A Hand Along the Journey: Poems for the King from One Pilgrim to Another

Psalm 119:97,130 – “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.” My Bible is God’s gift to me, Revealing Him in great glory: Comforter, King, Redeemer, Friend Whose love for me will never end. So I will seek to know Him more, And, through the Scripture, Christ adore, As day by day He transforms me So that like Jesus I will be. Mirror, treasure, lamp to my feet, From it I learn the Truth complete. It speaks to my heart as naught else can, This wondrous book: God's gift to man!

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. Ps. 95:6 T he sounds of children's laughter - H ow beautiful their smiles - A nd health and food and homes of love: N o gold could value these enough. K een minds to think and read and pray; S unrise, sunset - gifts of each day; G reen, red, blue, orange, the world of color I nfused with Your majestic splendor. V erity that does not change; I n all of life You are the same. N ow and always Your praise I sing; G ive thanks to You for all these things! T ell wisdom's marvel yet again: H ow in love You set me free, A nd give riches of Your mercy N ew each morning to me. K ind acts of gracious Providence S upplying all my needs, G rant life of true abundance I n place of sin's old deeds. V ict'ry over all You bring I n lives of Your redeemed. N ow and always Your praise I sing; G ive thanks to You for all these things!

"See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes." Zechariah 3:4 I was standing forlorn in the rags of my sin: Dirty and hungry and empty within, Tattered and torn with no hope in view, Because I'd deliberately walked far from You. But You came to my rescue before 'twas too late; You offered to cleanse me and wipe clean the slate. You cupped my despairing face in Your hands, And whispered, "I love you, and have wondrous plans." You made me Your daughter, a child of the light, And took off Your own robe so beautifully bright. Its softness encased me and melted my fear; Its fragrance was soothing - I knew You were near. The robe of my Shepherd, protecting and strong, Who searches for lost sheep all the night long. The robe of the sacrifice blood-stained for me, A blanket to cover, when I kneel before Thee. That robe is a picture of Your giving Yourself; In place of...

" She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26 (see also Ps. 141:3, Prov. 18:21, Col. 4:6, Jms. 3:2-10)   So much in Scripture addresses the tongue, But to master it, Father, I've only begun. With wisdom and kindness fill my mouth this day, That love's gentle balm might fill all I say. Keep selfish concerns far away from my tone As I seek to mirror Your great love alone. Make each thought and word Your messenger, Lord, That to others I'll channel Your blessing outpoured. My children are like tiny delicate flowers, And blessing and cursing are in my tongue's power. Raindrops, not torrents, are what they need most, So help me reach out, with kind words draw them close. And to my dear husband make me a refreshing: Instead of draining him, be edifying, Instead of life's negatives, speaking the positive, Instead of my own pla...