Ode of sinful man...

And now for something completely different...

And when the rains came falling down
it was too late for me.
Ten thousand shadows on a wall
but I could not see.
Heeding not the voices
I would not hear.
Lost in my illusion
of pleasure and fear.
And when the rains came down
it was too late for me.
And when the rains came falling down
it was too late for me.

Building an edifice 
to last for all time.
All the while, in changing sands,
etching mortal lines.
And the stabs of my conscience,
the white noise of my mind,
Stir only the shallows
of my distracted insides.
And when the rains came down
it was too late for me.
And when the rains came falling down
it was too late for me.

© Jack Miller 2009

Loss

Losing what was never mine
Spectral idols tempting me
Fruitless paths and ravaged time
Companions in my misery 

Fading hopes refuse decline 
Distracted thoughts mocking me 
Circle now this body find 
A dying dream not to be 

Yet ‘neath these ruins’ wasted climb 
The quiet recall in memory
Reasserts the truth sublime 
Through loss, life found eternally


Jack Miller - August 28, 2008

Prayer of Contrition

The words of my mouth ring hollow.
With them do I vainly seek my own glory.
Deceptive thoughts too willingly I invite into my heart;
As if without understanding,
Entertaining them as a subterfuge for sin.
Indeed what I conceive in my heart and do is against Thee.

Yet where shall I now turn, but to Thee?
And who will deliver me from this mire, but the One I offend?
My only hope is in God's mercy.
Dear Lord, save me from my errant ways according to Thy Word.
Cleanse me and deliver me from my iniquity,
That I may know Thy lovingkindness and walk in Thy truth.

The Apostle Paul writes,
"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptance,
That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;
Of whom I am chief:  howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy..."

Therefore, my trust is in Thee alone O Lord
Who has borne my transgressions on the bloody cross,
Who has purchased and delivered me from sin and death unto holiness and life eternal.

Grant then unto me, an unworthy servant, this Thy great salvation.
That what Thou has graciously begun, Thou will complete,
By the merits and mediation of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ my Lord.
Amen.
-Jack Miller

[ASV 1 Timothy 1:15-16a]

From the Litany BCP 1662:
From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, 
and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, 
and all uncharitableness,
                     Good Lord, deliver us.

The poem 'Covered'

Set to music here.

I wrote this poem a while back and recently Roxanne Smith composed music for it. She and Richard Schletty then recorded it as a wonderful song of testimony and worship.  Also, Richard took one of my guitar pieces and recorded his vocals of this poem... beautiful... take a listen.

COVERED
[inspired by Romans 3:21-31]

The blood of Christ
It covers me


The blood of Christ

He died for me

My sin taken
His life given

No condemnation
He has risen

Declared now just
No merit mine

By grace now blessed
Free gift I find

A new heart given
Faith to obey

His yoke easy
Christ led each day

God of heaven

Savior He


This soul, blood-sealed
Eternally.

Loss...

The Christian message often produces in its hearers what could be termed a cognitive dissonance. It is replete with markers that are counter-intuitive to the normal human way of thinking and living e.g. love your enemy, turn the other cheek, forgive your brother seventy times seven...

The Psalmist writes,
But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. - Ps. 44:22, Rom. 8:36

Jesus states in the Gospels,
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?" - Luke 9:24

Paul writes,
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9

J.C. Ryle, the 19th century Anglican minister writes:
Affliction is one of God’s medicines. By it He often teaches lessons which would be learned in no other way. By it He often draws souls away from sin and the world, which would otherwise have perished everlastingly. Health is a great blessing, but sanctified disease is a greater. Prosperity and worldly comfort, are what all naturally desire; but losses and crosses are far better for us, if they lead us to Christ. Thousands at the last day, will testify with David, and the nobleman before us, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” (Psalm. 119:71.)

And the writer in Hebrews:
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

As we suffer the loss of things esteemed by the world, leaning on Him by His grace we find that for which we were created and redeemed.

LOSS
Losing what was never mine
Spectral idols tempting me
Fruitless paths and ravaged time
Companions in my misery

Fading hopes refuse decline
Distracted thoughts mocking me
Circle now this body find
A dying dream not to be

Yet ‘neath these ruins’ wasted climb
The quiet recall in memory
Reasserts the truth sublime
Through loss, life found eternally
-August 2008, Jack Miller