I’m reading the chronological bible in a year – backwards, starting with Revelation. I was intrigued by the organization to the letters to the Churches. Each letter starts out with Jesus identifying himself(which I wrote about here), followed by the deeds Jesus knows about each church(which I lay out here but instead of for the church, for the individual), then constructive criticism with recommendations and solutions, and completed with outcomes of behavior choices.

While the first portion shows Jesus wearing the mantle of His position, the ruler of God’s Creation, this one shows His heart for those He came to save and their efforts. Literature and history are fraught with selfish kings who are careless and cruel of their people. Jesus is not one of those Kings. His kingship is lined with the heart of a loving father who sees and knows the heart of his children. No detail, no success is too small. No failure is irrevocable, irredeemable. Just as no one is too lost, no love is too small to grow. No one child of God is too small or inconsequential for His notice, for his encouragement. What a good! Good Savior we have!

There’s a King, good a true,
who sees and knows
the truth of the inside
and whys of the outside
who opens and shuts doors
and creates paths
in the pathless places
who brings light into darkness
and gives life and hope
only faith can see.

The Kinsman Redeemer
Knows your deeds
valued in ways
unmeasurable
to the world
recognizing each stroke
of craftsmanship
that is the work of your heart
as an offering to Him.
I see the real and the counterfeit,
“I see, he says, the counterfeit
hard work with no thought to me,
and the authentic hard work
for my goodness
and the hardships endured
for my name.”

The Bridegroom
knows your faithfulness
your burning lamps kept filled
watching and working without
falling into weariness,
constant in love,
devoted despite afflictions
despite poverty
despite persecution
“I know,” he says, “who is hot
and who is cold
for me.
I know the faithfulness
of your bride to my groom.”

The Shepherd
knows the numbers to your safe
to the hidden treasures of your heart
“I know,” he says, those who stray close
to the wicked and the paths unsuitable
to their design
“I know,” he says, which lambs day by day
come closer,
hear and listen
more and more.
“I know,” he says, which lambs
rely on their own works,
their own wealth,
their own provision
who don’t know or don’t seek
the refreshing and comforting shadow
under the wing of my protection
tucked beneath the feathers of my faithfulness
and mercy
who don’t walk with the confidence of tomorrow
within the angel walls that hedge them in
who pick up not the armor God-designed
for their good
“I know” he says, which lambs don’t
not realizing that without the shepherd
they are wretched, pitiful
poor, blind and naked.

The Bread of Life
knows your pangs
of your afflictions,
the rumblings of poverty
the contractions of emptiness
the big and little hurts and hardships
endured for my name
“I know” He says, the heart and action
trippings, fallings and failures
and the reaching, repenting,
drawing close to me,
the pulling up, trying again
every second, every minute
every day and year
and in the not giving up
blessing grows, thrives, reseeds
for a harvest, a richness
of living the life of The Broken Bread
that all men may have
life and life abundantly,
that they may sit at my table
as a beloved child of my Father

The Lamb of God
Christ crucified
“I know,” he says, what the feeling
of little strength, emotional and physical
exhaustion, heart heavines
of things to be
walked through, endured
of cries born out of inward struggles
in a night time garden
and in a brutal daylight pain
“I know,” he says, who is hot
and who is cold
who claims to be alive
through me
but is really dead
“I know,” he says, the open and shut
doors before you
But I have opened doors
open doors
that no one can shut.

The Lion of Judah
Christ resurrected
“I know,” he says, where you live
I know the numbers to your safe
to the hidden treasures of your heart
I know the danger of the evil one
who comes to steal, kill and destroy,
who surrounds as though he could
separate you from me,
“I know, he says, the loss
that breaks your heart
yet, still, you tell the faith stories
you speak goodness, praise and truth
of my name in the market square,
in the daily paths, to strangers and friends,
to those hurting and those lost
to the outsiders and insiders

The Only Begotten Son
knows what it is like to be tempted
away from suffering to comfort
away from thirst to refreshing
away from the despair of responsibility
to selfish comfort
of living in the wait
of faith-is-the-substance-of-thing- hoped-for promises
“I know,” he says, what little strength
you have right now,
and, yet, you have kept my word
and not denied my name,
everyday pressing closer to understand
this everlasting love I loved you with
a love that never abandons nor forsakes
land in the pressing in, not giving up,
in your open-handed living and loving,
you let the lost see, hear your stories
of that kind of love
as you wait patiently
endure faithfully.
I am a King, he says, good and true,
who sees and knows the deeds
of me and you.
“Hold on to me,” he says. “I never
let go.”