Zany Words

“The reality, however, is found in Christ.” Colossians 2:17

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Z is for Zany Words

dis and dat
‘n pigs and pie
sinned ‘n ran
‘n made em cry

down wid dem
skewer dem all
everone’s dusden
aft’r da fall

pay da tab
‘n hogs a’fry
everone’s mask
‘n everone’s lie

criss ‘n cross
‘n big ‘n still
twixt dem two
he paid da bill.

Petra O. Hefner

Go ahead, interpret this one. You know you want to.

THE END!

The A-Z Challenge is over!

It’s over, pheweee!! I’m relieved, can you tell? And yet, I almost (but not certainly) hate to see it end. 

Thank you so much for your time, visits, encouragements, and kind words! God bless you!

Oh my, what will I do now?

I think I’ll take me a techno/cyber vacation, smell me some roses, fresh cut grass and homemade biscuits. Yep, that sounds good! Maybe I should spoil my beloved and my chihuahua too; what do you think?  I might even catch up on some reading (real books, that is!).

Please know that I appreciate you and your comments very, very, very much. You make writing a joy and a challenge! I will be back with fresh content soon. Hope to see you then!

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Petra

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Photo by wester flickr

Yes!

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

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Y is for Yes!

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20

My ‘Y’ post seemed almost ready, punctuated front and back with a glorious Yes and Amen, yet something seemed lacking.  So, I tweaked and thought. And then I prayed and sought. And then I tweaked and thought some more. I even tried to turn the thing into a poem, which always works when I feel cornered! Then I remembered a question our pastor had asked—the kind that answers itself almost immediately. And then I hit delete!

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. Revelation 5:1-4

Why didn’t God Himself open it? If God Himself had opened it, instead of much weeping, there would be only weeping.

Have you ever left church not remembering a thing that was preached, save one? It was this one thing that followed me like shadow into every  thought, all week long, and into the next.

Yes, God, whose pure holiness, wisdom, and justice exceed all, could have opened His own book. But, a strong angel thundered a question—one that had to be answered! Who would be worthy? Who?

And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

No man!

“You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross.” Matt 27:40

Come down He did! The Word of God, fully God, came from glory to be fully man—not to save Himself, but us!

And one of the elders saith unto me, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” [5]

Christ has prevailed, has withstood all that God’s holiness and justice require, and has met the price of every sin at every age with purest grace and mercy! Christ is worthy!

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. [6,7]

And the angels, beasts, and elders sang a new song!

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” [11,12]

This is why I deleted my initial ‘Y’ post. It failed to point where it should have been pointing all along. It caved in on itself! “For, no matter how many promises God has made,” whether one or a zillion, “they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” The focus is on Christ, not the promises or even their immutability! Does it matter how immutable truth is, if you’re without it?

The promises are ‘Yes’ only in Christ, who alone is worthy to meet God’s perfect justice with mercy for our sake and His glory! All God’s great, unalterable and precious promises will make us weep, and only weep, if we should meet God without faith in Christ!

And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

Petra O. Hefner

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

“[God] has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” 2 Timothy 1:9

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Thank you for your visit!

Photo by Kevin H. Flickr

Xanthic

“Though you have lien among the pots, yet shall you be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.” Psalm 68:13

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X is for Xanthic, an adjective of or pertaining to a yellow or yellowish color. (Dictionary.com Unabridged)

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Xanthic Thoughts

Xanthic is sunshine,
cheering warmth
in winter.

Xanthic is hope,
tattered ribbons
on trees.

Xanthic is caution,
looming danger
ahead.

Xanthic is company,
a complimentary mix
on a palette.

Xanthic is exciting,
daffodils budding
in spring.

Xanthic is fresh,
lemons squeezed
and sweetened.

Xanthic is pretending,
a counterfeit
of gold.

Xanthic is sharp,
a distressing pulse
of light.

Xanthic is deep,
a penetrating peace
in a painting.

Xanthic is blithe,
blest encouragements
for the blues.

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And, to be really creative, X is for Xylophone.

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Oh xylophone, oh xylophone,
I loved you very well.
Those shiny silver bars did ring
the happiest tings, but now do tell,
oh xylophone, oh xylophone,
how you didst fill this head
with music of such happy lore
as I had only known before
these childish joys have fled!

…

Petra O. Hefner

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Thank you for your visit!

Photo by Leo Reynolds Flickr

Wings

“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31

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W is for Wings

They shall mount up with wings like eagles.

But wings weighed down with grievances and strain, disappointments and disquiet, ingratitude and discontent can’t rise too high. Such stains and countless more will keep us in a worldly and pitiable view of everything.

If we can’t see more than ourselves and our woes and wants, we’re not mounting up but sinking low. How heavy they are, those wings of self, made not of grace but steel!  “Master, we saw one casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he follows not with us.” (Luke 9:49) And if we crawl this low, we have not wings of steel or even any feet.

But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.

That I should fly and feel such wings
rise o’er my moan to where the sparrow sings
of seeing streams and hills and e’en sparks of heaven,
my view no longer small or on my self engraven.

My woe though deep is purposefully clear,
hopeless and dank only below this mounting fear-
Lord raise me up to where the wheat waves like the sea
from palest gray to ripest golden glee.

And I shall see Thy hand upon all things,
working and weaving and testing all thy wings-
each spot, each mar, each tear of each beloved heir,
each bruised and broken wing repair!

Each waiting heart that hopes in Him
shall rise o’er all to where the sparrows sing
of crystal streams and gilded hills, by God’s own word engraven,
and our faith shall rise full-sail into His promised haven.

Petra O. Hefner

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Thank you for your visit!

Photo by Leo Reynolds Flickr

Violence

“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Matthew 15:2

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V is for Violence.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12

At first glance, all I see is this terribly sinful ‘violence’ that Jesus had to suffer—that other saints have had to suffered since. But surely, the violent that take God’s kingdom by force can’t be violently sinful men, if God’s kingdom is a kingdom of righteousness and power!

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There is a senseless violence,
in brute and selfish men,
that mutilates and maims and kills
to feed its own desires.

But there’s a holy violence yet,
in grace and selfless love,
that mends the broken and undone
to raises them back to life.

There is a senseless violence,
in hot and boastful men,
that poisons sanity with rage
to fight for its revenge.

But there’s a holy violence yet,
in mercy’s generous hearts,
that fills the meek and fearful ones
with courage and new zeal.

There is a senseless violence,
in rash, impatient men,
that severs limb and eye and ear.
in hot and jealousy fear.

But there’s a holy violence yet,
in pure compassionate care,
that help the lame and blind and deaf
to love and see and hear.

There is a senseless violence,
in fierce and fiery men,
that sears all peace and joy and life
to fill a thirsty thrill.

But there’s a holy violence yet,
the love of God through Christ,
that powerfully appears to bring
new zeal and blazing courage.

There is a senseless violence,
in proud, self-righteous men,
that hates and kills even the Christ
to justify their sin.

But there’s a holy violence yet,
the power of Christ’s salvation,
that turns God’s enemies to friends
and fills His saints with faith.

There is a senseless violence,
in crass and hateful men
that taunts and ridicules and wounds
to silence truth and proof.

But there’s a holy violence yet,
in all our ceaseless praying,
to turn a fiend into God’s friend
to love and cherish Christ.

Petra O. Hefner

I don’t know about you, but for me, seemingly simple things like going to church and praying are not always easy! And reading, studying, and obeying God’s word are oftentimes real struggles! If they were to always come easy and without effort, they’d lack this holy violence that I so desperately need the moment I awake.

This holy violence I need, to push me to my knees to pray earnestly, faithfully, compassionately, patiently, and expectantly for others!

This holy violence I need, to help me bend, subdue, and kill my prideful and demanding, self-relying and insisting self!

This holy violence I need, to read and search and heed His word to break through doubt and unbelief and sin!

This holy violence I need, to seize me, to crush me, and to urge me
to repent each time I sin!

This holy violence I need, to stir me to smile and to love and to give when skies are gray and friends seem fiends, and each new step feels heavingly heavy toward His endless grace and joy and peace!

Whose holy violence is this? Look at the cross. There it is—in Him—in His loving us into loving Him!

Petra O. Hefner

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Thank you for reading and commenting!

Photo by Leo Reynolds Flickr

Uzzah

“They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart…” 1 Chronicles 13:7

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U is for Uzzah

.

Uzzah,
son of Abinadab,
your name means strength
with arms stout enough
to put the ark
of God
on a cart.

.

Uzzah,
son of nobleness,
what were you thinking
when you chose an ox
to pull the ark
of God
on a cart?

.

Uzzah,
son of a Levite,
why was the ark not carried
on reverent shoulders
in honor
of God
and His glory.

.

Uzzah,
Son of impulse,
was the ark with you so long
that you should forget
that the law
of God
is most holy?

.

Uzzah,
Son of presumption,
did you assume God’s holiness
to be a mere convenience
you could claim
of God
to excuse sin?

.

Uzzah,
son of error,
life fell the moment you tried
to undo sin by adjusting
the holy ark
of God
with your hand!

.

Petra O. Hefner

Scripture Reference: 1 Chronicles 13

“Now let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” 2 Chronicles 19:7

Further thoughts and ramblings…

How quick we are to right our wrong choices by placing the problem with something or someone else—the rut in the road, or the ox that turned aside. How quick we are to cover or try to fix a wrong—the perilous result of our disobedience—by using yet another wrong. We try to adjust that which is holy, perfect, immovable, and blameless (God’s law) with our unholy, imperfect, sinful hands (actions). But sin cannot expect to touch or adjust what is holy and expect to live!

Sin is the opposite of holiness, not its companion! God’s holiness does not excuse but execute sin by its own unsullied essence . But the holy—the holy son of God can touch what is holy, and live! Righteousness purifies, but sin only causes more sin and death! Therefore, Christ, and only Christ, can rightly right what is wrong, or raise what has fallen dead by His own perfect obedience. Christ is the only acceptable propitiation for sin!

The fault is never with God, His holiness or His law. God’s law condemns us because it is perfect and we’re not. It is never ever the other way around!

God is perfectly and righteously holy and without fault. If the ark had been carried as prescribed by God’s perfect law, this chapter of the bible would probably not exist. But here it is, teaching us that God’s law is perfect and that we should not try to adjust it to make things easier for us! If we do, our ox will stumble and cause a great mess!

Christ is our only hope!

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17

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Thank you for reading!

Photo by nsub1 Flickr

A New Day

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.” Hosea 13:14

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Oh, how the cost of sin’s too much to bear
too much for any one man, yet here
upon the cross God’s only Son
hung suff’ring once for all
most willingly in tears
and greatest agony
utterly forsaken
and stricken
yet sinless
and pure
He died

For you and me!

He died
pure and
sinless yet
slain for all sin
and wrapped within
a tomb until His new day
dawned like His first morning
and like His first word so full of life
and perfect grace as when at very first
He spoke ‘n woke His glorious light to smite
all of night and all of death and all of sin forever!

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Petra O. Hefner

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“For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:9-11

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Wishing all a most joyous Resurrection Sunday!

Photo by Mike Doss Flickr

Ten Words

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

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T is for Ten Words

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Love suffers all things,

and all things suffer

without love.

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Petra O. Hefner

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8

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Thank you for visiting! A most blessed Easter weekend to you!

Photo by Leo Reynolds Flickr

Sunbeams Explode

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise…” 16:2

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S is for Sunbeams Explode

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Daylight seeps
through ling’ring mist
toward the dead cold
sleeping ground
melding what was
and is
and is to come
then floats
and swirls
and twirls and spins
and laughs and sings in praise
as night takes its final black breath.
Vibrant sunlight suddenly explodes
filling crags and crevices of old
and one fresh gaping hole
with mounting marvel
and fragrant hope.
He’s not here!

He has
risen!

Petra O. Hefner

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:6

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Thank you for your visit! Wishing all my readers a blessed weekend and a most joyful Resurrection Sunday!

Photo by Leo Reynolds Flickr

Rick

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father.” James 1:17

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R is for Rick

.

Rick
.
sinner saved by grace
my dearly beloved
God’s giving heart
leader, provider
my best friend
strong arms
skillful art
one heart
His song
is in
his
.
Music
.

“Landrum Aire”
by Rick Hefner

Find more of Rick’s latest accomplishments here!

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Nothing wrong with bragging on your husband, right? Right!

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Thank you for taking your time to visit!