Awake My Soul To Praise

Awake my soul, a new day dawns,

The breeze is singing in the trees,

The stars have ceased their nightly song

And sunrise calls the tune.

Come, join with nature in her praise,

As raindrops tinkle merrily

Upon the swiftly racing stream,

Awake my soul, come live the dream,

Imbue with joy these blessed days.

The blackbird's song, the skylark's call,

The nightingale gives hearty voice,

The gentle breeze, the sunlight's gleam,

Harmonize in silent song.

The mountains shout their jubilation,

Enthused with constant expectation,

The galaxies hum a distant chord,

And planets silently applaud,

Come, join this joyful throng.

Why stay silent, God is here,

Emmanuel is in our midst,

Bringing love and joy and peace,

Know the wonders He can bring.

Awake my soul, and celebrate

The beauty of salvation,

Join with all of God's creation,

Nature's rampant exaltation,

Come, lift your voice and sing.

Bill Thomas

June 2013

In Your Hand

Such sweet security,

Blessings beyond number,

Promise of Eternity,

Promoting peaceful slumber;

Worries far removed,

Troubles put in place,

Trusting in the Father

To help complete the race.

Securing your protection,

Resting in your peace,

No fear of rejection,

Knowing faith’s release,

In the palm of your hand

I stand.

By Bill Thomas

Eternal Bliss

How can I think of the world to come

When I know so little of this?

What have I achieved, what have I done

To deserve eternal bliss?

Why should I gain from another man’s pain?

Why should my sin be placed upon Him?

I’ve been set free, but how can it be

When I know I deserve much less.

Why does His mercy outweigh my guilt?

I doubt if I’ll ever know.

Why did the scales in my favour tilt?

Why do His clemencies flow?

Why does His grace afford me a place

In the realm of His Son, after all that I’ve done;

His blessings are for me, why does He adore me,

And where did my transgressions go?

What can I do, but give Him all praise

For the things He has done for me?

How will I spend the rest of my days?

What will my future be?

If I can just serve Him, though I don’t deserve Him,

And give Him the glory, and tell out His story,

For I certainly know when I finally go,

His face I will surely see.

By Bill Thomas

Caught in Adultery

But what did you write upon the ground?

And what did you think, as they stood around

Demanding her blood upon her hands;

She with the stigma, the prostitute brand.

Did you think of her frailty, of how she did wrong,

Of the unrighteous anger of the gathering throng;

And as you noticed the cant and hypocrisy there.

Did you weep at the lack of compassion and care?

Did you stoop down in anger or to cover your pain

For this world you’de created, now shrouded in shame?

Did you write words of wisdom, or just plain ‘forgive’,

As you forced them to leave and allow her to live.

And, did you realise, My lord, as she stood there alone,

That you, only you could have cast that first stone?

By Bill Thomas

Body Exchange

I refuse to give in to my  bodily woes,

I simply can’t humour the thought

That, as I get older,

My medical folder

Is full of the problems I’ve caught.

I must be a prize for the medics,

For I’ve got about everything now,

A blood pressure gauge that zooms to the sky,

Cholesterol levels that just want to fly,

And I just can’t lose weight, however I try,

Everything’s getting quite fraught.

I awake every morning with a throat like a rasp,

Put my weight on my legs and utter a gasp,

My nose keeps on running, my ears start to pop,

When I go for a pee, I simply can’t stop,

I get dizzy spells whenever I sneeze,

And daren’t go outdoors if there’s a light breeze,

Yes, my poor old body is getting worn out,

If they offered a prize, I’d be in with a shout.

But you see, my friend, and it may seem strange;

There’s this thing in Heaven called a body exchange,

And when I get up there, I want the full works,

A new fully functional body, with perks.

Not that I’ve earned it, but the Lord’s full of grace,

I can’t wait to see the smile on His face,

As He offers to me the best that’s in store,

And these aches and pains will be with me no more.

By Bill Thomas

Awestruck Wonder

I love to stand and watch the churning sea,

Gigantic waves that dwarf my mortal frame;

And study mountain peaks too high for man to reach,

And as I gaze my lips must frame that name;

In awestruck wonder, I gaze upon His works,

Burbling streams, glinting in the morning sun,

Mountain ranges, vast forests, leafy vales,

And then, the thought, He’s only just begun.

The universe, too vast for comprehension,

Planets, suns, that dwarf our tiny earth,

What wonders that lie beyond our reach?

What knowledge that signifies His worth?

Such greatness, beyond imagination,

Such beauty beyond anything we see;

Awesome sights, creations wonder,

But more glorious by far is He.

by Bill Thomas

Ambiance

The comfort of a fireside,

A gently flowing stream,

The warmth of good companionship,

The essence of a dream;

Good friends, good food, good humour

Are all that I require;

This is that sweet ambiance,

My very soul’s desire.

The music of the ocean,

The whisper of the breeze,

The joyful song of blackbirds

As they flutter through the trees;

A harmony of sentiments,

Hearts in one accord,

Can foster that true ambiance,

Friendship’s just reward.

A single harsh pronouncement,

Just one caustic word,

Can shatter this illusion,

Can break this fragile cord;

It can be broken in a moment,

Shattered in a trice,

This gossamer thing called ambiance,

There’s nothing quite as nice.

So let the ocean rhapsodise

And let the blackbirds trill,

Dwell softly by the fireside

And gently drink your fill;

Foster good companionship,

Let nothing fall to strife,

And you will find that ambiance

That will enhance your life.

By Bill Thomas