Voices

This voice in me
Too silent has been,
When
Realities demand confrontation!
This weapon... My declarations
Of Heaven's realities
Descending...
Here on earth
As it is in Heaven!
This voice...
Will it fill the gap?
Will its fragrance
Invade spiritual atmospheres?...
Placing a demand
On promises declared
From the lips
Of our Great High Priest,
Our Ever-living Intercessor,
Standing in the gap
For every transgressor,
Gracious Shepherd,
Born to us
In Father's likeness
Exact.
Representing Abba,
Advocating our redemption
Through life laid down,
Voice lifted up,
Bringing many sons to glory!
Unashamed to call us His
Brothers and sisters!
This voice...
Who with cries loud,
Learned obedience
Through suffering.
Entrusted perfect life
To Death's sentence...
For us.
Our sin,
Mistrust.
Our lack...
Disgust.
Our denials,
So many.
Words misused,
Privilege abused
For selfish gain...
Yet He remains
Forever the same.
Great I Am.
Ever Present One.
In Your presence
We are undone.
Void of defenses...
Naked and bare
Before your gaze.
Your voice
We hear...
And tremble.
Holy fear
Consuming us once more.
Shaking our floor.
Bringing us low...
Humility's security,
Our safe place to be.
Yoked to you,
Gentle and Humble
Lover of Our Souls.
Burden-bearer...
Carrier of all our griefs,
Every sorrow.
Your voice-
Beloved to our ears!
Your words-
Our prayers!
A sword,
Double-edged,
Cutting through
To heart's intentions...
Motivations.
Piercing through
To hidden things
In need of reckoning
Your word-
Living and active
Discerner.
Reconciler
Of every wrong
And reviler.
Your word-
A blade
Cutting through,
Making new
The foul landscape
Of our soul...
Now whole.
Our voice-
His!
Declaring praise!
In darkness
We raise
Declarations loud!
Our hearts not proud,
As weaned child,
Low.
Humble we go...
Reaching for realities,
Seated
In Heaven's sphere,
Drawing near
In worship...
Here, we hear
Your heart,
Your sound resound
Shaking Heaven,
Shaking earth.
Consuming Fire
Breaking through
What we do
In Spirit and Truth...
Releasing the sound
Of many waters
On dry ground.
Every tribe and tongue
A sound
Rising up!
This voice- Eternal!
Through the ages
Singing still!
Father's will,
Turning hearts
Once again!
Healing sound!
On barren ground,
Flowing down,
Bringing hearts
Alive again!
Resurrection!
Father's turning
To each child,
Child to Father,
Reconciled!
This Voice-
Surely
It does render
Every enemy
Conquered
No more time for silence,
No!
If God is God-
Declare it so!
The Spirit and the Bride
Cry come!
Let Your perfect will be done!
Prepare our hearts!
Send your rain!
Let Your voice
Be heard again!

Rearrange

I've searched my heart
From many angles,
My analysis
Just strangles.
Not one view
Has helped me see
What Your eyes know
Already...
The depths of me.
Naked. Bare...
Of every secret thing,
Aware...
And yet,
Your stare
Does not undo me...
Instead,
You woo me
To desires deep,
To abandon all.
Unashamed,
To knees I fall!
I let Your gaze
Transform. Amaze!
Remove the haze.
Reveal Your ways.
Rearrange
My heart,
My days.
Enter in
To every room
With wind,
And broom.
Sweep away
The cluttered space.
Fill anew
The barren place
With You...
Rearrange
My brokenness.
From ashes raise
Garments of praise!
From mourning,
A spirit rejoicing!
Rearrange
From heaviness,
A heart furnished
With thankfulness!
Rearrange
The depths of me...
Cleanse every prideful
Snare You see.
In every dark
And hidden place
Shine Your face!
Pour Your grace!
Rearrange
My thinking room.
Make my thoughts, Yours,
Your mind, my home.
My every thought
A captive make,
To obey,
For Jesus' sake!
Rearrange
My heart's affections.
Cast away
These vain attentions
Stealing all the strength in me.
Loose me from their tyranny!
Rearrange
My yielded heart.
Resurrect
In every part
All Your life,
Alive in me!
Jesus, come
And set me free!

Rest

Unsettled soul, be still
Still waters can reveal
A greener place to rest
The pulsing of my chest

Your strivings won't create
A quiet place to wait
My Kingdom comes by grace
To those who seek my face

It's costly to ignore
Your soul's insistent war
Though offerings are sweet
Right here at my feet

My knockings won't relent
On you my life is spent
Prepared, an unveiled way
To sup with me today

Though enemies surround
My table, rich, is found
Prepared for you this day
A banquet in the fray

In every heart laid low
My quiet rest will know
Where weary warriors heal
My strategies reveal

Not in your might, my love,
Can these great mountains move
But by my Spirit shall
Every giant fall!

Come away, my bride
Let your heart imbibe
The richness of my heart
Drink deep of every part

Remain in me, my lover,
Abide with me forever
It's here upon my breast
That you will find your rest!

Who Is This?

Who Is This? by Beth Sheldon

Who is this?...

Asleep in storms,

Commanding wind

And waves to calm?

Appealing to small faith in me,

To recognize...

Who is He?

This Master of

Creation's power,

Boarding ships

In darkest hour,

Declaring peace

And stillness reign

Where fear grips,

Threatening to remain.

Undisturbed in heart,

He speak

At His command

The darkness flees...

And all this raging

In my soul

Comes to rest

In His control.

Resistance

Resistance by Beth Sheldon. What was I thinking With all this resistance?.. Time does not wait For stewardship of a life... Even mine. Time... It marches Relentlessly on, Respecting not My stalling heart. Revering not The doubting part That will not stand in faith And do That which it was Created to. This day, I have. A gift from You. To do What I'm Designed to do. To deal the death blow To my doubt! To breathe You in, And let You out!

Here, My Heart...

Here... My heart.
Strangled,struggling,
Fumbling for words.
Like an infant...
Full of feeling,
Yet void of speech.
Screaming needy cries,
Clamoring for answers,
Demanding a reason
For this season...
Fists clenched.
Entrenched.
Wanting to run,
To be undone
In the safety of
Your love.
Your eternal arms,
Wrapping up my messiness,
Hushing up my stress,
Wooing me back
From this wilderness.
You...
To quiet my mind,
Like a flitting bird,
Shhh, Be still...
And know...
I want to know.
I do.
To come and roost,
Still and protected,
In the shadow
Of Your wing.
Still.
Unstirred by storms.
Under Your feathers,
Warm...
And secure.
Sure You are here...
Ever near.
To nestle close
To Your beating breast
And be at rest.
No longer wrestle
Against this journey
Of Your design.
I am Yours.
You are mine.
I'm allowed here...
With You.
Welcomed, even!
Longed for!
The distance
Was mine to choose.
Mine, to lose
The fellowship of Your nearness,
Intimate and right.
Mine, to lose sight
Of the Good.
To feel misunderstood.
To see... the Lie,
Agree... and die.
Misinformed
Of True Love's grace
Convinced of an image
That's not Your face...
Assenting by degrees
To the perversion
Of You...
Who changes not!
Who fails not!
Who always protects!
Always trusts!
Always perseveres!
Who kindly nears
My bleeding heart,
Not to scorn,
But gently warn
And woo
My wounded heart
To the warmth
Of fiery Love!
To unveil mysteries,
Hidden deep,
Yet never found
By those who sleep...
Awake, my soul!
Spirit, run!
Into the One,
To be one,
One Spirit with Him,
Source of Wisdom...
Hidden,
Un-earthly,
Not of this world,
But for
All bleeding hearts
Opened to
True Love's redemption.
I, for one,
Want to be
Chief among hearts
Choosing this Door!

Scars

These marks... windows on wounds that tell a tale, weave a history on me that cannot be erased. Skin's interruptions... hemming in the broken places, where blood gushed out. Places where I stop and stare, remember where the pain came in... uninvited.

Some are hidden from your view, others, I can't hide from you. Every day I wear their marks, milky white against my skin, where pain came in.

We can meet and who can say what goes through your mind that day, when eyes first meet their queer distraction... should I speak, or you take action? I don't know, but either way, it matters.

Do I look up from self-absorption long enough to see the skin that you are in and recognize how much we share? Do I? ... cross the chasm of my fear long enough to let you hear my story...

Am I?... faithful with these marks I bear, on soul or skin, to let you in, recounting reasons they are there?
Am I?... still with breath to tell the tale, thankful for the Life that did not fail to rescue me?

Will I?... risk the ridicule He bore, to keep alive an open door He made for me...
Opportunity.