants increase— Insatiable. Sad world That multiplies Diversions And cannot find true Joy Sad world When awe is kept for Celebrity And grandeur is all Levelled. Sad world That vows to end Injustice But has no hope or Promise. Sad world Where justice cannot rise above Our courts And there […]

Jesus has shown us what it means to know God. We continue with the latter part of his prayer in John 17 in which he asks that we be set apart for God and live in the unity of the Father and Son. He says he will finish what he has begun, that is, he will go to the cross and rise again, so we will have the same experience of the Father’s love that he has. Interestingly, he says all these things are so the world will see and understand his coming and the Father’s love for his people.

A hymn to Christ—High Priest A reflection on John 17 We did not ask you to pray for us, or pray for ourselves to be strong. Nor sought our strength in your actions, nor longed for the life of your heaven. We longed for a union of spirits and a love that would cover the earth, But saw not the need for your passion to sanctify us in the truth. You came and prayed in our hearing, a prayer to the Father of love A prayer, united with action, to establish a people of God. All power was yours to […]

Time Time is heaven’s gift And when received as such Retains its aspect of Unhurried love—eternal. Each given moment then Need not be rushed with fretfulness As though it were a shrinking space, but rather, Filled with Father’s grace for all. Such love found space in Christ To touch each one he met, Until the glory came, and death, And everlasting Love embraced all time. This love now reigns Until he comes and shows That all faith’s deeds in time Have been eternal. So starts God’s love in me, With patience. And may it ever flow Unbroken, from above, in […]

The Sideways Look The sideways look… How burdensome to mind and heart! What terrors when one’s fate Hangs in the uneven balance Of what is happening in Another’s life. Ah Lord To me is given Life and love and every good Straight from your cross and ascended power Love, pure love, for me And shall I then complain? Now may I well look sideways Not to gain from peer’s uncertainties To counter mine, but To look upon their gain and loss As gain and loss of mine And ornament the honour given them. Grant Thorpe; 1990 The Sideways Look (PDF)