St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“You must have a plan and a purpose. Though swiftly the years may depart – you’ll always have something to live for – if you have a dream in your heart.” (Patience Strong. A reflection from “The Birthday Book. February 13”)

Surrender to the Sender

Give, and you will live.

Pray, pray, pray today,

Ask God His way that you may

Live life in the Holy Spirit,

If seeking any merit.

His life gifted us

In the love of Christ Jesus,

Is life led in goodness

Faithfulness towards holiness.

Wisdom to hold onto to mould us,

A gift of God, Christ Jesus in us.

Ourselves dethroned in heart, a start

Then in head, when Spirit led.

Strive towards love from above

Living to be giving ever this love.

Grace asked, expected is grace accepted,

Us growing more like Jesus.

Resemblance of love, no passing semblance,

But new life without sins’ strife ,

Resemblance calls life into balance.

Make Lord Jesus your daily focus

His teaching, His preaching, an invaluable lesson.

Reading about Him, we begin

To cut through the morass we make as sin.

Accept as grace, His love’s embrace,

Thanksgiving due from me and you!

Plus sorrow with remorse, of course,

All prayer He will endorse.

Call on the Spirit anew to guide us.

At Jesus’ † we find justice,

Protection, power for a new direction.

Take action to connect, reflect holy love,

Offering suffering for some added recompense

For every mistake we too often make.

Ask to do what Jesus asks of us,

Even if daily, we carry a †.

This helps lengthen, strengthen love’s effect.

Any weakness, lean on Christ Jesus.

Respect with love any or everybody,

Those in authority and Christ Jesus’ sovereignty.

Conquer anger, greed, envy with generosity,

Apathy by fervour built up prayerfully.

Forgetting self, reach out to another

Only by love you will faith discover.

Temperate, diligent, thoughtful, considerate,

Considerate, prayerful, blameless not careless.

Guided and corrected all the time

Saved, sanctified that God be glorified.

Realising how this world is passing,

Our future requires holiness wherein lies happiness.

Life is short, bought at a price,

Jesus made the sacrifice, love displayed.

Trust in His gracious goodness,

Jesus is God with us,

To safely, securely lead us

Through a valley, shadowed by loss,

But death is defeated at the †.

The gain you make will always be the same

Remain in Jesus to exalt His name,

Glory to God as a Trinity,

Love and mercy granted the family.

This is us living in Christ Jesus.

The rest is life’s test

Up to us to long for, aim and secure,

As for certain this extraordinary grace

Allows us to meet our Father face to face.

“Look at life with eyes that see the best things, not the bad. Cherish, in your memory, the good times, not the bad...” (Patience Strong. A reflection from “The Birthday Book. February 14”)

“Choose the bright side of the road where sunshine lights the way. Walk in the direction of the blue sky, not the grey.” (The reflection concluded)

Lord, please, please help us to always look on the bright side, for there is every reason to do so, thank You!

I echo these sentiments: “The happy heart is that which is content with little things. The heart that loves a simple life...” (Patience Strong “The Birthday Book February 16”)

“...the heart in which there springs – a sense of joy with each fresh joy, a prayer of gratitude - for the morning miracle of health and strength renewed.” (Cont)

Thank You for each and every blessing of grace which comes from Your favour towards us. Countless are the blessings! Amen.