A shepherds story

I’ve been asked to tell you about that night. You must excuse me as I’m not used to public speaking, as you know I’m just a shepherd, but I must admit us guys haven’t been able to stop talking about that night ever since.

It started off a fairly normal evening. We were up on the high pasture and it was a beautiful clear night. One of those nights out on the hills where you can just about feel God’s presence out there with my sheep and a few mates with their sheep too. My wife, Esther, often laughed as I went out the door ‘you prefer those sheep and those hills than my bed and the kids for company.” Truth be told I often did miss her and the kids, it could be lonely and cold up there, but this night I wouldn’t have been anywhere else, it was just one of those nights, hard to explain to you town folk really.

My mates and I all agreed we were glad to get out of Bethlehem, our hometown, that night. It was crowded out because of this stupid Roman census thing. Just so peaceful up here. Us shepherds confided with each other we felt much closer to God up here than we ever did in the hubbub of the Temple in Jerusalem. Those priests strutted about often arguing over some finer points of law. Seemed to us shepherds their only real concern, as my mate said, was to have control in their hands and their hands on our money. I guess I knew one or two good genuine priests, but they were vastly outnumbered. It paid to keep our feelings to ourselves though for our flock supplied many of the sacrificial lambs used at the Temple. My real hero of faith was King David, he had been a shepherd on these very hills hundreds of years before. Hard to believe really. Anyway……

We were all just relaxing, the day was done, and one of the guys had been quietly playing his zither and we had ended up singing our favourite of King David’s Psalms. ” the Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing, he makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters……….” Then we had all gone strangely silent. There was this bright star it seemed straight above us this night. We had noticed it before getting gradually brighter, for a few months now, but this night it seemed right there. You could almost feel it.

As we sat there all deep in our own thoughts my mind went back to last year’s Passover, about nine months ago now. I had often relived that weekend wondering what I could have done better. Bit of a long story, but that spring a young first lamber had had twins and couldn’t feed them both. I had taken the weakest down home and my daughter Miriam had fostered it. They became inseparable, Miriam named him Danny and he would follow Miriam everywhere through the village. In the end, Danny had to go back to the hills with the other sheep, and whenever she could Miriam would come out with me to meet up with Danny.

Unfortunately, Danny was a firstborn male lamb and so was highly prized by the priests especially for our Passover festival. I admit I fudged it a bit with Miriam saying Danny was off on a journey of a lifetime.

That weekend Esther and I, with Miriam, and Abel headed into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and meet up with friends and family. The idea was to leave Esther and Miriam at my cousins while Abel and I would go onto the Temple. But my worst fears unfolded. Around the street corner came some sheep herded by the temple servants. They were hopeless with the sheep. Anyway who should be among the sheep but Danny, and he and Miriam seemed to instantly spy each other. Danny bolted out of the sheep straight for Miriam, bleating all the way. One of the temple guys came rushing after him cursing, then dragged Danny back who was now really doing everything he could to escape. Miriam was inconsolable. She now knew what Danny’s fate was. I left her sobbing at my cousin’s with her Mum, Esther, looking daggers at me.

Abel and I went on up to the temple, I just couldn’t get into it. Lambs bleating, the blood, of innocent lambs, it all seemed so unfair to me on that day. Nobody seemed to care for the lambs, they were just “sacrifices” some meat. Yet I knew Danny was one of them. Danny, who was so trusting, so part of our family.

We left for home and picked up Esther and Miriam on the way. Miriam would not look at me, Refused to talk all the way home. I went in that night and sat on the side of her bed, she turned her back and faced the wall. I was glad in a way as how could I explain that Moses had asked us to sacrifice a lamb. It just seemed so wrong, cattle maybe I could understand, a bear or a lion that would be so much more dramatic. But a lamb that totally relies on our protection, is so vulnerable, so trusting. Just didn’t seem right to me.

Must admit, since that Passover I never went back to the Temple again. I just found I was struggling with the whole concept that an innocent lamb should have to pay the price for us to be rescued from slavery. My son Abel he loved studying, more like his Mum I guess, had his favourite teachers in the Temple, he rationalised it to me. But guess now my only place of true peace, and worship if you like, was out there on those hills where God truly did seem omnipresent. I was deep in my thoughts when………………..

When it happened a bright light shone down right around us. Then what I could only call an angel appeared, hard to describe really. It totally freaked us guys out. Then the angel said”fear not for I bring you good news and great joy for all people for today in David’s town a Saviour has been born to you. The Messiah, the Lord. And this is the proof you will find him wrapped up and in a manger.

Seemed so confusing. But then suddenly the whole of heaven opened up and we all saw a great choir of angels singing for all they were worth, seemed not just to us but to all of creation, the whole world, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests.

We were stunned. We all looked each other in utter amazement and quickly decided let’s go down to Bethlehem and see this thing that the Lord has told us about.

When we got there we found it just as had been said, Mary the mother with the baby in a manger!

Made me realise God does work His purposes out even with the weak and vulnerable. Amazing.

Anyway, I can tell you each of us shepherds spent the next few days talking about nothing else but about all we had seen and heard. Everybody around town was amazed and wondered what it all meant.

Mary’s story

Hi,

I’m a bit shy about telling you all about what happened that first Christmas, but I know this whole thing is much bigger than me. In fact to be honest, while I think it is amazing that God chose me I feel so inadequate and unworthy.

But I do need to tell you how it all happened. I was going about with my, you have to say very normal life in our village of Nazareth. Although it had been quite an exciting few months for me personally. My parents had decided it was time for me to get married and I had become engaged to Joseph a carpenter in the village.. He was older than me but I liked him and knew I would grow to love him. I was looking forward to having my own home and starting a family with Joseph.

Then, totally unexpected, shortly after we were engaged, I had this amazing experience.

A man appeared before me. I later realised he was the angel Gabriel but at the time I got such a fright. However, he seemed really nice, not threatening at all, as he told me not to be afraid. That I was highly favoured, can you believe? Then he told me something that shocked me to the core. I was going to be pregnant with a baby boy who was to be named Jesus. I said how can this be? I have never been with a man, I’m a virgin?

He told me my child would, it sounded like, be the special person we had often talked about who God would one day send to our nation. That was just too “out there” for me to comprehend at that time. All I could say was “I am the Lord’s servant”. He seemed to understand and told me that my old cousin Elisabeth who had for so long longed for a baby was now pregnant in her old age! Nothing was too hard for the Lord.

Wow, I was stunned. I didn’t know what to do or who to tell. Mum and Dad realised that night I was in a bit of a state. But how could I tell them? It just seemed to be too “out there”. In the end, I went and told Joseph, I could see his eyes glaze over, couldn’t blame him, must admit I struggled to believe what was happening?

In a panic I announced I must visit my cousin Elizabeth, the angel had hinted that could be a good idea. So Mum helped me pack, I could see she was worried, and off I went. It was a two-day trip so I had time to gather my thoughts. I was nervous as I knocked on Elizabeth’s door, she was a lot older than me and her husband Zechariah was a priest at the temple. I just didn’t know where else to go.

Wow, you just heard Elizabeth’s account, I can tell you her welcome that day was as though God was speaking directly to me. It made me realise God has no favourites, that His purposes will be worked out no matter how insignificant the rest of the world may see you. Elizabeth and I were ecstatic with praise as we both realised that God was working through us and in us to achieve His purposes.

It was such a relief to be able to talk openly and frankly with someone who understood. Zechariah her husband, just stood around silently smiling, for some reason he could not talk the whole time I was there. But Elizabeth was a Godsend, so wise. She encouraged me and advised me on how to cope when I got back to Nazareth. I knew there would be many questions asked, spoken and unspoken. I was now obviously pregnant. Elizabeth said there are some things others will never understand, you cannot explain, but God will direct your paths.

Then she sent me on my way, I couldn’t help thinking what would Joseph have been thinking all this time. He was such a good and righteous man. I knew it was out of the question for him to now marry me. Oh well, I kept telling myself, Elizabeth had said God won’t fail me He will have His perfect plan in place.

Well, you know, it was true! Even before I got home Joseph heard I was on my way and met me about two miles out of town. He made me sit down under the shade of a tree and told me what had happened to him. He had come to the conclusion that he would have to quietly call off our marriage when he too had been visited by an angel telling him in no uncertain terms that he was to carry on as before. What a massive relief that was for me.

He just absolutely knew now that whatever it may appear to others he was going to hold his head high and do the right thing as he saw it. They were not our judge he told me God was. So we held hands and walked into Nazareth together. Although there was no doubt a few sniggers behind my back, as it happened, possibly because Joseph had such an upstanding and “righteous” reputation, although they couldn’t really fathom, nobody confronted the issue either.

Anyway four months later I was nearly due, it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Joseph and I had to travel back to Bethlehem because that is where our families came from. It was for some Roman census and all people had to be registered.

We loaded the donkey and me and arrived in Bethlehem with crowds of others. King David by now had lots of descendants. Consequently, everything was booked out, but Joseph was determined to find a roof over our heads. In the end, the innkeeper agreed to us using his stable. It was actually quite snug, just us and a few animals, mainly sheep. It was a beautiful starlight night, I will always remember that night, just Joseph and I, and the animals, it seemed surreal, like heaven on earth.

But then I couldn’t believe it, the baby was coming, wasn’t God in control? Surely this special baby wasn’t to be born out the back of an Inn in a stable? Ridiculous.

There was no stopping baby Jesus he had decided this was the time and place and while it seemed quite a while to me Joseph says it was no time at all and I had this little squirmy baby boy in my arms looking up into my eyes.

Elizabeths story

I can tell you I have to pinch myself to be sure this last year has not been just a dream. I’m a bit reticent to tell others, it all seems so surreal really. But I will try and tell you because I know you are all fellow believers, friends and neighbours, and have known my struggles in life.

It all started over a year ago. Zechariah and I were going about our lives, just like you, knowing our God, but feeling pretty despondent we have to admit. We just didn’t feel blessed what with the Romans and all that. On top of that as you all know one of the greatest blessings a wife can have is to bear her husband a child. For years I had felt one day God would bless me, and Zech, with a baby boy, but by now I had come to accept it was just not my lot. I was well past the age where that was going to happen.

But then…….then it happened! You have probably all heard the gossip. Well, it is true, most of it anyway. Unbelievable really. My husband you see, drew the lot, a special privilege, to go into the temple’s inner sanctuary, and there he had this “encounter” I guess you would say with an angel. Freaky really, totally freaked Zech, but what was even more mind-blowing for Zech was he was told he would have a child within the year? He, understandably really, struggled to believe this was possible. We had over the years been left so disillusioned and disappointed after well-intentioned people had said they believed God would give us a boy. But this, you have to say was different, the angel said he was Gabriel, how dare he question.

Anyway, Zech came out of the temple after quite some time like a stunned mullet. Couldn’t speak for the whole nine months I was pregnant. But we both knew something special was about to happen. Our child was going to be a special child somehow in God’s purposes. It was hard to explain to you lot. I think you all knew too it was special, it had to be, me having a child at my age?

But that’s not all. About seven months into my pregnancy, out of the blue, a young cousin of mine, Mary, who lived way up in Nazareth, Galilee, arrived at my door. I realised she was pregnant but before I could say anything the baby inside of me gave this almighty kick. It seemed to me he was leaping for joy. And it was catchy. I just couldn’t help myself. I felt so overwhelmed with praise to our God, for somehow I felt that Mary’s baby was the promise we had all longed for. Mary also sensed it, for I suspect she had spent many a night of lonely pondering. Now she sang out in amazement, in freedom, as she voiced her amazement that our God would look down on such inconspicuous, lowly women like us and use us to achieve the unthinkable.

Oh, what a great couple of months we had together before she had to head home to Nazareth.

Then my baby was born, you know the story. They all expected us to name him at least after his grandad, who had recently died, if not Zechariah, but Zech wrote down, no, his name is John.

Zech right then got his tongue back, and you couldn’t shut him up, going about praising God for all the things He was about to do.

But then I heard about Mary’s baby, and the amazing birth scene. But I’ll leave Mary to tell you all about that.

What happened that day in Bethlehem

that even today many struggle to believe.

A baby, born in a stable, to lowly Mary?

Change the world? To hard to conceive.

Yet today 2000 years later the whole world,

stops, as we celebrate this day.

Many deriding, openly disclaiming, yet,

it’s still called “Christ”mas whatever they say.

The detractors protecting their own interests,

just like that first Christmas time.

Others too busy with life’s pleasures and demands,

to them life seems okay, just fine.

But on that day their were some who were told

something of what was about to take place.

From all spectra’s of life, yet each able to see

something special, each in their very own space.

And so it is today, as we each go about life.

All on a journey that is particularly our own.

We want so much more of what is promised.

Often feel empty, disillusioned, quietly we moan.

Yet Bethlehem shows us God has no barriers,

no blockages, as he visit us here on earth.

For Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph,

The shepherds and Wiseman all saw Jesus’s birth.

So God can reveal himself to each one of us

and come quietly knocking at our door.

Or be to our world shattering, challenging,

so profound, shake us to the very core.

Bethlehem tells us every participant had to leave

Their own peaceful life, and inhibitions far behind.

As each shown baby Jesus was something extraordinary,

something special, absolutely one of a kind.

It is today no different. Amazing, that this Jesus,

who has profoundly changed the world we live in

Yet so many are totally ignorant of that baby

born so inconspicuously behind Bethlehem Inn.

Not acceptable politically, religiously,

or to the comfortably ensconced in their own lives.

Yet deriding Herod, the Priests, Inn Keeper,

or those oblivious children, husbands and wives.

So let’s not be surprised when this world again,

tries to ignore that momentous event.

For Bethlehem shows through each individual

this truly amazing message was sent.

Our world once again is silent. Ignoring who he was.

Or often with very open disdain.

Yet we will join together, just like those angels.

And shout to all creation, our joyous acclaim.

Long ago history tells us Egypt led the world, in might, and in art.

All peoples envied Egypt, all powerful, rich, and seemingly so smart.

Amazing architecture, great food, pomp, and ceremony, for all to see.

World looked in wonder, as nothing seemed beyond their ability.

From around the world they came to share the bounty, was their thought.

Chose to stay in a land offering a life of ease, security, and comfort.

But, was not not long as so often has proved the case.

Enslaved they all became to the master race.

Life of ease distant memory, now slavery was their lot in life.

Working hard just to please. Reaped just bitterness and strife.

Ancient memories, being special, crowed out by problems oh so many.

Promised hope all forlorn. The world’s most powerful now their enemy.

Seemed so set the ways of man, secure in knowledge, might and power.

No stopping this Egyptian might to continue, to blossom and to flower.

Then one day, came from nowhere, seemed to those who did observe.

Something new was happening, still a mystery, hidden around the curve.

This master race was called, to give account, history does record.

No longer to enslave, were told, to ignore they could ill afford.

Refusing to let those people go, consequences obvious for all to see.

This nation so proud, obstinate, powerful, suddenly buckling at the knee.

Proud history of always overcoming, whatever problem whatever foe.

How dare these people come and demonstrate, demand they want to go.

All they valued was gradually stripped, from a people rich in every way.

Finally to admit those slaves they so mistreated , would have the final say.

From adversity, a new nation now to leave things of Egypt far behind.

Exciting journey to the promised land. What their leaders had in mind.

Pyramids, ancient tombs, lost culture of Egypt, have we not all read.

Now taught a better code of values, will stand them in much better stead

.World looks today to that time for wisdom, justice, and for guidance.

To a God who rescued, who promised much, when followed in abeyance.

Yet Egypt? All forgotten now it seemed all that abuse , pain and hurt.

Tasty food, plentiful water, city streets. Want out of journey in this desert.

Yearning for yesteryear, comfort and security under a powerful king.

Living by faith, obeying all these rules, in a desert. Really not their thing.

The determined, after facing many challenges, in their journey of hope.

Crossed into the promised land. Had learnt, only in God could they cope.

A new nation born. Taking over all that had been promised long ago.

These people could conquer the world. Bravely battling every foe.

Except. Except there still was those memories, of exciting land of Egypt.

Enticing, of long ago refuge, security. Pride, arrogance really their script.

This nation of hope and promise, went right back where they came from.

A sad story of man’s inability to stay strong, and weather every storm.

In history we have seen it all happen. A people lose all that was gained.

Destroyed, with their opulence greed and abuse. Whole society stained.

Wonder of “Egypt” still bedazzle. Too often to the unwary a snare.

Signs so obvious, wrongs blatant, for all to see, beware. BEWARE!

Must ask the question, so painful, to acknowledge,and to openly say.

Has America and our society been called to account? Lost our way?

Pornography, abuse, greed, injustice, racial tension, to name a few.

Pandemic, floods, fires, droughts, wars, climate change, world in a stew

Sport, riches and fame no longer our need. Gone are those heady days.

Paying the price it seems, forgotten fathers hard work, all of their ways?

New order coming from this confusing world of this past agonising year.

New vision, new ethics, it is time to change. It is abundantly clear.

Once again man has proved enticement of “Egypt” has destoyed.

What believed and hoped for. Peace, prosperity what our fathers enjoyed.

Let us sit, watch, and observe, out of ashes, oppression and strife.

A new people crush the giants in the land. Have a new vision in life.

As they journey through life, they, will possess the “promised land.”

Defeating slothfulness, greed, abuse, perversion, envy ,they make a stand.

Piety, love, goodness, kindness, acceptance, hope, they have in sight.

What was before destroying itself. Old ways have now lost the fight.

Struggling to survive, their ways not what the world wants to see.

They decline into obscurity, worlds changing right before you and me.

Not heeding lesson of Egypt like so many other great empires.

Sad to say, as we watch their influence now gradually expires.

We are part of this society facing loss and failure in our land.

Everyman a judge unto himself, seeking riches in sinking sand.

Looking vainly for king who will rescue, from self-inflicted woe.

Yet, it is true, as I have lived in this world, one thing I do know.

God has a plan from this failure, consternation, and lost hope.

Whatever is happening in this world I know he will help me cope.

As his purpose is worked out, creator of all things, his plan in place.

May I hear one day ,well done good faithful servant, as I run my own race.

Perhaps, as I fear the whole world will be ruptured, torn to the core.

Then the remnant, the faithful, may hear knocking on their door.

A new vista, the old has now gone, Hope restored.

Disaster acknowledged for all that it was. Salvation restored.

Asaw Miller

Dear Israel Folau, could you please read this my letter.
Though rich and famous, and probably know better.
You see I believe the bible, and are convinced it is true.
Dear Israel, I am sure you are convinced , just as I am too.
So I have been thinking about all that has been said.
What Christ would have said, about this whole issue instead?
I do recall a similar situation that Jesus had to face.
Her accusers caught this woman, and had an infallible case.
Israel, Jesus turned the spotlight off the woman don’t you see?
God’s glaring spotlight now turned squarely on just you and me.
Her faults no longer my biggest concern, or indeed worry.
So much in this life lived, I now admit, I feel need to say sorry.
Sorry to God, and sorry to all those people I have not cared for.
If I had to front up to, all my faults, I’d be shaken to the core.
For not understanding people who were born a different way.
Vision so limited, my knowledge so learnt. What is really okay?
Dear Israel, I know that it is true that our God demands justice.
If you and I stood in His courtroom , sorry just would not suffice.
The good news, as hard as it might be for us “sinners” to believe.
Our God does not judge as we do, hard as it may be to conceive.
Otherwise not one of us would be able to escape your fiery hell.
That Jesus paid the price, justice has been done, is the story tell.
Dear Israel, please use your fame and fortune more wisely is my plea.
You will be amazed how our loving God can change the world we see.
You are famous now, but he will use each one of us in a special way.
To live in this world of diversity, and to say to each other, you’re okay.
Asaw Miller

Old decrepit cabbage tree 
there in my garden foreshore.
 Spoiling view, or thing of beauty.
I'm really not so sure?
Some say its past its best, 
cut it down, can't you see?
I fondly look at my cabbage tree and say, 
just let it be.
Last winter, and the one before,
a branch lost its leaves and died.
Oh my cabbage tree please don't give up, 
you are my mate I cried.
Its winter time,  again it faces 
 salt laden polar blast.
Isolated and alone it stands, 
waits for spring to come at last.
Spring came, from hidden strength stored up, 
my cabbage tree
joins in nature as new life comes forth. 
Amazing flowers for all to see.
Those dead old branches from winter, 
and the one before, still there.
Special to my old  cabbage tree, twisted branches, 
so stark and bare.
Summer comes and some would say my cabbage flowers 
point the way.
Tell us what lies ahead. How dry future summer will be. 
They do say.
My cabbage tree has no such fear
  bright shimmering green leaves now come out.
New branches on which pussy climbs, and birds enjoy, 
and  play about.
Autumn comes, my cabbage tree seems satisfied, 
at its peaceful best.
Quietly unnoticed by passing world it now 
prepares for winter test.
The symmetry and beauty of my old cabbage tree 
too easy just to miss.
Can only be understood and felt by those closest, 
like a lovers kiss.
As I gaze out past cabbage tree and admire seascapes 
changing mood.
It is my cabbage tree I keep coming back to, 
that others have just pu-hooed.
Dear old cabbage tree if you could talk 
I would ask you how and why?
Winters blast did nearly kill 
part of you did suffer, and did die. 
Why does that dead part still cling to you 
so much later I must ask?
Reminding of your defeat in winter woes
 as you struggled with the task.
Drop those dead branches that serve no purpose? 
And do not look that smart.
Though  I often admire them, silhouetted there.
Somehow they do look the part?
There amongst fresh new growth
when are you going to let them go?
A failure for all the world to see.
Your vulnerability,  does it need to show?
Beautiful flowers and lush green leaves
we all like to see.
Not sure want to be reminded of
obvious failures in me.
Yet it is true that things of beauty
we most love and admire.
Often have major blemishes, that add to
somehow to inspire.
And so it is my old cabbage tree 
is a picture of beauty to me .
Reminds me people still admire  though, 
failures so obvious  to see
Some hopes dead, battered and bruised,
yes sometimes feeling forlorn.
yet survived each test life threw up
Victorious over winter storm
by Asaw Miller 

Many have taken the Christian faith to be a simple and easy matter,  And even numbered it among the virtues.  This is because they have not really experienced it, nor have tested the great strength of faith.        Martin Luther

Thou the fig tree does not bud, and there is no grapes on the vine . Thou the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food. There are no sheep in the pen or cattle in the stalls.  Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.  I will be joyful in God my saviour.  The sovereign Lord is my strength, he makes my feet like the feet of deer, he enables me to go to the heights.  Hub 3: 17

Living a life of hope, that all would be proved right.

Working and trying so hard, with all of my might.

One crisis to another , struggling,  seems every day.

When will it end? Feeling so weary I have to say.

Others are watching, starting to feel such a fool.

Living constantly  on  edge, no longer really so cool.

So when does dreams and hopes become biblical faith.

Be not anxious for tomorrow is what the word saith?

Yet reality is, that from a life lived with so much hope.

I have to acknowledge I am now struggling to cope.

Have I wasted my “talent” on chasing wild dreams?

Deluded have I squandered all of my riches, it seems.

Hope fulfilled can only happen as faith kicks into gear.

,In hope I trust, or is it just plain foolishness I fear?

I have to ask the question is God really in this?

If that is so , why is my life not a picture of bliss?

If it all turns to custard, and seems to prove otherwise.

Is God looking down saying, he needs cutting to size?

It is then hope turns to faith, and I determine to follow.

Others may question, but this hope of mine is not hollow.

What may seem a disaster God has worked out in his plan.

To prosper not harm, hope and future assured. for this man.

Not futile hope, nor my wisdom or strength will prevail.

My faith in a God who history and the bible tells me never will fail.

While I wait to see my dreams and hopes in God truly fulfilled.

Having learnt in faith, his plan, in his time, will be perfectly instilled.

Thou struggles will continue, no doubt giving me more stress.

I know God is in control, even when life appears such a big mess.

Asaw Miller

 

 

Sometimes I wonder, I know it is true.

Drawn a line in the sand, I won’t go through.

Just who I am, yet you hint, ‘There is much more than this.”

Feeling uncomfortable, but God’s blessing I don’t want to miss.

Cannot, yet you still ask, must cross my demarcation line.

A rule I have lived my life by, feeling safe, comfortable, just fine.

But you are insisting must happen, if I really want more.

I can refuse; life will go on, just as it has done before.

Think of Peter in upper room. Would like Jesus to be king.

Washing feet as servant? That is a totally different thing.

Not right, must be wrong, not happening to be honest.

Not logical, not reasonable, not what I know is best.

One day you must realise, Peter heard his Lord say,

I’m asking you  to be a servant too, to the people of your day.

Yes could be claiming what is rightfully mine.

But my love has no barrier, no demarcation line.

May go against all natural inclination of heart.

Pulls down all barriers, love will set my people apart.

Am I like Peter of old, having rules that impede?

Has he watered the garden and scattered the seed?

Is my ground parched, trodden, and full of weed?

My expectations nearly dead, withered and shrunk?

He would say, not at all, your hopes need not be sunk,

Much more is for you, just let me first wash your feet.

Then we can go forward, all your aspirations I will meet.

So much more, yet we struggle to believe can be true.

Jesus now showing that, this is not how he sees you.

As I take this to heart and see all that he says.

Others may see something in my life of his ways.

No line in the sand, to halt his work in my life.

Freedom to follow, no argument and  no strife.

Just  relax let him do the work, that is his to do.

Then see what he told us, will surely come true.

This world today would claim to have freedom.

No demarcation lines, yet in truth only for some.

History would tell us that all down the age.

God has come calling, said time to turn page.

What has become acceptable has never been true.

Drawn a line in the sand, can never cross say you.

Might upset status quo that has come into being.

Blinded to the truth, the world has stopped seeing.

All in agreement, yet the Lord he would ask?

Can I break my prejudices, am I fit for the task?

Wilberforce, Luther, Mother Teresa, and other such men.

Challenged their world to face the wickedness around them.

Is it possible, seems so unlikely, yet this story tells me.

The world does change when God’s love they do see.

An amazing destiny I now claim to be mine.

Determined to now cross, my demarcation line.

by Asaw Miller

 

 

 

 

Sometimes we wonder, all those promises of old.

The hopes, dreams, visions will happen we are told.

Even in our own heart something tells us, it could be true?

It always feels that believers are so lonely, and just so few.

Alone we seek the promises that inspire us on each day.

It seems to all the world that things never will go our way.

But then I remember the old man who waited all his life.

To see that hope promised him. Others could just see strife.

Simeon faithfully looking, everything still seemed just the same.

Every day he went  to the temple, to worship once again

Then one day this young couple, with baby, amazed was he to find.

The hope of the world was in his arms, praises just filled his mind.

That God had revealed his promise to this old man, gave hope to all.

Praise, hope, light,  glory and salvation his clarion call.

Not alone was he who had waited so patiently, and so long.

For also in the temple that day,  unnoticed in the throng.

Was Anna an old widow,who had faithfully waited for that day.

Joyfully she agreed. Mary was amazed what she did say.

So as we wait and wait for what our heart tells us must come true.

And sometimes ask ourselves is it real, will it really happen too.

Remember Simeon and Anna and for with them we now concur,

That they saw their hopes confirmed, so all satisfied as they were.

Those years of waiting patiently seemed absolutely nothing  now.

A dream fulfilled when it happens, all will have to say a mighty wow!

For God is still working with the little known and so often overlooked.

They alone have the time to seek the Lord, they are not overbooked.

So this year may seem just another year again of strife and turmoil.

Terrible news that make us mad and from this world want to recoil.

But in my heart I wait and wait for this I know my dream is true.

I will see my God at work, even in the likes of me, and in you.

Just like that day in temple court while busy people went there way.

Simeon, Anna, Mary, Joseph, amazed for baby Jesus there before them lay.

Asaw Miller