Jesus

cross: the counterintuitive way of the cross that sets us free

/ Joy Lenton / 14 Comments

The way of the cross seems counterintuitive. Who would willingly walk to such a gruesome, painful death? Who could endure the ultimate, agonising sacrifice of a totally self-surrendered life? Not one of us, I would bet.

But it was the route Jesus took to restore us back to the Father’s side. It was a pathway paved with lavish love and grace. It created a shift in the heavens and altered our perspective on earth thereafter.

Jesus willingly yielded His life so that we could personally experience God’s unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness, His poured out grace for the human race. He had the joyous end view in sight of many sons and daughters sharing His eternal Home and glory to come.

His surrendered sacrifice inspires us to persevere in our own walk of faith, keeping the cross before us to remind us of the price Jesus paid to set us free from sin, guilt and shame.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

My haiku sequence vignette was written as a poetic response to these thoughts and a way to try to describe the indescribable, while recognising we are entering into the heart of the mystery of our salvation.

The way of the Cross

the way of the cross
is counterintuitive
we see surrender

and self-sacrifice
from Christ’s freely poured out life
as rivers of blood

mingle to become
oceans of mercy and grace
for the human race

and joy rises up
as he drinks the bitter gall
from death’s lifted cup

to yield his last breath
into Father’s loving hands
as curtain is torn

and darkness descends
making witnesses fearful
feel lost and bereft

their Saviour seems dead
but it is not over yet
for he rises from death

there’s an empty tomb
Resurrection has come
hope for everyone
©joylenton

Let’s rejoice with the Newsboys’ song and say our own “Hallelujah for the cross!”

PS: I’m also honoured to have a Good Friday reflection and poem featured on the Godspace community blog. Just click here to read it. And If you would like to slowly ponder the enormity of it all, you can join in with the Lectio Divina reading below that focuses on Isiaiah 53: 3-6. May God bless you with His amazing love, joy and peace this Easter, my friend! 🙂 ❤

our aching heart void that only God can fill #thedailyhaiku 19

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

 

Hearts are such fragile things, easily hurt and wounded, broken and crushed. Our brokenness means we all have an aching heart, whether we sense it or not. Life’s flotsam and jetsam twists us up inside and we crave an elusive peace.

Nothing we try to do can quite assuage the void within that fills with unshed tears and pain. I wrote something about this in my poetic memoir, especially in the poem below. It’s not a haiku but it addresses this topic well…

Broken

In every pew

sits a broken heart

In every church

we’re falling apart

We’re the haunted

by memories and shame

We’re the wounded

by sickness and pain

In need of

God’s mercy and grace

In hope of

change taking place

We reach out

with yearning tears

We sing out

broken hallelujahs

©joylenton

There is an answer to our weariness, weakness and pain, our guilt and shame, our wounded state. His Name is Jesus and He is the Son of God, broken for us on the Cross so that we might experience true rest, freedom, peace and joy through knowing Him.

Father,

I pray that every thirsting soul and every aching heart will find their heart’s true Home in relationship with you. May you assuage the pain that comes from living in a fallen world, bring us peace beyond all earthly understanding and a joy which surpasses our wildest expectations.

Saturate our hearts with your Love, your goodness and grace, your immeasurable, awe-inspiring Holy presence. And grant us deep soul rest as we learn to trust in you above our own desires and anxious thoughts.

Heal our brokenness and give us Hope to start again, no matter where we are situated or what life has thrown at us. May we receive your mercy and forgiveness, let go of guilt, shame and disgrace and be able to lift our heads high, knowing we are your own Beloved ones.

Amen

aching heart

our hearts are aching
there’s an emptiness inside
Jesus alone fills
©joylenton

**PS: you can access my book, ‘Seeking Solace: Discovering grace in life’s hard places’, in the sidebar here or on Amazon**  🙂

Beyond all expectations

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

manger nativity PJ

Beyond expectations

There was no theological precedent

for this, no earthly reason

for God to present His bliss

within the folds of swaddling cloth

When one of valour and of might

was anticipated as bold warrior-slayer,

who would expect a starry night

to bring a babe of lowly birth to be

heaven’s chosen Messiah-King on earth?

An unconventional beginning

to His reign, where weakness

became perfect player for His power

and strength was seen in holy purity,

integrity and inner grit to steel

this humble soul for painful death

prepared by prayerful blood-sweat tears

witnessed within His dying-rising

hour at close of earthly years

©JoyLenton2015

Dear reader, bless you for being here to read, comment and share this space together. I’m truly thankful for your company and I appreciate each and every one of you and the interactions we’ve enjoyed.

As I take a brief break to spend time with family, I want you to know how much you’ve blessed and encouraged me this year.

Merry Christmas and a Happy, blessed New Year to you, lovely reader!

I plan to pen some more poetry here in early January.

Meanwhile, feel free to browse the archives here or over at my other site, Words of Joy.

Looking forward to being back with you soon.

With blessings and love, Joy Xx ❤

PJ christmas greeting

New life through death

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

kaleidoscope PJ file image

As Holy week comes toward its grand finale, it’s good to pause and consider the cost of our salvation.

I am pondering all that led to Jesus’ death and what it really means to live in the light of His finished work on the cross.

All that is lifeless within can be enlivened by His Spirit and changed by His grace.

New life through death.

New birth and new beginning.

We ponder and we wonder anew at all Jesus went through to bring us back to God the Father, to restore all that the enemy has stolen.

There is so much more here than one poem can convey.

Far more than I can easily express.

But I hope it will give you a tiny glimpse behind the scenes of Christ’s path to Calvary and its tremendous implications for all mankind.

‘An enlivening spark’

Kaleidoscope colours in your life and mine

collide in varied hues of the human condition

Fractured, splintered at times beyond recognition

So many shade to grey, loom dim and dark

without that vital, enlivening spark

We rest beneath the shadow of the cross

A place which collects all our pain and loss

We crest the hill of Golgotha rising

Eyes straining to see beyond its horizon

We witness a sacred flood of crimson-red

where our Saviour suffered, died and bled

Our own violence and tears join hands

with the punishment our sin demands

Kneeling, weeping, wondering anew

as resurrection Light and power break through

with glory, radiance of Love divine

©JoyLenton2015

cross PJ file image

Walk of faith

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

file image PJ walk of faith

‘Walking’

Sometimes I want to walk

away from myself

turn my back and flee

But there’s no getting

away from it

I can’t get away from me

Although I feel a place

of cold emptiness

echoing through my heart

When I try listening close

I sense Jesus is

walking through every part

He pushes away the

darkness shelved deep inside

so that it has nowhere else

to trouble, disturb or hide

And He fills and floods

every crevice and space

with His wonderful love

and amazing grace

©JoyLenton2014

For the first time in several weeks, I am delighted to be joining here again today(a little later than planned) with Kate and friends for #fiveminutefriday and with Mel for #essentialfridays

grace file pin image PJ walk of faith

Weight of glory

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

One of the most amazing things about the Christmas story is how everyday people are invited in to share the special occasion.

So few were even aware of the Messiah’s arrival or had paid attention to the signs along the way.

A privileged few were insiders and participants in the greatest story ever told ~ God come to earth to take on our full humanity.

These bystanders may have felt the weight of glory surrounding them as angels sang and heaven rejoiced.

Been overwhelmed by it all.

Yet even they were strangers to the full implication of the Incarnation.

How Jesus would become sin for us on the cross.

Give His life as a ransom for many.

Die the death we deserved that we may inherit His eternal life to come.

This year, as we read the familiar Bible passages, see a school nativity perhaps or watch a film on it, let’s try to see it as though for the very first time.

Allow ourselves to be awed.

Awaken to wonder.

Feel the weight of glory.

‘Incarnate’

Divine conception orchestrated in the holding-space

of a virgin’s womb cum meeting-place twixt

heaven and earth ~ signalling our Saviour’s birth

Mystery deep, sublime, beats beneath

the rhythm of time, now seeping inexorably

between all that was, is now and will be

So human days and ways shift into line

with plans of aeons past colliding as history,

present, and future now subsiding as one

to meet and greet Christ-child ~ Mary’s son

How can this be?

An infant meek and warm, just barely born,

should bear the weight of glory now

and see it cast aside

for a crown of thorns, somehow

No inkling yet as befuddled shepherds

struggle into stable bleak, forlorn,

with countenance of joy and

hope spread on their faces,

jostle reverently around for front-row

seat of places in this Nativity

where grace and angels meet

on Holy ground

And wise men travelled from afar

guided by a bright and beckoning star

to see the One prophets had foretold

and bring Him gifts ~ myrrh, frankincense and gold

Here, cradled in a cattle stall

lay a babe ~ the King and Lord of all

providing reason for us to celebrate

the birth of our Saviour Incarnate

©JoyLenton2013