Be still before the Lord, all mankind,
because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”
Zechariah 2:13 NIV
***
Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded,
for, with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.
“Ponder nothing earthly minded…” It seems that all I do is ponder earthly things: mentally sifting, sorting, settling, only to begin again. Good stewardship, yes. Obsessing, no. They are just things.
***
King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood.
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav’nly food.
This is what I should ponder: the greatest gift, the greatest sacrifice, the greatest love, the greatest blessing.
***
Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the pow’rs of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
Nothing can stop His coming. Nothing can stop Him in His mission. He cannot fail. Victory is assured.
***
At His feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia, Lord Most High!”
Then this should be my pattern, too: ceaseless praise. How can I do less? How dare I do less?