Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Offer Joyful Service – v10

We must be like very young children,
unburdened by the world
by the baggage of experience
the weight of responsibility;
We must offer joyful service
in praise of the Lord
responding to, never earning,
God’s unmerited gift of grace

We are of longer servants,
instead we are beloved children
bringing our works as gifts
motivated by God’s love, agape
passing on that love to others;
joyfully serving, offering ourselves
gifts freely given, sacrificed,
to build up God’s Kingdom

Gifts beyond measure
already received, already offered
given in this life, life eternal
because Christ went to the cross
responding only out of our love
not as a way to earn grace
but to offer our lives in response
to God’s gifts of love

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edited/merged December 2, 2015
Offer Joyful Service – v10

(merging edits to version 6 and version 5)
edited April 27, 2015
Offer Joyful Service – v9
(editing version 6)
edited March 3, 2015
Offer Joyful Service – v8
(editing version 4)
edited March 2, 2015
Offer Joyful Service – v7
(editing version 2)
edited February 2, 2015
Offer Joyful Service – v6
(merging edits with original and version 5)
Edited September 26, 2013
“Offer Joyful Service – v5”
(editing original again)
Edited September 21, 2013
“Offer Joyful Service – v4”
(editing original again)
Edited original August 25, 2013
“Offer Joyful Service – v3”
Edited August 16, 2013
“Offer Joyful Service – v2”
September 21, 2009
“Offer Joyful Service”
Ephesians 2:1-10
and Upper Room Daily Devotional
for 9/21/09
“Eager Efforts”, by Marvin Lindsay

All of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,270+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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