Superlative Grace

God is greater than our heart. 1 John iii. 20.

Redder than my blushing shame
Is the blood that penned my name
In thy book of life, O Lamb.

(Rev 21:27)

Cleaner than my filthy dress
Is the Fuller’s righteousness,
Washing all who guilt confess.

(Mal 3:2)

Whiter than my leprous hands
Is thy cov’ring grace, that stands
In great drifts o’er sin-smirched lands.

(Ex 4:6; Isa 1:18)

Sweeter than my graverot stench
Are thy prayers my guilt to quench—
Incense ere the mercy-bench.

(Heb 7:25; Rev 5:8)

Higher than my heaping sin
Stands the cross where thou wast giv’n;
‘Tis the ladder up to heav’n.

(Rev 18:5; John 1:51)

Further than the end of days
Runs the promise that we praise:
We shall serve our God always.

(Luke 1:74-75)

Long and high and deep and broad
Is the matchless love of God;
Unto thee be endless laud!

(Eph 3:18-19)

—Insomnia III. To “Holy Ghost” (Crüger) or “Man of Sorrows, What a Name.” 1/30/26.

Meditations: January 2026

When Jesus slept in the stern,
Slumbering as the wind and waves rose,
Unwaking as water filled the boat,
Was it because he discerned his father’s footsteps in the storm?
Was he pondering his work
And dreaming of his mighty deeds?
“When the waters saw you, my Father,
When the waters saw you they were afraid
And the deeps trembled.
The clouds poured out water—
The skies gave forth thunder—
Your arrows flashed on every side—
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind—
Your lightnings lighted up the world—
The earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
Your path through the great waters,
Yet your footprints were unseen:
You led your people like a flock
By the hand of the Son of Man.”

(Mark 4:35-41; Ps 77:12, 16-20)

This and the below have been my meditations for the past month. There are fewer this month; I’ve had to learn again to focus on the more profitable than the less. But what profit still the Lord blesses me with.

Meditations: December 2025

Lord, I have nothing to offer anyone
But my sin and your grace.
Be mighty, please.

God is spirit; man is flesh.
Thank you that there is flesh in heaven:
An advocate for man to God.
Thank you that there is Spirit in me:
An advocate for God to man.

(1 John 2:1; John 15:26)

I am slowly getting caught up from the holidays. Part of that is that I am finally posting my December meditations almost a week late. There are not so many of them, for the same reason as the lateness of their posting. That’s all right. The first half of December was busy before I got the flu, and the second was filled with gratitude for family in town. I’m happy that things are settling as the new year begins, however, and I’ve almost recovered my routine. The rest of these little thoughts:

The Loving Shepherd

The love is patient and is kind—
It lifts me up most tenderly;
It never want shall let me find—
That Christ my Shepherd bears for me.

He boasts my dullness not against,
He heatedly me bears no ill,
But leads my soul and keeps it fenc’d
In pastures green by waters still.

Restoring me, he never lords
It o’er, nor putteth me to shame,
But leads me in what path accords
With righteousness, for his great name.

Because in vales of death and woe
Thou emptied’st self to bring me near,
When thence with thee thou bidd’st me go,
There is no evil I will fear.

I love thy rod, for ne’er ’tis brought
Against me sharply as thy foe;
I love thy staff, that’s never thought
Mine endless strayings’ sums to know.

Thou lovest not iniquity
But cleansest me from ev’ry fault;
The flesh, the world, the Enemy
Shall find no pow’r this grace to halt.

Thy truth rejoiceth me within:
‘Tis wine that cheers to overflow,
‘Tis oil that makes my face to shine,
‘Tis bread, my heart in strength to grow.

(Ps 104:15)

You bear, believe, hope, and endure
Through all my weak or sinful ways;
Thy goodness and thy mercy, sure,
Shall me pursue for all my days.

Thy love shall never fail nor fall!
O Shepherd, in thine arms thy sheep
With kindness bear unto thy hall
In steadfast love to ever keep.

—12/13/25. On 1 Corinthians 13 and Psalm 23. To “O Waly Waly.”

Timorousness

Jesus, neath thy splintered cross
May I reckon lesser loss?
Ev’ry dream, and hope, and dare—
Ev’ry trial, fear, and care—
Anything that comes from me
Is surpassed by knowing thee.

(Phil 3:7-8)

Jesus, on thy nails again
May I come and hang my sin?
As thou bring’st thy light to bear,
More and more the dark I fear.
Purge all filth and stain from me;
Let me cleanness find in thee.

(Rom 7:21-25; 1 John 1:9)

Jesus, in thine empty tomb
Might there be for me now room?
Wrap me, weak and full of fear,
In thy grace; inter me there;
And in power raise thou me
Unto confidence in thee.

(Col 2:12; 2 Cor 13:4)

Jesus, at thy feet above
May I lay all other love?
Winnow all my chaff from me;
What is good, secure in thee,
That it may direct my gaze
To its perfect Source in praise.

(Isa 28:27-29; Jam 1:16-17)

Jesus, ere thy rainbowed throne
May I cast whatever crown
Thou think’st fit to set on me
For the good begun by thee
And which thou still workest, too,
Till thou lift me, whole, to you?

(Rev 4:9-11; Phil 1:6)

—12/9/25

Peace

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm xlvi. 11.

Behold the desolations of the Lord,
How war is ended by his mighty Word:
He breaks the bows and shatters all the spears;
With burning eye the chariots he sears,
And mid the wrack and ruin on his hill
And all the smoking wreckage on its climb,
His whisper soughs above the flames: “Be still,
And know that I am God, and I will be
Revered among all nations; I will be
Exalted in the earth for all of time.”
The Lord of hosts with us has sworn to dwell;
The God of Jacob is our citadel.

—12/2/25. On Psalm 46:8-11.

Insomnia II

If wander my vision away from the cross,
I am lost.
If ever my gaze tear away from the Son,
I am done.
If Jesus should exit the frame of my view,
I am through.

He listens and answers his little one’s prayers,
For he cares.
Bestowing each blessing the lovingest would,
He is good.
Whatever I need to remain at his side,
He’ll provide.

For ev’ry temptation that flies in my face,
He has grace.
If discipline’s needed to teach me to live,
He will give.
In every trial he calls me to share,
He is there.

To the wisdom that orders my life here and now
I will bow.
To the glory that waits where my Savior has gone
I press on.
To the throne of the Father and Spirit and Son
I will run.

—11/30/25

Meditations: November 2025

Thank you that your grace in me balances
The debt I owe to mercy.

The apostle prayed for strength
To comprehend the love of God:
Kindness so rich it must be borne.
If we receive suffering from the Lord,
Shall we not also endure blessing?

(Eph 3:18; Job 2:10; Jer 33:9; 2 Cor 4:17)

Update: Old Work

I recently found my Dropbox folder that has a bunch of old poetry, and I've got a week off from school, so I figured this was a good opportunity to update what has become my portfolio here. I have also been maintaining a hymn index by first line since earlier this year. I will update this post as I keep adding things.

I had originally planned to update this post with work migrated in from my older blog, but since it all lives in the index above and that's a lot of work to link it again now that the school week has started back up, I've altered the plan. Pray I don't alter it further. Never mind, we're doing it.

Hymns

“May the mind of Christ, the humble”
A Prayer for Daily Strength
The Faithful Pastor
Election
The Second Coming
Faith, Hope, & Love
“Death, where now hath gone thy stinging?”
A Prayer for Family Worship

Poetry

The Noble Book
Funereal Thoughts
“Tonight have I supp'd with the heroes of old”
Lost Love
Maggie with the Roses in Her Hair
Foolishness
“If I were not already late for work”
Shame
Shame II
Meditations: December 2022
Meditations: Summer 2023
The Love of Christ
Weathering

Previously Added Hymns

Break unto Us the Living Bread
The Perseverance of the Saints
Easter Hymn
Prompte et Sincere
The LORD is my shepherd
Psalm 134
Unser Herrscher, unser König
Perfect love casteth out fear
A Traveler's Prayer
Psalm 99
A Plea
Psalm 51
Psalm 43
Flow Forth, My Tongue, in Song
Christ lag in Todesbanden
Christmas Lullaby
Komm, Jesu, Komm

Magnificat

And Mary said, Luke i. 46.

O magnify, my soul, the Lord,
And in thy God rejoice.
He doth thy lowliness record
With blessing in his voice.
His might is worthy of all fame,
And holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear
His name in ev’ry day.
His mighty arm doth scatter near
And far the proud away.
He hath the mighty toppled all
But lifted up the small.

The hungry take from him their fill;
The rich may only pine.
Thus to his servant Israel
His face hath turned to shine.
He mercy to our fathers swore
Which standeth evermore.

—11/14/25. From Luke 1:46-55. To “Morning Song” (Ananias Davisson), perhaps.