Michael E. Wood
April 26, 2013
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16
In the process of sermon preparation I was contemplating the
grace that comes from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This brought to
mind by the Spirit the passage from John 1 which speaks of the eternal Son of
God who became flesh, full of grace and truth, and from His fullness we have
all received, grace upon grace. We; that is, which are the elect of God from
the foundation of the world, chosen to be conformed to the image of His Son in
holiness. The words began to flow forth from the thoughts which came to mind.
Celeste Chen, of whom Dianna and I had met a few months ago
with her husband whose name also happens to be Michael recently gave two
concerts for us at the larger Assisted Living facilities at which we minister.
Being a gifted vocalist, pianist, and composer, she had taken three of the
songs of which I have been blessed to write and transcribed what I had recorded
acapella into piano music to include in the repertoire. One of them she had
taken the basic idea and made it her own, giving it a different sound from the
original that had come to mind. While writing the words to this song, it was
her new music for the stanzas that had come to mind with a slight variance
which helped to frame the process of completing the lyrics.
Michael and Celeste plan to do some traveling through the
second half of this year and Lord willing, then spend a two year term in Kenya . He will
serve as a medical missionary and she will be seeking to serve in the realm of
helping to rescue women from the sex-trafficking trade. Please join with us in
prayer for them.
We hope to post some links in the near future so others may
enjoy selections from this joint venture.
THE FULLNESS OF YOUR
GRACE
Of the fullness of Your grace through faith You did impart
to me
That like You in Your holiness for all eternity
I shall be in perfection, Holy Father by Your plan
Designed to show Your glory when Your Son became a man.
Oh, there’s none could have imagined nor have thought so
high a thought
That You before creation in Your counsel would have brought
Such suffering to vindicate Your justice from the Fall
That through the blood of Jesus we could now on Your Name
call.
But left unto ourselves we would not ever think to think
That such a wondrous fountain You supplied that we might
drink
The fullness of forgiveness and the everlasting bliss
Prepared for all appointed by the Son whom You have kissed.
Oh, such wondrous condescension that You have for us
supplied
That through the death of Jesus Christ we know that death
has died,
With no more condemnation as He has removed the sting
That we may feel Your pleasure as Your praise alone we sing.
Holy Father by Your Spirit give discernment through the
means
You have for us provided by Your Word which ever cleans
Each thought and motive as we learn ourselves to more deny
To magnify the sacrifice of Christ alone on high.
So then when this life is over and we stand before Your
throne,
Then faultless, robed in garments by the Lamb who has atoned
For all our sins forgotten and were cast into the sea,
That for Your praise forever in His likeness we shall be.
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