New Creation
New Creation
Behold through Christ Jesus you are a new creation. Old things are passed away; all things are become new. [2 Corinthians 5:17]
Sweet straw in stable, manure and cobwebs,
Shadows of lamp and nestling beasts,
Armloads of fresh hay bedded in manger,
Shelter and home, night of stars and of peace.
First tightenings, water gushes.
Groans of pain, all else hushes.
Mother by God’s will, Fathered by Spirit,
In deep rhythms of travail, hands by man gripped.
Building waves opening; deep release through heart,
Babe within stirs, bones yield and part.
Child’s head cresting then body unfolds,
As Body from body, man new life beholds.
Water, blood gushes: babe is born.
Water, blood gushes: Son’s side is torn.
This Life Incarnate, so life incarnates:
Holy birth: Birth is holy.
Souls in travail; guts wrenching, hearts throbbing,
Eyes gushing water, bleeding soul-wounds.
Babe stirs within us, Fathered by Spirit,
New life unfolding, soul freed, Joy releasing.
His Life Incarnate, so life incarnates:
Holy Birth: Birth is Holy.
bhi 2001, 2002, 2014
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Behold through Christ Jesus you are a new creation. Old things are passed away; all things are become new. [2 Corinthians 5:17]
Sweet straw in stable, manure and cobwebs,
Shadows of lamp and nestling beasts,
Armloads of fresh hay bedded in manger,
Shelter and home, night of stars and of peace.
First tightenings, water gushes.
Groans of pain, all else hushes.
Mother by God’s will, Fathered by Spirit,
In deep rhythms of travail, hands by man gripped.
Building waves opening; deep release through heart,
Babe within stirs, bones yield and part.
Child’s head cresting then body unfolds,
As Body from body, man new life beholds.
Water, blood gushes: babe is born.
Water, blood gushes: Son’s side is torn.
This Life Incarnate, so life incarnates:
Holy birth: Birth is holy.
Souls in travail; guts wrenching, hearts throbbing,
Eyes gushing water, bleeding soul-wounds.
Babe stirs within us, Fathered by Spirit,
New life unfolding, soul freed, Joy releasing.
His Life Incarnate, so life incarnates:
Holy Birth: Birth is Holy.
bhi 2001, 2002, 2014
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Morning By Morning New Mercies I See...
A favourite from childhood...!
Hear it sung by St Olaf's Choir on YouTube
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Thomas O. Chisholm
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided--
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Thomas O. Chisholm
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided--
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
