love – Page 9 – words from wick

1 Peter 2:19-25

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Wick

It is a sign of grace
If you suffer while doing right
But if you suffer while doing wrong
There’s no reason for you to fight

We don’t do what’s asked of us
In order to pay Caesar’s price
We walk forward humbly in Love
To reveal the Love of Christ

We don’t shake our fist and declare
“Jesus sets us free!
From following laws of men and so
We can live disobediently!”

But if, when showing love
Or offering unmerited grace
We find ourselves being cast aside
Or even just losing face

We look to our example
Christ – who did no wrong
Even though loving others
Put Him in chains He didn’t belong

He endured through suffering
Without demanding His rights
He trusted realities we couldn’t see
When others called Him to fight

By His wounds we have been healed
We, sheep who’d gone astray
So instead of asking “how can I be free?”
We’d ask “how can I Love?” today.

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Wick

We see the mighty shepherd
Rejoice over His sheep
He sings over His flock with Love
Where no predators can creep

But sometimes He shifts His focus
To one whose wandered away
They didn’t stay within the flock
Or listen to what He’d say

His Loving heart compels Him
To go and seek the one
Even after much time has passed
And setting of the sun

His work He won’t have given up
He continues to pursue
No matter whether the sheep turns out
To be a lamb, a ram, or ewe

His eyes filled with emotion
He looks wherever He can
For losing even a single sheep
Wasn’t in His plan

The other sheep grow restless
Safely in their pen
They stamp their hooves indignantly
For the Shepherd to return again

We’ve heard the illustration
Perhaps one too many times
For we too quickly dismiss the fact
We may not be the ninety-nine…

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Wick

The problem with finding you’re “chosen”
It makes you wonder who was not
And for this early new “people”
They needed reminded, a lot

It wasn’t that they didn’t have family
Each one had a mom and a dad
But following Jesus made each one let go
Of identities they previously had

Set free from what used to give them
Their bearings among so many others
It was good to remind them they now had
A plethora of sisters and brothers

This wasn’t some new way of being
That God just decided to try
This was what He’d been doing
Since Abraham and Moses came by

To be part of God’s “chosen people”
Even living far off among strangers
Gave important and real identity
As they worshipped the king from a manger

So now as a people shown mercy
Live as people from light marvelous
Turn away from the dark desires of flesh
Be encouraged, that you’re one with us.

Though they malign you as “different”
I assure you “different” is good
It sets you apart as one who is living
As God’s own royal priesthood.