I see God

In an apple tree I see him as the Creator and sustainer of life and flavor.
In a flower, I see him reveling in color and transformation
In a rock I see Him as timeless and unexplainable
In a meadowlark, I see him as a lover of sight and sound. 
In wind I see His refreshing presence.
In a thoroughbred, I see power and purpose, speed and grace.
In a storm I see the breadth and height of wonder
In the sleeping breath of an infant I see trust and provision
In sand and waves I see the constancy and movement of His work.
In stars I see His fingers’ fearsome and infinite reach
In moon, it’s perfect circular presence, I see His love of quite nights– The kind of nights that inspire romance and cherished words spoken beneath it’s ambient beauty. 
He is in all things, through all things, and beyond all things.
These sights speak words that poets cannot exceed.
A love song to the lost 
They are revelation to the doubting
But most of all, in each oft ignored marvel of the divine, He whispers, “I did this for you.”

He Was Worthy

When He cried out in the garden in the cool of the evening, He was worthy.

When He flung a rainbow across a waterlogged world, He was worthy.

When He whispered in the ear of an old, old man and said, “It’s a boy,” He was worthy.

When He walked with a young songwriter/shepherd and heard “surely goodness and mercy” for the first time ever, He was worthy.

When He spoke through mules and on walls and in furnaces, He was worthy.

And when He, through unequaled grace, stepped into flesh and became like us, He was worthy.

When He spit in mud to open eyes,

When He loosed the captives, When He turned over the tables in the temple,

When He calmed the torrent, When He stooped to reconcile,

When He fed the masses,

When He washed the calloused, When He touched the untouchables

When He (wonder of all wonders—this precious truth!) open-handedly stretched out His arms on an old Judean beam (could it be?) and bore the anger, sin, rebellion, pride, and idolatry of us all, He was worthy.

He was worthy when He breathed His last.

He was worthy when the Roman seal was plastered on that borrowed tomb.

He was worthy when no one believed anymore.

And when the grave could hold Him no more, When He felt the vibration of His own creation,

When the veil was shredded, and when the accuser was silenced, ransoming the souls of a multitude of millions in one weekend, HE WAS WORTHY! And when I look at who I am, and then realize who He is, I can’t help proclaiming,

“You are worthy. You are worthy. You are worthy.”

So now two words that should always unite us, and despite style, taste, or reason, should never divide us— 

Let’s worship!

You’re the Only You

Remember…
You’re the only one on the Earth
That could ever, at all, be you!
Your story is different your mind is unique
In all that you say and do.
I really believe we could change the world
As long as we are who we are.
Choosing to be the authentic YOU
Is better than masks by far!
The task is gigantic. The mission extreme
We can’t do it all alone.
God wants you to be who He made you to be
Not simply a self-righteous clone.
Don’t make the mistake of being like me.
That’s missing the point of it all!
God’s child you are and God’s child you will be
For the task whether big or small.
Yes, you’re the only one on this earth
That could ever at all be you
I’m so glad you are here, so glad you are near.
We got something big to do!