Tag: Lamentations 3:21-26

Into the Fog of Gloomy Gray

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Two red flags waving on the shore
Change to white signaling a love no more
Marking where two lovers once guarded their castle strong
But wave after wave it eroded away
And now it is gone

Where no ocean breeze brings relief
Where no moonlit tide rests the mind
Separated and drifting further away
Gone, into the fog of gloomy gray
Into the fog of gloomy gray

No sunny, long walks on the beach
Only fists full of mist left within reach
No strong storms brewing in the eyes of tangled up hearts
Just emotional waves hiding day after day
Pushing them apart

Where no ocean breeze brings relief
Where no moonlit tide rests the mind
Separated and drifting further away
Gone, into the fog of gloomy gray
Into the fog of gloomy gray

Behind the lines

Red flag marriages going separate ways and all the cloudy emotions that follow.

But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him (Lamentations 3:21-24).”

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Closer to You

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It’s a new day, what comes my way,
What do You have in store for me?
Blue skies or rain, great joy or pain,
What do You have in store?

Every morning mercies are new,
Living one day closer to You.

Lord, draw me nearer every day,
Draw me closer to You,
Show me the way,
Show me the way,
Draw me closer to You.

When all seems wrong, I’m not alone,
You are there in mercy and love,
Though my heart aches, Your grace shapes me,
For I am in Your love.

Take me, change me, teach me,
Guide me, and correct me,
Draw me closer to You.

Behind the lines

(Lamentations 3:21-41 ESV)

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust—there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults.

For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth, to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High, to subvert a man in his lawsuit, the Lord does not approve.

Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!  Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.

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Morning Hymns

One of my favorite times to write is early in the morning.

One of my favorite devotionals is Morning and Evening: A New Edition of the Classic Devotional Based on The Holy Bible, English Standard Version by C.H. Spurgeon.

One of my favorite Bible passages is Lamentations 3:21-26.

And some of my favorite morning hymns to read (yes, I like to read old hymns) were written or translated by John Brownlie (1857-1925).

While Brownlie is not well-known, he devoted much of his life to writing and translating hymns. You can read a short biography here. Toward the bottom of the page you will see several of his works available to download for free in PDF format. For instance, the Hymns of the Apostolic Church.

What I enjoy most about Brownlie’s hymn collection is the way he categorizes them into topics. He often has a Morning category, plus an Index of First Lines.

Below is a morning hymn from the Hymns of the Apostolic Church.

I
The morn awakes; from eastern hills
The golden light creation fills;
And arrows chase the night that flies
Before the ever-brightening skies.
II
The morn awakes; up, soul of mine,
And, like the morn, in beauty shine;
Strong, as the high-ascending sun,
Thy race of duty boldly run.
III
Night for the weary comes at length;
Morn gives the soul the needed strength;
Light shall thy path encircling, cheer,
And melt each lingering cloud of fear.
IV
O Light of lights, when night descends,
And brooding fear my life attends,
Shew to my soul, that night departs
When morning trims her glowing darts.
V
O Christ, Who art my Better Sun,
Bright shines the day with Thee begun;
No terror can the mind oppress,
Nor cloud th’ aspiring soul distress.
VI
To Thee, O glorious Light of light,
Be honour paid when morn is bright;
To Father, and to Spirit blest,
Be glory every day exprest.

Here’s a link to one of my own Morning Songs.

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