Tag Archives: Lamb

how beautiful

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“Landscape with Stormy Sky”
Camille Pissarro

how beautiful is this day
with fragrant fields harboring
dew captured on tiny leaves
replenishing and nourishing

how sweet the melody rising and
discordant sounds failing to
resonant streams knit note by note
falling upon my wanting ears

awaken with beautiful smile
as sadness is forgotten and hope
transitions from things wrought
yesterday to trust in new birth today

sing o heart of joy!
God sets His hand on my world
tears dry and eyes open
to meet sunrise’s new light

welcome Spirit, within my soul abideth thee
for now I am certain beyond
all material objection,
that I am a child of God

(c) 2015 rick stassi

Concerning a Seed

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LittleZenTree431

Artist Credit: Sean Seal

Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; Romans 1: 3 (KJV)

Concerning a Seed upon the ground
Tilled into soil all warmth surround
Consider how it may grasp from me
Endless thoughts of eternity

Concerning the Seed first long ago
Bleating lambs, cow’s sorrowful low
Consider how the path of all thing are
One night, one star, One from afar

Concerning a Seed from a bed of soil
Sprouts a root anointed in oil
Consider His walk, long, narrow
To showeth hope through adorned sparrow

Concerning a person, me and you
Immersing, crying, seeing Him anew
Consider His influence, truth and fear
Reverence now to hearts so dear.

Seek all ye Jesus our Saviour e’er more
Placing love firmly at our soul’s door
Consider how we shall act in return
Concerning a Seed love’s lesson to learn.

© 2013 Rick Stassi

I pray true love will come for you.

Like a Tree

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And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:3 (KJV)

Artist: Sean Seal

Artist: Sean Seal

What is like a tree
So strongly set?
With rooting system’s
Foundation met.

And of this tree
It also be known
that we are as blessed
In a life ne’er alone

For with foundation
Rooted so deep,
Fed with sweet water
Grace and mercy steep.

So from this water
Our veins feed all
Our soul and heart –
Spirit growing tall

Now heavenly nurturing
from Water abound
We are like this tree rooted in Christ
Bearing fruit born from souls so sound

And our leaves are lithe
green-ness unfold
It is life in Jesus
His grace, His Love, History told.

© 2013 Rick Stassi

I am Adam

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“But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
Col 3:14 (NKJV)

I am Adam.
Well, not exactly…
But inside I contain him
His character plain to see.

I have free will and I chose to fall,
Avoid my Creator, heed Satan’s call.
And in this will, freedom-less,
I’ve blatant disregard for all goodness.

Once born of love now steeped in hate
Stop this increase, it’s not too late!
For my heart does try bear more than it can,
To hate and not forgive is Satan’s plan.

I cannot bear what was not meant to be,
Just because of some fruit in a tree.
Off-colored will steals freedom away
To deliver us to evil’s putrid sway.

Now I am Jesus
Well, He abides in me.
In Him is Liberation-
Law that makes me free.

At my core is Love personified
The Son of Man unjustly died.
Directing my way and bearing all weight
Onto His shoulder all hated freight.

Onto forgive immoral melee
For man, in guise of freedom, in his own way.
Does such a man deserve such touching notice?
An adamant decline simply will not suffice.

Do I deserve this freedom Law?
With heart once darkened to white without flaw?
A simple choice, to seek God’s face.
From Whom I may now love all, in His grace.

copyright 2013 Rick Stassi

Your Ways, O Lord

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Artist: Janina Kobel

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25 (NKJV)

Am I ever there yet? Where is there?

My life is good. I count the blessings bestowed by God and I feel good. I think of things yesterday that caused me angst, I see the very same all but forgotten today. I remember self-pity or maybe harsh words. In my heart, I was serious. Today all is new and forgotten – a wisp of burden floating to heaven. I am refreshed and born again. It is the unique ability to regenerate today yet retain all learned yesterday. Each day is a series of steps on a path the Lord unrolls before me like a velvet carpet. The steps of my life, the path of the Lord.

There is sadness in David’s psalmic voice. But there is reverence for God. Sadness is sometimes lamenting what I see as failure in my character. God sees no failure. I am a child of God. He lifts me beyond lament. The sound of  my voice is really sincere praise.

Yesterday’s anxiety is all but forgotten. I remember how I worried. I sat with sweated palms and forehead and prayed. God spoke:

Have courage, you are my child

Trust me, you are my child

I am with you, my child

Worry evaporates like the mist of water on a hot surface. All to heaven. Isn’t is funny how steam rises like my burdens rise to heaven where Jesus accepts my small thorn. He adds it to His collection that circumvent His head. I am sorry Lord. I do not wish to hurt You. But He is reassuring. He has paid the price and His grace covers me. His pain is now in His heart and it is for those who are stepping daily on the path of the wicked. I can help You Lord. Tell me how I can be Your servant. Maybe I will remind the wicked of Your grace and salvation. It will ease Your grief. I believe this is Your way. Teach me how to be a servant.

Release my burden like the rising steam

Renewed and supple near Your stream

The thorns of my burdens scratch Your head,

But, it is Your heart that grieves the path of the dead.

I give myself to Your court. I pray to You with expectancy. I cast all hindrance. For I see the path You have laid before me and at times I just stand. It is as if I am at an intersection. Right or left? Your gentle hand takes mine and leads. “Come with me“, I hear You say. I follow and my heart melts. He is beside me. There is joy.

God is omniscient. He is with me and He is with you. His heart grieves for those who push away. I can help. I can plant a seed on the bank near the water that flows of Life. The soil is fertile and seeds quickly germinate. Roots take hold. The vine grows and He counts one more as His child. How grateful I am. This feeling of peace I feel this moment is authored by the same God that created all Life and everything there is before me under and beyond the Sun.

I wait on the Lord. Even as the both feet are on His path, I may not know how to proceed. I step forth with the instilled boldness and courage You give, Father. If I do not step out and meet Jesus, I may miss the wonders and teaching that lie on the road to Him. Sure, He is with me! He is everywhere. But there are times that command stepping out. The end to one means may not be the real end at all! In other words, I may seek out Jesus for one reason and in the walk toward Him, a lost lamb crosses my path and I divert attention to it. A different end from what I thought.  My self is vanquished.  I now have a different purpose, a good deed to do for God. I serve Him. The lamb bleats and grazes on the bank near the stream of the Living Water. How wonderful to help. Maybe I did. I hope. It suffices me to know He will tell me all my life in the Mercy Seat as my eyes meet His at last and He says: “Well done good and faithful servant“.

I dream, I lament, I pray. I seek to be reverent. Show me Your ways O Lord.

Rick Stassi

September 22, 2012

..and the bleating heart beckons

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3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
4 Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
2 Kings 1:3,4 (KJV)

There is no one like our God. Trust He is with us. Amen.

There are moments when a heart is still, a mind racing slows, the desires of our soul are content. I cherish these moments and I wonder about these moments. I petition the Lord to know and see His perfecting process in my life. The ground at my feet is still and unchanging but the horizon is full of hope.

…and I shall not be anxious. I shall not seek something afar that may stir my wonderment in these quiet times. God is clear that in times when all is quiet it is not a time for me to seek in a direction away from Him. In these quiet times, the music is silent, the brook flows its course in a peaceful way. The birds fly high above and I hear no sound. But, I shall not look away for I know God is still here.

..and I shall not be impatient. I shall wait on the Lord. No self-stirring here! I am just that person who would and I know. Through previous talks with God, He has told me and has shown me who I am. He makes me aware. I am better at seeing to the core of my soul because God has led me there on many occasions. He has asked me why I seek the bush that rustles in the breeze, the inner voice of my self surfacing. He asks me: “Am I not here with you,? Why do you seek elsewhere?” I now listen. For the season of my self-reason is over. I will not run to any beckon unless it is of God. It is quiet and yet even now, His voice grows: decibel by decibel.

…and I shall ever-trust in the Lord. Yes I shall trust that He is watching over me. Too many times I sought elsewhere only to be placed in discontent. I have traveled that path. I am here now in this moment to speak finally as one who is growing stronger in the Lord! I hope so for I love God. There is no other like Him. My self is diminished as my humility waxes. I could be asked if I think poorly of myself as one sees me talk of my diminishing self. I am confident in my answer. The world views our self as our self-esteem which without, says the world, renders a lifeless soul. In God the opposite is true. As my self wanes and my humility waxes, the Lord becomes more prevalent as  I focus more and more on His eyes that are my guardian. His protective hand over me is my trust and I shall not want.

…and I shall not want. I am content in this quiet time. He has design it this way. A soft heart and a keen ear. I hear the bleating of a lost lamb and I will search for it. This is that time when He asks me to use His instilled spirit in my heart to love another. He has taught me to walk, then to walk straight, and now to walk with His instruction. I can live in these quiet times because love is silent sometimes. But, love is still there. God is still here with me. He is with you.

..and the bleating heart beckons. There is someone who calls – lost in darkness. A keen ear perfecting under the strict and gentle tutelage of the Spirit  hears and seeks. Let me help those who seek refuge. For in these quiet times, in His silent love, I can do His work in confidence. So I listen. I pray for you, bleating heart. Do you see His light? I will grab your hand as you flail in darkness. But it is God’s hand you eventually take. I just want to give you hope through witness that there is a place of solace outside of your darkness.

Do not worry during these quiet times. It is time to think of someone else. Help a lost lamb, a bleating heart. God has perfected us for this moment. Worry not lost lamb, I hear you as the Lord watches. I pray for you now. I pray for your tears to dry and your heart to swell with hope. Love is silent yet God is here…I know, I was once a bleating heart. I still am, sufficiently enough, to know He watches His flock always.

I praise God for His Son. Jesus is the Love who may seem silent but never is silent. He is omniscient in nature. Feel the warmth of His gentle love little lamb. Then you see God and your bleating stops.

Rick Stassi

June 22, 2012

Merciful Lord, Build Your Sanctuary

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Artist: CONNIE CHRISTENSEN

1 When Israel went out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.
3 The sea saw it and fled;
Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like lambs.
5 What ails you, O sea, that you fled?
O Jordan, that you turned back?
6 O mountains, that you skipped like rams?
O little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.
Psalm 114

O that we are living sanctuaries that are under God’s dominion. What a great picture of His love. What a great picture of the omnipotent God whose very presence causes mountains to fall. What a great picture that the strongest stalwarts of  protest and the frolicking, frivolity of the apathetic  prance away in His presence…

We are a living sanctuary. Our bodies are temples. These are vessels where the Holy Spirit has residence. So many pictures as God teaches us through stories and metaphor, pictures and symbols. He is almighty.

We speak not the language of this world. We were captive but destined for release at His will. The language the world speaks is drowned in our own Red Sea as the suffocating waters overtake the foolish ramblings of the world. As in the Exodus, we were neither cast off nor did we steal off in secret night, but walked to God in His glory: all witnessed. We walked in desperation, in weakness, in humble seeking, but we did so on our two feet to His open arms. Free will.

The strength of mountain and the lesser hills…How they protest. With every debate, with every apathetic casting of stones, God shows his strength and power over His domain. For every strong ram and frivolous lamb, shall skip away in His presence for apathy is foolish and strong-willed disagreement are worthless from the perspective of being within God’s dominion.

We see His face and all others are separated because where we go, the sea closes back up, the river runs again after us. Waiting, ever-waiting for another soul to cry for mercy. At this cry, a single ram, a little lamb, leave their once safe stronghold and wonder, “Why is there emptiness?”. These are the ones who will see light in darkness. There is hope for the wicked. Most will flee in His presence, some will reconcile reason with action. The fool’s reason produces foolish action. Soon some will see.

… and a new sanctuary is born from stone. A heart immovable becomes malleable in His hands for there is no alternative as Man ever seeks inside. Deeper and deeper. It is certain the mind is complex and will accommodate the insatiable searchers of solution for their malady. But there is an end to each mind. Complexity of our thought is mere frivolity over time. The debate: “There is no God!” flees as the ram. The fleeting attitude of frivolity as a lamb, soon tires. The grass dries.

But then there is God’s mercy.  The sea opens, the river dries and the ram and the lamb walk together: the strongholds of objection and the frivolity of apathy. They walk together through these dry places. For as His presence causes those to flee, His mercy ever-beckons.

They shall flee but some will come. Our Lord is a merciful Lord. His omnipotent presence, but His gentle touch. Shall the ram skip away with the lamb? Mostly yes. But a few will look back and see that a once powerful stronghold-a powerful debate and the apathy, are meaningless in the perspective of time. Time itself becomes meaningless. God dries the waters for the crumbled mountains, for the rolling hills. For therein lies a picture of the how the strength of a strong tongue of objection, of human rationale, or the voice of the apathetic who really care not for all will turn to dust, won’t it? The picture shows that the end of human wisdom doesn’t approach the wisdom of God.

We have crossed our wilderness, our river, our sea. Soon others will as well. For the mere strength of the Lord turns heads and they will skip off or kneel and pray: “O, Father, I am at my end. Build Your sanctuary within my heart”

Rick Stassi

March 9, 2012