Hope

Sometimes I think we can live as those without hope do. We become so pessimistic, so "down on life," that it can be difficult for others to see Christ in us. Do we have problems? Of course. Does the world have problems? You bet. Will we and the world continue to have problems until Christ's return? Sure.

But we win. Christ won the victory over sin at Calvary. Satan is a cornered, wounded animal -- desperate and vicious, running out of time. Dangerous, to be sure, but he knows his days are numbered. We need to keep telling each other, and the world, this story. Instead of complaining, along with those without hope, of what this world is coming to, lets remind them of what has come into the world.

I believe in the mustard seed that grows into the greatest of trees. I believe in Ezekial's rising tide. I believe in a crucified God and an empty tomb. I believe in John's vision, the revelation of the Christ.

Since we've been on the subject of songwriting, here's one I've recently written along the lines of this post. I wrote it in Long Verse, which means each line is in iambic tetrameter -- 4 iambs (8 syllables) per line. It's just four verses, no chorus, like many old English hymns. It hasn't been workshopped yet so it may not be "finished."

The rising tide, the Spirit’s strength,
The power of the perfect King
Sweeps through the earth, subdues the strong,
Erases death’s cruel, mocking sting.
God entered Time, came as a babe,
Became a man, cast Satan down.
Watched as he fell like lightening
From heaven to created ground.

What Satan thought was victory
Became the means of his defeat.
The Lord, by dying on the cross,
Crushed Satan’s head beneath His feet.
And after rising from the grave,
Ascended to the Father’s throne.
Christ sent His Spirit, like the wind,
To draw all men, to lead them home.

And now Hell’s kingdom on the earth
Is plundered by the risen Lord.
And, powerless, the devil cries
When souls are fed the Living Word.
He cannot stop the spreading Church.
He cannot quench the Holy Ghost
That comes to all who heed the call,
And saves them to the uttermost.

Still rising tide, still flowing free,
Bursting the dam the devil raised.
The final outcome’s not in doubt;
Christ, the champion be praised.
King of all Kings and Lord of Lords,
He will annihilate all sin.
Even Death will live no longer,
Christ is Beginning and the End.