Lyrical Riffs

I lift my eyes up to the mountains, To the sky, to that wide open plain above The trees, the homes, the skyscrapers, To that space beyond the borders, Beyond …

He is with us on the hills we climb, (Often feeling like mountains to us) Hills we cannot avoid, Hills of our own making, The hills thrust upon us. The …

He has made this troubled wilderness his home, He’s walked through the valley of the shadows here, This Good Shepherd, come to save his sheep, The king in dusty, creased, …

Hold on to the good stuff, The encouragements and smiles, Those things that spur you on, Those things that lift you and Point you in the right direction, The lessons …

The one who drew close to us, The one who knew us long before we began to know ourselves, The one who stuck with us, though many times we turned away, …

We are wonderful and complex, Unique and precious. We don’t all learn at the same rate, We don’t all appreciate the same things. We don’t all laugh and cry at …

Blessed are you when you can muster a smile, You never know who might get the benefit. Blessed are you when you pick yourself up After another stumble or slip. …

‘I will call them out into the desert And speak tenderly to them there.’ So he goes, out into the dry place, Away from the distractions, To focus, to listen, …

Your presence, How we need it, How I need it. To give us courage, Patience, Strength, Meaning. The energy to keep going, The promise that there is more, The impetus …

You Lord keep in peace Those whose minds are set on you. You know how our minds race, How they dip and dive, How we paint ourselves into dark corners, …

The silences and the noises, the waiting and the wondering, the nudges and the hunches, the longings and the questions, the doubting and the believing, the moments and the hours, …

There are times when life feels tidy, Organised, neatly controlled, All the bits safely within our grasp, Motivation flowing from a tank full of energy. And there are times when …

‘Don’t worry…’ we are told. If only. But Jesus tells us more, offers us something else. Go and find something green, he suggests. Something that flies, or sings, or blossoms. …

What if the wise men Had not conferred before setting off? Before packing their bags and Saddling up in search of the starry king. Had not compared their presents. ‘I …

You are our help in our troubles, Our calm in the storms, Our strength in the pressure and trials, Out stillness in the hurrying. Our song and our lamenting. Our …

We thought of God as distant, Hidden somewhere in the clouds Up there, unapproachable, A deity too far away, One that would not be interested, Would never come close For …

As we turn our gaze once more, To the king of kindness, Once stable born and one day returning… We thank you Lord for the many glimpses Of kindness we …

Not easy to be part of the waiting, We want to get on, to do things, To achieve, to be onto the next thing, To be busy and part of …

Those of us who walk in darkness Have seen a light, A great and fragile light, A light that first brought light to the world. A light offered to all …

Why is it so hard to tell the truth? The truth about my doubts and fears, The truth that anxiety grates like a detuned radio In the back of my …

Easy to miss the moment, I do it all the time, Too busy waiting for the next thing, To appreciate the real thing. Too busy making plans, To appreciate the …

Difference I prayed a prayer today, Not sure that it really worked. Went outside and noticed the colours Carried a vivid autumnal depth. Bumped into old whatsisname, He drives me …

You know how it is when your back’s against the wall, When your bones are weary from another day, When you can’t see the sun for the clouds. You know …

Not some finely-tuned superpower, Or aggressive weapon we wield with pride, Not some glossy trophy we polish from time to time, Or a badge of honour for impressing others. But …

‘We do well to guard our hearts,’ Somebody once said. The core of our being, Our centre of gravity, The wellspring of life, Our fuel tank and air supply. To …

Bits and pieces of another world, Glimpses and snatches of something ‘other’, Like looking through a dirty window, Through the smudges and smears, To a paradise beyond. As if this …

If the good bits of this world are a work of art, Then the Artist never overstates his case. Leaves it for the eye of the beholder. What will we …

It’s what we want, What we need, The longing of our living. To know and be known, To understand and be understood. To draw close and not be rejected, To …

Nothing can separate us from God’s love for us, Nothing can drive a wedge between us and his care. The happenings of each day can’t, Nor the restless fears at …

For you we want to live and love, And work and care and worship. In you we find our meaning, Identity, worth and purpose. With you we make it through …

Whispered, chanted, hummed, Blasted, sung or mumbled, A tune for bad and good singers, A new song, another kind of music. Lyrics laced with fresh poetry, Coursing through our being, …

‘Blessed are those not offended by me,’ He once said after one exchange. ‘Blessed are those who can cope When I break out of their boxes.’ For we all get …

Laughter, joy and faithfulness, Helping others more or less, Dignity, truth, respect, Conversation, kindness. Trust, love, a little hope, Trying to do our best, Sharing peace and friendship When we’re …

Those who live in love Live in God, and God in them. It’s hard at times to have the desire, The courage, the understanding, The intention, the energy, To know …

Be still Not easy to stop, to slow down, To stay ourselves, To put aside the needs, Pressures and distractions, For a minute or two… And know Set deep down …

Dusty, cobwebbed, smeary, There are cracks and a few chips, Yet we’re still able to reflect His glory. His light bouncing off us to others, His image, His promise of …

Those actions we do that become Instinctive, responsive, behavioural. Now there’s a thought, a longing, a goal, a prayer… … to develop good habits, Good muscle memory, Especially when it …

Like the freshest coolest water on a dry day, And a place to shelter in the storm. Like a smile on a day of troubled frowns, A hand to lift …

Only you set our worlds in motion, And understand the way we tick, The rising and falling of our emotions, The mood swings and battles we fight. Only you know …

There is a name, An umbrella name, Unlike any other. A place of shelter from the storm, Portable and present In every place, every time, every age, Large enough for …

Has anyone seen a hero today? So many continue their missions quietly, Covert agents of compassion, Armed with a smile and a kind word, Putting themselves out for others. Not …

Our times are in your hands, Our days, our nights, The fleeting moments and long days, The times of waiting and the times we savour. Our times are in your …

As we make our bumbling pilgrimage through another day, Please help us to keep in mind that You are the way, the truth, and the life. As we make decisions …

Sometimes it feels like one step forward Two-three-four-five steps back. We cannot escape our clay feet, And calloused hearts. The headlines for a moment spread hope, Then in a breath …

My thoughts are not yours, My way of thinking is different. Change our minds please, When we get lost in the maze of our selfishness, When we want to assert …

The enigma of his going away, Melting from this dimension to another, Leaving so that he can be with us. No longer occupying a single space, But in departing is …

The call to waste time, to risk everything on doing nothing, To step out of life’s traffic even for a few seconds. For a breath here and there, a pause …

To you O Lord I lift my soul, Don’t let me be ashamed or disappointed. Awaken my hope, Stir that faith that comes easily on good days. Please take the …

Not easy to be vulnerable When the world might want a show of strength. When control is the order of the day, When success impresses. Not easy to be vulnerable …