Focus

O Lord, my Father, I wonder as to where is my gaze?
Is it on your Son; your Spirit ablaze
or is it on this weary world that daze
and its lusts thereof, which my faith efface?

An eternal excellency you will be
and joy to generations many
was your word that came to me
the beginning of the year gone past, Jehovah-nissi.

But as the days rolled by, I lost my sight
and tried, my cares to fight, with just my might
ill-equipped in warfare, fell I did, into willful sin
grieving your heart, letting the adversary win.

Christ in the Scripture, from your pulpit, I taught
while all the time, with my lusts, I fought
and as a prodigal received the brand, ‘Sinners Chief’
giving room to the wiles of the devil, the thief.

I ask, ‘Show me one who has not sinned?’,
as this entire world in error chagrin and I find none.
But when I look above, I see Jesus,
the sinless, who makes me blameless, God’s only begotten Son.

As so with a penitent broken heart;  with a spirit contrite
Returned I, solely by your Spirit, His might
Your faithfulness and mercy, engraved thee in my heart to fit
so I can stand without shame, before men and their brand of me, ‘a hypocrite.’

For as the scales tipped to pay me death, which I rightfully deserve
I find on the other side balancing the beam, is your shed blood that preserve.
Though I have fallen and thou I fall, I shall not be cast down
For your nail pierced hands upholds me, to give me a crown.

Not in the hands of men, but in yours, and yours alone Lord, let me fall
Broken wings take time to mend, but by your GRACE, I’ll soar again, over mountains tall.
‘Never giving up’ is the essence of who you really are
Ever eagerly waiting for the prodigal to remember, repent and return from afar.

To cross with your Cross, O Lord, is man’s destiny.
For without your cleansing blood, I cannot be made free.
No scheme of men or of the evil one can break your ‘Love-cord’.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate me from your Love, O Lord.

O Lord, if not for your abnegating act of Love on calvary
I would not be soaring in the heaven above, but sinking in the pit miry,
To love you, my God, and my family and my neighbor, I pledge
Let that be my focus, against wiles and attacks, be to me, Lord, a hedge.

Henceforth, let me serve you out of devotion not duty
Let my gaze be on nothing less, save your beauty
O Lord, my Father, where is my gaze?
May it always be on you, your Son, and your Spirit ablaze.

From the Author’s/Poet’s Desk:
As we come to the end of another year looking forward to the next, this poem is  reflection of my life, in the past year and requisition of my heart, that my focus be on Love and the God of Love, for the coming year. It is written with pronouns such as ‘I’, ‘me’ to make it personal to  me and the reader. There are some sections of the poem that may need further explanation, and if you need any clarifications or have comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.