HOLY FIRE

 

O quiet candle, lovely light
Shining forth in the blackest night~
O soul that holds God's promise dear:
The Shepherd speaks.
He draweth near.

Light encircles the harmless doves
Carried by a whirling wind~ by love~
Eyes ever fixed on the Risen King:
For we are his.
In Christ, we sing.


And the holy mountain rumbles~
God in Heaven weighs every soul~
Darkness abounds in the world~ it squanders:
Men's hearts turn hard,
and cold.


As we were once, too
Ever lost, and wand'ring~
By the curse to sin and death compelled~
Until we saw JESUS lifted up on that cruel cross
And by him were washed, and filled.


Yet it offends men's pride, to mention
That holy fire draweth nigh;
And the Lord will come from heaven
(With a shout!)
To gather the righteous to himself, on high.


If each heartbeat~ each breath be uncertain
Yet we tremble at the Master's feet;
Our hearts burn with longing for mercy and truth
And the Light that burns within,
It speaks.
 

And thus tears will cascade into gladness
As the shadow of death e'er departs--
For as we suffer for righteousness~
In Jesus' name~
Holy light warms and fills our hearts.







(~sister Abby Elizabeth)

Mansions

Mansions

Walking on the narrow path,
We bear a little light~
By the crimson sea that washed our sins away,
(And the Serpent's subtle bite).

And if now we be tried by poison pools
Wherein Christ~ the righteous tree~ was cast,
Our thirst is ever quenched at the stricken Rock:

The foundation stone holds fast.

O holy streams poured out for the Bride, beloved!
O fountain from the Master's side~  He was pierced!
Even to the cutting asunder of the sin-sick soul
From death's cold grasp~ so fierce.

He is risen! He is calling! Jesus is carrying us home!
Little lambs on mighty wings~ all the way~
To mansions of glory built of truth and light
Little flock, fear not: only watch, and pray.

O Lord of love, who cut our hearts for mercy's sake
By his word and in hope thus we soar~
O behold~ in the clouds~ streams of glory
And mansions of joy, evermore.





(~sister Abby Elizabeth)

Our Father's Hand

OUR FATHER'S HAND

What time I am afraid, O God
My heart doth trust in thee~
Dogs surround.They mock, they laugh.
But thy gentleness, it touches me.

Weary, I fall before the King who bled~

Stabbed by nails and thorns, for me;
My shameful tears and sweat a-tumble down~
The Lord Jesus suffered first: he sees.

Now: behold the wicked, rising up~
Vicious tongues that lash and scorn;
The haughty build their final tower
(Saints on eagle's wings, carried o'er).

But we remember the promise of the morning star,

Jesus Christ, the Everlasting King of truth and light~

Soon he returns in the clouds with great glory!
God's mighty hand will break the night!

And the Lord Christ Jesus who felt the traitor's kiss~
Who bore the contempt and the cruelty of man,

He hides us, he comforts~  he whispers by his word~

We safely rest in our Father's hand.

(~sister Abby Elizabeth)

When a Sparrow Falls

O little soldier, baby bird
Nestled in God's perfect word
Behold God's enemies a-gathering nigh:
Pride and bitterness 

Raging high.

Striving tongues, scornful decrees!
Raging stronger and stronger: a terrible sea!
Contentions bitter~ curses hurled~
(They adore themselves. 

They think they own the world.)

Now: the tempest rages 'round,
But sweet songs in humble worship resound.
Awaiting our Master~ we ever watch and pray~

And faithfully speak the truth, 

While yet it's day~

Never to follow fools that wrest God's word
For the word is the LORD'S: 

And Jesus suffered for it, first;

Thus we rest beneath God's mighty wings.
We watch and pray: We wait. We sing!

Yea, the proud despise what seemeth weak,
But God strengthens humble hearts that seek;
And we know our Father's holy eye
Watches everything.

God laughs at lies.

The seed God sowed fills the trembling heart
We fall at his feet, 

(We are not so smart).
But the little sparrow that is despised, today
In the bosom of the Saviour, abides, always.

(~sister Abby Elizabeth)

(a prayer)

What time I am afraid, O God

Unto the Rock my heart shall flee:

Jesus Christ, the righteous King

Who endured the fire, before me.

Let my eyes be fixed on Jerusalem~
My face set on Zion's beautiful hill;
Ever trusting in God's mercy
By loving sacrifice, o'erspilled.

Strengthen the zeal a-flickering in my breast
Thou Lord of glory that rides the fiery storm~

As Jacob's faith, all the night a-wrestling~
Verily, thou knowest: I am a worm.

But my God, thou art ever faithful,
By thy grace we have life in thee;
The city of habitation shines above
By thy flaming sword, we see.

Now behold: God's wrath a-gathering.
Holy fire a-kindling hot and fierce.
As hordes of sinners rage all around;

And men's teeth gnash and pierce~

But my God, my God, we cleave ever more to thee~
A peculiar people, who in thy truth abide;
Thy name is our salvation, and our defense.

Thy word shines on our side.

Thou art our God, who regards the humble prayer~
Our King Jesus, who walks with us in the fire;
In tribulation may we be refined, as gold,

Our heavy hearts purged from mire.

O Lord of glory, despise not my plea
Regard my tears strewn on thy feet, this night;
As the shimmering curtains 'round about thy holy throne
Cloak us in thy love, and light.

~sister Abby Elizabeth

The Coming Storm

Precious Saviour~ O everlasting waterfall~
Thou that washes us from all;
Thine we are~ (oh, might we ever be!)
Please send a song to fill and free.

From far above the mountain spires
Mercy spills~ and the consuming fire~
To wash your bride with truth and light
To purge with fire all pride and strife.

See the clouds a-gathering fierce.
See the tongues of princes lash and pierce~
But to high and low shall judgment come:
All shall bow before the righteous Son.

The Almighty God, he rides the raging clouds
His glory cloaked in smoky shrouds;
His lightnings will bend to dust men's knees~
His thunder will break the stormy sea.

Our Father that hath made the worlds
By his holy child Jesus is love unfurled;
The Holy Ghost, cascading fills
Hearts awash with glorious rills.

Precious Saviour, O most splendid waterfall

Thou that washeth us from all

Thine we are~ and might we ever be!

O send a song, to fill and free.

~sister Abby Elizabeth

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SANCTUARY

Bit by bit, and day by day
Each fault and folly falls away;
In every trial so to honor the King
Who with his blood paid for... everything.

Here I am, O Master mine
Let me neither flail nor whine;
Thy perfect love doth carry me

By mercy and truth thy Spirit leads.


Ever so fragile~ so silly, so small
Yet Christ in me doth conquer all
So I take that cup: the Lord's blood, his tears
(Behold storms and dogs, a-gathering near.)


Bit by bit, and day by day

Thou art my light; thou art my stay.
O taste the glorious rain! I'm a-falling down~
For the love of Jesus: my joy, my crown.

(~sister Abby Elizabeth)

What of the Night?

What of the Night?

Here I am, my Father.
My heart is compelled by thee
To testify of thy mercies
How by thy word I am made free~


Rejoicing in hope to behold the morning
That soon shall rise above this night~
Behold: the world in turmoil turning;
Souls writhe in the Serpent's blight.


But here, I stand, rejoicing
Mine eyes ever upheld in hope
By Jesus Christ, my Master;
By the holy seed he sowed.


O thou rod of Jesse a-budding
Thou art the Light and life of men
Ruling in my heart, my hand
Soon to be seen of all, again~

To exact vengeance on the wicked
That in holy fire they be e'er devoured~
And every dark deed cast to the flame
By the King of glory in that terrible hour.


O Father, how I love thee!
How great thy mercies be:
For in every faltering torment
In Christ thou carriest me.


This is the daystar, arising.
This is the word that gave me sight.
The King of glory cometh soon
So what, then of the night?







(~sister Abby Elizabeth)