2022 January

A New Year Begins Anew

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/1/22 

 

A new year begins anew.

What might this year be for you?

Be open to God all your days,

And watch out how each one plays!

 

Some will be chilly some quite hot.

Some will be great some will not.

Some will drag on others fly by.

Live each one fully or at least try.

 

Make a difference every day,

By just what you might do or say.

You are unique and it's up to you,

To be who you are and do what you do.

 

Come Before the Lord

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/3/22 

 

Come before the Lord.

Calm your soul and mind.

Come and be restored.

Seek and you will find.

 

Sit with God today.

Speak and listen to.

What's God have to say?

Ask God to guide you.

 

Take some holy time,

Throughout every day.

In these times sublime,

Be with God and pray.

 

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/4/22 

 

On the twelfth day of Christmas,

Until next Christmas Day,

We put the Christmas tree away.

 

On the twelfth day of Christmas,

Until next Christmas Day,

Take the stockings down,

And put the Christmas tree away.

…

On the twelfth day of Christmas,

Until next Christmas Day,

Leave one reminder,

Silence the carols,

Extinguish candles,

Move elf off the shelf,

Store decorations,

Box up the wrappings,

Reread all the cards,

Wrap up the crèche!

Eat up the cookies,

Throw out trash,

Take the stockings down,

And put the Christmas tree away.

 

O God, We Live in Darkness

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/5/22 

 

O God, we live in darkness,

We struggle through the night,

Seeking your direction,

Guide us by your light.

 

When we’re at the bottom,

You reach down to lift us up,

Offering forgiveness,

In the bread and cup.

 

We are never all alone,

For you are always there.

When we've messed up our lives,

Your grace you freely share.

 

Today we come to sing your praise,

We shout and lift our voice.

For all that you have done for us,

With thanks our hearts rejoice.

 

Do You Know That You Are Loved (Luke 3)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/6/22 

 

Do you know that you are loved?

You’re loved by God above!

Sins are no match for God's grace,

Because we know - God is love.

 

What does the Lord see in you,

When God looks on your soul?

God sees the gifts God’s given you,

And in God's plan your role.

 

At the baptism of Jesus,

God saw what was, and would be,

God was pleased with what was seen,

It would impact eternity.

 

Your past is seen through God's grace,

Its brokenness will be healed.

Your future is seen with hope,

God's pleased with what's revealed.

 

Live your life as a beloved child,

Remember that God is for us,

So, nothing can stand against us,

When we stand with Christ Jesus.

 

May This Be the Day

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/7/22 

 

May this be the day,

That God's will is done,

As we come together,

To unite as one.

 

Swords turned into tools,

To help produce food,

Instruments of war,

For the common good.

 

By your grace, O God,

Help us pray for peace,

And work for it too,

That all strife may cease.

 

Grant us your vision,

To see what you see,

That we can become,

What you want us to be.

 

O God, We Come before You

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/8/22 

 

O God, we come before you,

We lift our hearts in song.

To you we sing our praises.

To you our lives belong.

In love you have created us,

And shown us how to love,

That we might live forever,

With you in heaven above.

 

Help us today to follow,

As Jesus taught us to,

Love you and all our neighbors,

In all we say and do.

We serve as faithful servants,

To do your holy will.

Help us to serve faithfully,

Our purpose to fulfill.

 

O God, You Knew Us Even Before

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/9/22 

 

O God, you knew us even before,

We could comprehend your grace.

Each step of the way you offered more,

Helping us run this race.

 

You sought us before we sought you,

Or even knew that you were there.

Then you showed us what we could do,

To share your love everywhere.

 

Help others to see by how we live,

A reflection of your grace,

That to others we might give,

Our witness face to face.

 

With Thanks and Praise

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/10/22 

 

With thanks and praise,

God, we come to you,

Testifying,

Of all that you do.

 

You're the Creator,

Who has made it all,

Wondrous things,

Both big and small.

 

And you have made,

Each one of us,

And shown us your love,

By sending Jesus.

 

We lift up our hearts,

To you we sing,

For you are the Lord,

Of everything.

 

God Gives to Us Everything

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/11/22 

 

God gives to us everything.

To God with thanks we sing,

For by God's mercy we are blessed.

In love God gave to us the best.

 

When needed most to us God gave,

Jesus who came to save,

That us to God he would restore,

To live with him forevermore.

 

Praise God for this most glorious gift,

That does each soul uplift,

Although we had been lost in sin,

For us now let new life begin.

 

The Lord’s Spirit Is upon Me (Luke 4)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/12/22 

 

The Lord's Spirit is upon me,

Good News to the poor to preach,

Captives are to be set free,

Thus did Jesus teach.

 

Liberty to those oppressed,

Freedom for all’s to be restored,

The time is now Jesus stressed,

The acceptable year of the Lord.

 

In Jesus’ name what might we do?

For in his name, we're able,

To do something in order to,

Make this year be acceptable.

 

Holy God, We Come to You

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/13/22 

 

Holy God, we come to you,

Singing of your glory.

We listen to your sacred word,

Your divine love story.

 

From the very beginning,

Up to this very day,

You have led your people,

Each step of the way.

 

From wandering the deserts,

And crossing the Red Sea,

You guided your people where,

A promised land would be.

 

With faith replaced by rules,

Your people lost their way.

So, you came down in person,

To become the Way.

 

Help us now to follow,

As your disciples did.

We'll add to your story,

And through it be bless-ed.

 

God Almighty, You Are There

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/14/22 

 

God Almighty, you are there,

Even before we are aware.

For by you we are created,

And our life resuscitated.

 

All began through your Word,

Your will is done when it's heard.

On this new day help us begin,

Help us hear your word again.

 

Show us how to live today,

That your will be done we pray.

Help us love with all our heart,

Your Good News to all impart.

 

Help Us, God, to Be Right There

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/15/22 

 

Help us, God, to be right there,

When a neighbor is in need.

Help us show the world you care,

By those we clothe and those we feed.

 

Your compassion we have known,

When we were in need there you came.

As our faith in you has grown,

Now for others we do the same.

 

As believers, we're hands and feet.

In Jesus’ name we've been set free.

That others’ needs we might now meet,

And through us your love they’ll see.

 

In Jesus’ Name You Are Forgiven

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/17/22 

 

In Jesus’ name you are forgiven,

Your sins completely washed away.

A new life to you is given.

Live it now each blessed day.

 

Let your past become your past,

The lessons learned along the way.

For a given sentence no longer last,

Be forgiving. Start today!

 

You are no longer who you were,

Filled with remorse, anger, and hate,

The love of Jesus is the cure,

Offering you a clean slate.

 

Forgiveness of Sins

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/18/22 

 

Forgiveness of sins,

Jesus did proclaim.

Today it's offered,

To all in His name.

 

That sin caused illness,

Some did believe in,

So, Jesus healed by,

Forgiving their sin.

 

Sin is so much more,

Then breaking the rules.

Sin’s what separates,

The Lord from us fools.

 

Jesus offers us,

A new way to live,

Following his way,

To love and forgive.

 

Who Is My Neighbor (Luke 10)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/19/22 

 

Who is my neighbor?

A scholar asked Jesus.

Don't you mean the nearest?

Those who look like us.

 

But Jesus told a story,

Of a man who nearly died,

And how two holy men,

Passed on the other side.

 

But there was another,

Someone different Jesus said,

Who came to the man's rescue,

And offered him first aid.

 

Then the stranger took him,

To recover at an inn,

And paid the bill in full,

To the innkeeper within.

 

Jesus asks, “Which was the neighbor?”

And when the scholar replies,

Jesus says to all who’ll hear,

To, “Go and do likewise!”

 

What Difference Can We Make

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/20/22 

 

What difference can we make?

What risks for Jesus can we take?

Earnestly pray and hear his voice,

Following Jesus is our free choice.

 

Other things we must let go,

That him we might fully follow.

The Lord's burden will be light,

If you believe with all your might.

 

In Christ all things can be done,

There is a place for everyone.

Each person's gifts the Lord can use,

If together we each so choose.

 

The difference is not made by us,

We're merely helpers of Jesus.

As through him all creation came,

So, all we do is done in his name.

 

Faith Overcomes Fear

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/21/22 

 

Faith overcomes fear. Believe it.

God gives us power. Receive it.

God values us with sacred worth.

God gives us a second birth.

Faith overcomes fear!

 

“Be not afraid,” the angels said,

To shepherds cowering in dread.

They feared the worst, the end was near,

But God's Good News overcame their fear.

Faith overcomes fear!

 

Disciples gathered in an upper room,

Christ had died, they feared their doom.

When they saw their resurrected Lord,

Their faith in him was then restored.

Faith overcomes fear!

 

Whenever we become afraid,

Watch for God to be displayed.

In the midst of our worst fear,

God is with us and always near.

Faith overcomes fear!

 

A Still Small Voice

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/22/22 

 

A still small voice still speaks today,

If we but listen when we pray.

Each day may God speak to us,

Of ways we might follow Jesus.

 

In a garden or on a hill,

Jesus prayed seeking God's will.

May we learn to pray that way,

Listening for what God will say.

 

Open your ears. Open your heart.

What to you might God impart?

Words of grace or forgiveness,

Words that your life God will bless.

 

Pray for guidance from the Lord,

That your faith will be restored.

Empowered by your time in prayer,

Share God's Good News everywhere.

 

As the Lord Is Holy

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/23/22 

 

As the Lord is holy,

Grow to be the same,

By loving God and neighbor,

Doing good in Jesus’ name.

 

We love because God is love,

And God has so loved us.

We share God when we share love,

God shared love in Jesus.

 

God shares love, that's what God is,

God shares godliness.

And by the way that we live,

We share God's holiness.

 

We Pray for God’s Kingdom

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/24/22 

 

We pray for God's Kingdom,

To come upon the earth,

That all might enter by,

Baptism and rebirth.

 

Though we live in this world,

We are yet set apart,

We’re not the focal point,

God is first in our heart.

 

As followers of the Lord,

It's not all about us.

It's about how we serve,

As we follow Jesus.

 

It's not my Kingdom,

God it is wholly yours.

As I humbly serve you,

May these be holy years.

 

In the Name of Jesus Christ

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/25/22 

 

In the name of Jesus Christ,

We have been set free.

Doesn't matter what we've been,

We are now free to be,

Followers of Jesus Christ,

For all eternity.

 

Every day brings something new.

Each day we are blessed.

And we do all that we can,

We give it our best.

When it's done, we settle down,

For a good night's rest.

 

Start each day with a prayer,

Ask God's guidance for today.

What might this new day bring?

God will show us the way.

Take God with you everywhere,

Have a blessed day.

 

In the Morning We Pray

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/26/22 

 

In the morning we pray,

For the rest of the day,

Wondering what just might,

Happen before it's night.

 

In the midst of the day,

And each step along the way,

For God's guidance we pray,

To be ready come what may.

 

In the evening when we pray,

At the end of another day,

Before turning in for the night,

We pray we did well in God's sight.

 

We Come to Worship You, O Lord

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/27/22 

 

We come to worship you, O Lord,

Your holy name to bless,

To sing your praise and hear your word,

And all our sins confess.

 

As believers we all gather,

Drink the cup and eat the bread.

As a body we come together.

We are the parts. You are the head.

 

Send us forth with your blessing,

That faithful followers we might be.

By words and deeds to all confessing,

In Jesus name we are set free.

 

Sing Praises to the Lord

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/29/22 

 

Sing praises to the Lord,

For all that God has done,

But there's more work to do,

Our work has just begun.

 

To those who are in need,

To those both sick and sore,

Two with those who are oppressed,

And to those who are poor.

 

We are called to help,

To heal and to feed,

To be Christ’s hands and feet,

Responding to each need.

 

Sometimes we bring Good News,

By what it is we say,

But often it is best shared,

By loving deeds along the way.

 

Jesus Preached to All Who’d Hear (Matthew 25)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/30/22 

 

Jesus preached to all who'd hear,

Of entering God's glory.

He warned those holding riches dear,

By telling them a story.

 

He told of flocks of sheep and goats,

At the time of judgment,

Each was clueless, Jesus notes,

By their bewilderment.

 

When did we ever see you, Lord?

And did or not what you said?

When you did or not to one of these,

It was to me instead.

 

In God Almighty We Believe

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 1/31/22 

 

In God Almighty we believe,

The Creator of everything.

Gifts from God we each receive,

In praise to God we sing.

 

And we believe in Jesus,

The divine/human Word,

Who gave his life for us,

Our resurrected Lord.

 

We believe in the Holy Spirit,

Living in each of us.

We are called to share it,

In the name of Jesus.

 

We believe in this Trinity,

God who is three yet one,

Expressions of divinity,

Something for everyone.