The Gospel Stairs

Our Church, Lake Wildwood Baptist, began a journey through Romans this past Sunday. I came across this poem in my studying & I have to confess that I wept when I read the last line. It is my story & that of any & all who have been drawn by the Father & effectually called by the Holy Spirit to Justification by faith alone - vacant of ANY work on my part. May we all be reminded that God has done it all...We are merely the blessed recipients of the His gracious gift through our Lord Jesus Christ. Enjoy...

The Gospel Stairs

O long & dark the stairs I trod

with trembling feet to find my God

Gaining a foothold bit by bit

then slipping back & losing it

Never progressing; striving still

with weakening grasp & faltering will

Bleeding to climb to God, while He

Serenely smiled, unnoting me

Then came a certain time when I

Loosened my hold & fell thereby;

Down to the lowest steps my fall,

As if I had not climbed at all!

Now when I lay despairing there

Listen...a footfall on the stair!

On that same stair where I afraid,

Faltered & fell & lay dismayed

And lo, when hope had ceased to be,

My God came down the stairs to me!

Ode To Advent~2010

Ode To Advent~2010
Hear Ye the Word of Yahweh tonight
'His' story through the chosen line
A Savior Promised in dark days passed
Isaiah's word enfleshed in our time
To Ancient Ahaz~Judah's King
Did God give Salvation's sign
A virgin born Immanuel Son
A Rescuer for all time
Centuries passed on our side of time
for 400 years God went quiet
Religion flourished as souls fell away
God's favor? None could come nigh it.
Then history went into labor
in the fullness of time He was sent
He whom the universe could not contain
Was in the womb of a virgin content
The Christ, it was long ago fortold,
would be born in Bethlehem town
A census & national tax the Lord used
To send Joseph & Mary on down
While they were there in God's sovereign plan
She brought forth her first born, a son
Rag wrapped & in a rough manger laid
Was God's answer, Manacham, the One!
The shepherds on Bethlehem's hillside
Did the Angel glad tidings tell
Glory to God in the hightest
and Peace rang through the dell
They came with haste & what they found
forever transformed these men
Their voice they found & spread the news round
"God is with us once again!"
Young Mary cradled her Maker
And nursed Him at her breast
In wonder she gathered each memory
which would one day be put to the test
Was He just another poor babe
born long ago in a land far away?
Or was He the actual Son of Heaven
The Lamb of God born to be slain?
A babe came He into our sin sick world
A sinless life lived He until age thirty three
Then despised & rejected ~ yea, cured of God
He hung broken & bleeding for you & for me
This babe was born for one purpose alone
To live a life perfectly
Then to trade it all in for all of my sin
He's the Sacrifice Lamb you see.
There is but one question that still remains
What must I do for this gift to receive
Tis the grandest news of all my friend
For all you must do is believe!


~Paul J. Dziadul Sr., 2010~
Written for the Advent Eve Carols by Candlelight Service

Dedicated to the Memory of Jo Ann de Boer