aStephen-ing&aPaul-ing

Stephen2Paul... 

..I'm thinking of a change of job to see
what new thing now our Lord will do with me..
But either way I think I'll be waiting
on him for what two thous-and and eighteen

will hold, so maybe we can join in prayer
and see what God will do, since he is there -
and here, and has a heart for a real pres-
-ence**. And is helping us en-flesh his cares.

It's "complicated" since his spirit's come -
poured out from heaven on humans (well some) -
who are "in Christ", and he was incarnate,
and as his bride, we're made to be his mate!

So his ecclesia has now been sent
as he was sent by Father (and he went)
to be born as a human here with us.
May God's angels again make quite a fuss!


** Deut 4:7


Paul2Stephen

That Master Builder said that he would build...
"and... I will build ecclesia (of me)" -
a government where all the earth is filled
with knowledge of the Lord, an ass-em-bly

that's legislative in it's nature for
it won't just carry on the status quo.
It's power isn't just a power that's more -
it works on diff'rent principles, you know.

It's principles are seen in how he lived;
and seen in how he clung to his dear life
- NOT! For his knowledge and choices have sieved
the kind of person he is - and his wife!

And I think he is "growing" new wine skins...
just like the skins that God used to en-clothe
the man and woman's nakedness within
the garden setting, as he was disposed

of by his children, and the snake they met.
He worked along with this new shame some felt,
a-vail-a-bil-i-ty of skins was yet
because an animal had somehow dealt

with death, and had not clung to it's life dear
(or passed on death to others; - saved itself).
The same thing with the wine-skins talked of here
to carry his new wine from off the shelf.

Lord use these bags of skin to hold your wine
of life and love, 'cause you poured here inside
of us your Spirit - who's fully divine,
and we are his - it can not be denied

has come from God's own mouth, not to be trife-
-led with & by his nature which is ours
is now our holy breath, and kiss of life.
We now have hope, as trees grow (from stumps) boughs!

..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....

Oh God please grow uneasiness within
your people so our cheesiness and grins
will fall away and we'll begin to work°
in what we say & do - that we'll not shirk

but learn from how the crops and harvests go,
as farmers now (& then) have learned (quite slow)
to plant and water, harvest & winnow
in ways appro-pri-ate to what they sow... ^

And you have taught, as they opened their eyes
& listened with their ears (and looked at skies),
and they had chances to co-operate
with who has time, is never early/late,

and planted the first garden in this world*
- an orchard where the trees (& vines?) unfurled
their leaves, like flags, to catch the light of day,
producing fruit to keep hunger at bay.

God save us being just like a fig tree
that uses soil and space, but leaves only -
what's then produced to cover up our shame
while fruit that feeds is only in the name.

We see your anger in that synagogue
where people were not brave to take the log
from their own eye, but feigned to help someone
whose splinter in their eye was not much fun.

Those fig trees (in his story#, and his play~),
were doomed because their fruit had gone away.
But we would follow in your footsteps Lord
and die to bear good fruit as you assured<.

° Gen 2: the man was put to work to tend and care for God's garden (as were the shepherds, mentioned in Ezekiel and 1Peter, to tend and care for God's flock );  in his letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul says "as co-operators with God we beg you..." 2 Cor 6:1

^ Isa 28:23-29 esp. v26

* Gen 2:8-9,15-16

# Lk 13:6-9

~ Mk 11:12-14

< John 12:24; 1Cor 15:36