Author: householdoftheholyfamily

Before our time began You were,
     And yet You condescend
On Spirit’s breath to travel here
     To our world by You mend.

And here You are in stable throned,
     Born of a Mother pure
Who never by a man was known,
     Virginity secured.

But by her side You Joseph find,
     By angel set aside–
Surrendered all his heart and mind
     When to himself he died.

He is Your father on this earth
     To teach You all he can
And care for Mother gave You birth–
     Teach You to be a man. 

In human nature You become
     A man like Joseph is;
United with Begotten Son,
     In heaven you’re still his. 

Your actions say your faith is great,
And Mary knows that you’ve said “yes;”
Together you for us await
The birth of Him who you’ll know best. 

Your father’s strength comes from above
From Him who chose you for His Son
That He can know His Father’s love–
On earth–will never be undone.

His Father’s grace you give to Him—
He sees you for His mother care
And knows for both of them you live,
As burdens of them both you bear.

When time will come to say “farewell”
As to this life you close your eyes,
You’ll know that with them all is well,
And you’ll see them in Paradise. 

By faith I see Your dawn will come
     With Spirit’s breeze that blows
To scatter darkness–makes us numb–
     And wakes our hearts to know—

Know truth is in our inward parts
     Placed there by Your right hand;
Your image in us from the start
     Makes each a holy land—

A land worth saving from this night
     That darkens every soul;
Your Cross brings Your dawn’s early light
     To cleanse and make us whole—

For when we’re whole we are sin free,
     An image of yourself,
With reason, conscience meant to be
     Our guides to human health—

A human health that’s only found
     When You come live in us;
Unblemished we’re no longer bound,
     With Mary we now trust—

Trust You to lead us in Your way
     By light shines from Your Cross.
Our sin and Satan fade away;
     We are no longer lost.

Down from the heights He comes
To enter all our lives,
And one of us becomes
Eternal life to give.

His gift is for all time
And is for everyone
Born in His world sublime
That fell to evil one.

His Cross will kill our sin,
Defeat the Devil’s plan,
And we begin again
With grace in Eastern Lands.

New Eden comes to East
Where sun will always rise
Upon His Gospel Feast–
Frees us from sin and lies,

And now we plainly see
That earth is heaven’s door,
And with Him we will be
Alive forever more.

When suffering comes, the Bridegroom knocks
     On door ‘twas closed so long,
And now, at last, we will unlock:
     He comes where He belongs.

Through door of temple He then steps,
     And holy we become;
He plunges to our inner depths
     As Spirit brings God’s Son.

The One through whom our hearts were made
     By Father’s loving hand
Casts out from us the Devil’s shade,
     Reclaims His conquered land.

His reign in us anew begins—
     From strength to strength He goes—
His new creation never ends;
     He conquers all our foes.

Our suffering is His mercy’s thorn
     That lets Him conquer us;
Anew with Him we are reborn
     And ever after trust. 

In Him, my Rock, there is no wrong
     And to Him I can cling,
As I join angels in their song
     To of His praises sing.

For in a world of passing things,
     He is foundation firm,
And of His mercy music rings
     As from Him truth we learn.

All earth will hearken to His words
     Of everlasting truth;
And call Him Rock who is our Lord:
     His life the final proof.

He does not from us stay aloof
     But comes among us weak;
Unbinds sin’s chains and sets us loose,
     And righteousness we seek.

So through the twists and turns of life
     On Rock we’ll always stand,
Secure amid the storms and strife
     With all Christ’s holy band. 

Like dead leaves falling to the ground
My old self flutters down to death
And leaves behind what Jesus found
When He restored my Eden’s health.

Forgiveness and a restored heart,
Now waters me whom Jesus grows
From seed ‘twas planted at my start
Toward future only Jesus knows.

In wildest dreams I never knew
The self He had in store for me,
And virtues in me He imbued
When sown in me now sets me free. 

At last my heart begins to see
Myself ‘twas born so long ago
Who comes in view when on a Tree
I died with Him who loves me so. 

For my false self has come and gone
The way of flesh that has no life,
And Jesus says to it “Begone!”
For it can’t live in Jesus’ light. 

O Lord, come walk within my soul
And change me from the inside out
That soul and body may be whole
And I am one within, without.

May I not lack a living guide
Who lights my way each step by step,
Communes with me down deep inside
Awakens virtue that had slept.

Through eyes are Yours may I see truth
Unites me with Your world around
Receive in me Your timeless proof
That grace around us all abounds.

And when that time to all will come
To walk with You through heaven’s gate
May I find that I have become
The one for whom Our Father waits.