While preparing to go to the "Open Mic" at Jericho Coffee to sing, I came to this passage in Ezekiel 36:22-38. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God."
Having read and considered, along with continuing in "Communion with God", by John Owen, the following poem was written. With hope of the opportunity to read the poem in lieu of a song, I took it with me. Upon arriving, I was asked to be first up and to open with prayer. Normally I don't particularly like going first, but on this occasion, I was pleased to be allowed of the Lord, not only to sing, but to read verses 22-28, the poem and pray.
Do we too often look unto men
And thus Your Holy Spirit offend?
Yet softly You speak in drawing us near
To approach Your throne with meekness and fear.
Oh brighten our eye, partaking of honey,
You give so sweet without price or money.
Your feast of fat things, purchase of Christ.
In all that You Are, The One Holy Thrice.
On You we can count, our God Who prevails,
Delighting in mercy, Your grace never fails.
To give us so freely of that which we need
To proclaim of Your glory, of which we now plead.
For that is our joy for which we now look
And hold to the Promise, You give in Your Book.
For the sake of Your Name, a most holy thing,
You'll do through Christ only, our Lord and our King!
Michael E. Wood
October 8, 2010
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