Though the fig tree shall not blossom
And no fruit hangs from the trees
Nor field’s of wheat for harvest
Nor fish found in the seas
I shall rejoice in the Lord my God
He is the God of my salvation
He makes me strong when I am weak
And is a light to every nation
He takes me up to higher ground
And sets my spirit free
To dance and sing and praise His name
And to come on bended knee
Even in the midst of judgement
He shall not forget His mercy
And His glory will cover all the world
And He is water to the thirsty
He is freedom to the ones in chains
He is food to those who hunger
And to those who are so very weak
The Lord is so much stronger
He is your strength to carry on
He is your strong high tower
He has filled you with His Holy Ghost
And so endued you with His power
So glorify the Living God
For His mercy endures forever
He is strong when you are weak
And has the power to deliver
Walk on dear saint you’re not alone
For your God He sits upon His throne
Night and day He never sleeps
He is the comforter to all who weeps
So in the midst of darkness stand in light
Walk in the day for comes the night
When the enemy roars in like a mighty flood
We shall not drown who are covered by His Blood
Dear Father Lord, be still my soul today
Please fill me with your grace, as I walk along the way
For each new day, I arise with the morning light
And renew my strength and gird my loins to aid me in the fight
Be still my soul that I may hear my beating heart
And know with every beat, of whom I am a part
I in You and You in me, this stone shall find its place
As you build your Holy Temple and we gaze upon your face
Be still my soul and know just who you serve
Your grace it grants me favor, and not what I deserve
For when you found me Lord, I was surely dead in sin
And then you cried ” come forth my son,” and there was life within
Be still my soul and rest in pastures green
Our Lord has gone before us, to a place no eye has seen
Now rest beside still waters, then rise with each new day
Trust not thy understanding, then He will lead the way
Be still my soul come lay your burden down
Be patient in thy sufferings, and you shall wear a crown
Glory in your tribulations, for they will teach you how
To humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, to bend the knee and bow
Be still my soul then you shall hear His voice
So even in the depths,your heart shall still rejoice
And when the roll is called up yonder and the days they are no more
We shall sing the glories of the Lord on that golden distant shore
I wrote a poem called ” I asked for a rose,” which a sister in the Lord later put to music. I have included it at the end of this piece. I wrote it at a time when I was very discouraged. I was in the midst of several major challenges in my life, one of those times where troubles and trials seem to come one after another. One time when I was swimming in the ocean, I was heading towards a large inflatable raft that was moored about 25 yards from the shoreline. I caught a wave right in the face, and when I came up for breath I caught another one at the exact moment I was trying to catch a breath, this happened three times and I thought for a moment that I would drown. This was what this period in my life was like, one trial after another hitting me in the face. There was no recovery period and it felt like I was being swept away and would go under.
For years now I have walked and prayed every day. As I was walking I was crying out to the Lord that I just wanted some peace. I wanted to lie down in pastures green, I wanted, no I longed to be in a place of rest and tranquility. I had shared for years that such a place could be found in the very depths of the valley and believe that with all of my heart, but this day was a very low day and I could find no peace and I longed for some encouragement from the Lord. I walked on and a story came to my mind. It was a story that I had used many times when sharing with others personally and from the platform. It was a true story about a man who went to the supermarket every week to buy his wife a single rose because he loved her. One week he went in and picked a rose and headed to the checkout to pay for it. He saw an older women standing there and the Holy Spirit spoke to him, the Lord simply said ” give the woman your rose.” That was all he heard, no explanation.
This was a man of God who loved the Lord with all of his heart but he struggled at this request. He was fearful which seemed silly but he was. He wondered what the woman would think of him. Even although she was much older, would she thing he was trying to hit on her? Most of all the man just feared that she would think he was a weirdo. Yet, the command persisted, give the lady the rose. So, he took a deep breath, walked over and said to the woman ” I know you are going to think this is strange, but the Lord has asked me to give you this rose.” He held out the rose and with a trembling hand she slowly took it but not before large tears drops began to roll down her cheek. She tried to compose herself, her lower lip trembling, she told the man. “My husband died six months ago and this morning I was overwhelmed with Loss and loneliness. I cried out to God and asked Him if He had forgotten men. And now you have handed me this rose. You see, my husband used to buy me a rose every week, the Lord has answered my prayers, now I know He has not forgotten me.” The man was stunned.
As I walked, pondering this story, feeling very discouraged, I cried out to the Lord that I would “like a rose,” meaning that I would like to be encouraged like that. About an hour later I received a call. It was from a dear old friend and saint whom I had not heard from in a few years. She was a lot older than me, been on the road for a long time and very sensitive to the Lord. She told me that the Lord had laid me upon her heart and she spent the next thirty minutes telling me how much I ministered to her over the years and so on. I was deeply encouraged by her words but more than that, I knew that this was the Lord Himself responding to me, encouraging me. I had asked for a rose and He had given me a garden, hence the name of the poem. Maybe you are deeply discouraged today. The trials of life have stacked up against you, you just long for a place of peace. You long to be found in the depths of Him. You simply need a touch from Him. Perhaps in the reading of this piece the Lord is answering your prayers, reminding you that He has not forgotten about you and that He loves you deeply and cares for you. Ask for your rose this morning and then walk in the depths of His glorious garden as you listen to this song.
Lord of sky and sea (sung to the tune of Highland Cathedral)
Heavenly Father Lord of sky and sea
Forever you shall reign throughout eternity
The skies may fall and the seas run dry
We who are yours, we shall never die
Omnipotent Father, Love that knows no end
You are our Master, Saviour Lord and friend
We bow before you and we raise our hands
Your throne in heaven it forever stands
We magnify our glorious King
Listen closely hear the angels sing
Of who you are and you’ll ever be
And now we are forever free
Chorus
Now I shout it from the mountains high
I belong to you this is my hearts cry
Let no one ever doubt your sovereignty
I am yours for all eternity
When my wife and I were 17, we had a son called Stephen. It is amazing how much effect he has had upon my life although he only lived for two days. Every life is precious. Our son was only six months in the womb and weighed only two pounds, he fought for every breath, he fought for life. Even after the machines were switched off, he still fought. Yet in some other darkened ward, a child just like ours life was being snuffed out. God sees it all and weeps for the lost generations of children.
Stephen
When I was very young
A star fell from the sky
How could something beautiful
Falter and then die
The light of life shone brightly
In the struggle and the pain
And though the light it soon was gone
I’ll see that light again
Only six months in the womb
He fought for every breath
After two days here among us
His life gave way to death
Yet that star that fell from heaven
That star that shone so bright
Left his mark on me forever
Like the stars that shine at night
So Stephen, Daddy loves you
And no matter where I roam
The day is near upon us
When I’ll be coming home
Then I’ll be with you in the night sky
Perhaps I’ll sit you on my knee
When I join you in the light of Christ
Where we shall ever be.
I was born under an angry sky
At the edge of the world in darkness
A place where the rain never ceased to fall
And boys grew up to be heartless
Tears were banished right from the start
And the foundations of the walls that surrounded our heart
Were laid deep in our souls and minds every day
It was a well-worn path and there was no other way
And the wind blew hard upon the window pane
There was never-ending darkness and never-ending rain
And the hearts of the boys grew dark in the night
Only in your dreams could you run and take flight
Still the morning would come and darkness remained
Look out of the window and it continually rained
Every blow to the heart another brick in the wall
The more you laid bare the more it grew tall
The land of broken hearts is full of high towers
Tis a black and white land ruled by darkened powers
Towers of lost tears and towers of pain
Tis full of dark clouds and continual rain
Yet there were some who spoke of a world of light
Where tears could fall and no continual night
This world had a King who had come to this land
They put nails in His feet and nails in His hand
The powers of darkness screamed in delight
As they pierced His side, this King of the Light
He had come to replace the hearts that were broken
With power and love in every word He had spoken
So they nailed the Word to the cross that day
Then they took Him down and in the cave He would lay
And they rolled a stone just to shut Him in
And the darkness fell and rejoiced in its sin
And the brokenhearted wept for their King
He had taught them to pray and taught them to sing
Yet the rain and the darkness seemed to prevail
By the power of the sword and the power of the nail
Then out through the darkness broke forth a great light
The rolled away stone revealed a glorious sight
The grave could not hold Him and death was defeated
Look up to the throne and see where He’s seated
Our King was victorious, the chains they were broken
Those asleep in the darkness were gloriously awoken
In victory He arose and He broke deaths spell
In the land of broken hearts the towers fell
The captives came forth their hearts were renewed
And the powers of darkness were finally subdued
No longer prisoners of the darkness and pain
Their tears were recovered and they fell like rain
Wind of the Spirit play the strings of my heart
Discover who I am, each and every part
I stand before you my heavenly King
You look at me and see everything
Nothing hidden, no secrets just you and me
With eyes ablaze that can truly see
Your Blood and your love they cover my sin
And with coals of fire I am cleansed from within
There is fire in your Blood that flows from the cross
And love from above that’s more than all loss
My thoughts of these things are so very few
When I consider that now I am found in you
The strings of my heart play a glorious song
As I am swept up in a heavenly throng
The hand of My God plays a sweet melody
My heart’s in Your hand and forever shall be.
Lay me down in a troubled land
I shall ever rest in the palm of your hand
My soul is refreshed by the waters of your Life
You are the Husband and the Body is your wife
I shall shout for joy from the depths of my soul
For I was broken and you made me whole
You lifted me up when I was down
It’s in Your love that I now abound
I have never hungered in a famined land
Even when I fall you make me stand
Your Living waters refresh my soul
You have replaced what my enemy stole
My leaf has not withered even in the drought
And from the mountain-tops you shall hear me shout
Glory hallelujah to the King of all the nations
I stand here not on sand but on your firm foundation
I have known your favor and Your grace rescues me
I an surrounded on every side like the deepest sea
The radiance of your beauty lights up my whole world
And Your banner over me is simply love unfurled
When the rainbow bursts into a thousand pieces
And showers down into my heart
And my soul lights up with the colors of heaven
And shines out boldly into the dark
When life and all its ways flood in
And the perpetual winter is here to stay
And spring is just some distant dream
We cannot rise but fall and pray
We know there’s a bright and morning star
That rises through the depths of winters loss
And the Balm of Gideon soothes our pain
Yet we know we shall never be the same again
And twilight echoes in the sky above
Cascading down in a shower of love
And the memories fade but linger yet
Like the setting of a sun that will never truly set.
It was one heart that formed the mountains
It was one heart that tamed the mighty seas
It was one heart that raised me back to life
Twas this one heart I found upon my knees
And with this one heart I am saved forever
And this one heart has opened up the door
This one heart laid the foundations of the world
And in this one heart I will dwell forever more
It was one heart that carved out the valleys
It was one heart that planted all the trees
It was one heart that formed the little babies
Twas this one heart I found upon my knees
And with this one heart I was born again forever
And this one heart will take me gently ore
This one heart created all the heavens
And in this one heart I will dwell forever more
This one heart belongs to God the Father
And the Blood flowed from Jesus Christ His Son
And by the power of the blessed Holy Spirit
We shall all stand together here as one
One heart, one soul, one mind, one Body
One purpose in everything we do
It is this one heart that holds it all together
And it is this one heart that will see us through
I know what a great privilege it is
For one such as thee to incline thine ear to me
To look upon one without much honor
Not upon what i am but what you would have me to be
You lead and guide with your mercy
And with such perfect grace you deem to look upon my face
I who am the least of the weakest clan
And the very air that I breathe is your exhaled grace
Father in heaven how i love you
You have heard my pleas whilst down upon my knees
I live because of your good pleasure
And have discovered a love that’s deeper than the waters of the seas
I’ve seen rainbows in the waterfall
As a child I heard my mother call
He lifts me up every time I fall
It all belongs to Him
I’ve seen dolphins dance upon the waves
I’ve watched squirrels as they misbehave
I’ve seen my Lord and how He truly saves
It all belongs to Him
I’ve seen starlings playing in the sky
I’ve seen the eagles teach their young to fly
I saw my Lord, He came to bleed and die
It all belongs to Him
I have seen a little baby crawl
Then I’ve seen him standing oh so tall
When I cry my Lord He hears my call
It all belongs to Him
So when you see the setting sun go down
And all the kings have finally lost their crown
And tongues confess and every knee bows down
It all belongs to Him
Can you see the furrows on my brow
Each tells a hundred stories of the whys and of the how
I have walked through howling winds I have walked through pouring rain
I have journeyed through the joys and I have journeyed through the pain
Every single furrow marks the valleys I have trod
And the narrow winding road that leads me back to God
And every single line that is marked upon my face
Highlights the very fact that I have lived by grace
Each and every soldier bears the scars of many fights
For every cloudless day there are just as many nights
But even through the furrows and all my many lines
You will see my joy, you’ll see my love and many other signs
For though I bear the scars that are etched upon my back
In the depths of my very soul there has never been a lack
There’s a deep wellspring of peace that continually flows
Despite the many rains and the mighty wind that blows
There is a greater wind from God that carries me along
There is a latter rain from heaven that makes me very strong
The hand of God Himself is the hand that holds the plow
You will know I’ve been to war by the furrows on my brow.
If every tear could tell a story
About your love and all its glory
Could you read the words that I cry
Could you even begin to try
With every single tear that fell
There is a story it will tell
A single tear that falls with emotion
Is deeper than the deepest ocean
Tears of joy and tears of pain
A single tear or falling rain
Some tears are caused by a poison dart
That finds it mark and breaks the heart
Some tears come from a cleansing flood
Part of the river and part of the blood
Other tears fall from bitter regret
Of all the things done we’d rather forget
So when all of your tears are gathered together
And are carried away by that heavenly river
They will flow to a sea and by its name it will bless
For the name of that sea is forgetfulness
