Stained by the Blood

I recently revisited an old thought on the effects of the blood of Christ and His sacrifice...I once compared the work of the Spirit to that of a wood stain or varnish on a piece of furniture, how we may be different shades or serve the Lord in different ways, but we all bear the same "stain" of Christ's blood and the "seal" of the Holy Spirit .

In talking with one of my roommates the other day, I noted how a piece of lumber, no matter if it has all smooth grain or if it has knots or scuffs in the wood, the stain covers them all and gives them a beauty they would not really have otherwise.

The more I thought about these things, the more I considered that, in truth, probably the most beautiful areas on stained wooden furniture is where the knots or little deviations in the wood occur. A smooth grain is attractive, but it does not grab the attention or the eye as much as the knots, scars, and other imperfections in the wood's surface. So to, the greatest work wrought by the "stain" of Christ's blood is often the knots, scuffs, and imperfections in our own lives. He alone can take those things that should be found repulsive or the things that gnaw at our souls and transform them into a testimony of His greatness.

What has He transformed in you? How has the stain of His blood impacted your life?

Heroes

The easy desire in life is the longing to be a hero; humbly, or at times not

To be someone who speaks “immortal words” amidst a defining moment

As young children we either hear of heroes of bygone days, or make up our own

We grow older, and we continue to see or hear about what makes a hero

Many qualities are attributed to “heroes” depending on the advocates

However, perhaps the most consistent quality is that heroes are iconic

Whether someone’s hero be flamboyant or humble, tender or hard

They are known by many, and they are examples and role models

However, most people are not heroes, most are just everyday individuals

As Christians, we too may long to be a hero, whether Paul, Ruth, or Peter

Perhaps we would prefer to be a David, Esther, Elijah, Moses, or Abraham

But I believe we often forget something that is critical about them all

No matter the station, be it shepherd or king, foreigner or beloved daughter

They were not heroes of a singular event; they had no “immortal” Alamo

Frankly, they were not “heroes” according to most common standards

What set them apart from those around them, and to this very day was faith

Not a one-time occurrence, but a lifelong pursuit and process of faith

No matter their place in life, they searched for and served the Lord heartily

Sins and mistakes were strewn everywhere along their course, yet they held

They did not seek fame or fortune, though temptation touches everyone

Throughout all trials and successes, fears and doubts, they were steadfast

They are a testimony to our mandate in Scripture, to serve God in all things

In word and deed, in Spirit and in truth, their lifelong focus was serving God
If we are to set an example and be a witness to our King, we must be faithful


In our own trials and successes, we must seek and serve God as our purpose
We will see more clearly who and what we are, and at the end, we will know

Heroes and villains alike have character, but character shows only in time…what will we be?

Path in the Woods

A man walked along a path in a dense, dark wood

Looking to the left he saw nothing and same to the right

However, the path upon which he tread, was illumined by light

Along the way, an object drew him aside and into the wood

Reaching the spot, he found nothing, yet now he was lost

The path had vanished into the trees that surrounded him

Unable to see the path, he headed west on a whim

All he found, was something that came at even greater cost

He tried again to find what he’d lost, but again all was dark

As silence and darkness crept into his heart, so did despair

All over he searched, but nothing filled the emptiness there

For his heart needed far more to fill it than any simple lark

All the while, he knew on his own he would never find the path

And yet, he resisted crying out, though he knew not why

For the pain and isolation were woven within a great lie

A lie trapping him between a lost great love and a fear of wrath

Suddenly he saw a light ahead, akin to the light he’d left

He started toward it, when a snare his ankle caught

Collapsing forward to the ground, “Alas, alas!” he thought

He arose quick as he could, yet once more feeling bereft

The light itself was no illusion like the others he had pursued

This was indeed the light from the path he trod of old

Yet he had strayed too close to the snare’s hold

Slowly his hope started to fade, his thoughts skewed

At times the hope was rekindled, but only to a flicker

Soon he started to strike the trees in futile rage

Feeling trapped in the wood like an animal in a cage

As frustration and loneliness set in all the quicker

All the while, he knew the cry he needed to cry

And every time he saw the light, he silently tried to reach it

Yet, it seemed that every time, there awaited another pit

And every time, he’d get up once more to try

But it seemed every time he got up, the light had gone

The Light had not departed, but was obscured by the wood

In his heart he knew this was true, yet still he would brood

Even then, the light continued to break, though not as a dawn

For he had still not cried out for the Light, merciful Light

And until that time, the light would only remind him

Of the love and joy he had before he followed a whim

The torture was his own creation, and not from the Light

For the light itself, reminded him that he was of the Light

He was not of the wood, yet he was lost within the wood

The dark forest sought to trap him wherever it could

Seeking to quench the joy that was once brilliant and bright

Barely a sound escaped his lips, yet his heart cried out

A nearly inaudible, yet ever so real cry to the Lord

Swiftly, the dark trees shattered, the light, a brilliant sword

The desperate, sorrowful cry changed to a joyful shout

Despite the failures and sins of the son of the Light

His Father, the Light, had neither forgotten his son

Nor had he forsaken him, for His work was not done

He simply tarried ‘til the time He knew was perfectly right

At the designated time, He moved within His son’s heart

Igniting the fire that lead to His son’s desperate cry

And when it reached the Father’s ear, He broke the great lie

Restoring His wayward son with a love that spoke to the heart

And once more, the son sought to follow the path before him

He knew the journey still held many trials of unknown kind

But, he also knew his Father’s Word guarded his heart and mind

That the Lord would hold him ‘til his time, though life turn grim

Let us not forget the love and mercy by which we were bought

For a price so high, how could we not consider the power of grace?

Stumbling or not, we have been given the strength to run this race

To the end, where we will finally realize what God hath wrought

More Than We Knew

How little of "testimony" we knew as youth
A brief tale of how we confessed Your name
Yet this understanding fell far short of the truth

To confess You as Lord is to live an abundant life
This abundance does not come of or for ourselves
This abundance comes from Your blessing despite all strife

Our times of trial, be it our negligence or the enemy's device
We oft grow fearful and may stumble or stray from You
Yet You do not abandon us who forget or abuse Your sacrifice

You continually guide and remind us Who we serve
Calling us to repent and to give all we do to honor You
In mercy you draw us back to the straight path when we swerve

Sometimes confusion overtakes us and we pour out promises
Yet, you do not desire words that tumble from trembling mouths
You desire a people of simple faith, willing to bear our crosses

You call us to boldness, to share our hope with those we meet
A hope that can only come from faith in You Lord
From the Savior we know and the grace you give, oh how sweet

We came as children, simple in understanding and sure in hearts
Since our declaration, through every fear, temptation and trial
You have ever proven faithful, and that is where testimony starts

A Christian's testimony must go beyond when we first confess
We miss so much if we only see it as that initial encounter
As everyday thereafter comprises the testimony You call us to profess