The measure of my worth is the measure of God’s love
The measure of His love…
is measureless
The limit of “second chances” is the limit of God’s mercy
The limit of His mercy…
is limitless
The value of my life is the value of God’s care
The value of His care…
Can’t be evaluated
The price of my soul was the cost of Christ’s Blood
The price of my soul…
Was paid full
Worry, despair, careless heart malnutrition
Low self-esteem, selfish ego-ambition
Pride, envy, sloth, wrath, lust, gluttony, greed
Heart ailments spiritual remedies need
To grow in one’s heart, these diseases require
A grim precondition, a foundation dire
Identity error, confusion, or mix-up
Believing untruths about self! What’s the fix-up?
The “father of lies” spews a million deceptions
Apparently harmless, but Trojan inceptions
“You are what you do”, “what you think”, “say”, or “feel”
“Define your reality”; “Who knows what’s real?”
What antidote is there, or immunization?
The answer is found in divine revelation
Identity truth heals identity error
Truth captured in titles from heaven’s Truth Bearer
The Christ! He not only reveals God to us
But also reveals who WE are; that’s His aim(1)
A human like us in all things but sin’s fuss
He teaches us WHO we are through truthful names
These titles, if taken like pills from a doc
Declared every morning, indeed, round the clock
Are known to bring healing and peaceful relief
As antidotes strong to the lies of the “thief” (John 10:10)
If taught in your childhood, these titles might stay
In only your mind, if with them you don’t pray
Ask God, “Plant Your names for me deep in my heart
As seeds to sprout peace and make lies to depart”
The Lord calls you “Chosen One”, “Crown”, “My Redeemed”
“Delight”, “Oak of Righteousness”, “Apple of [My] Eye”
So let “God-esteem” be your true self-esteem
To prove your own worth, you need not! Please don’t try
God’s own Son names you “Light of the World”, “Friend”, and “Bride”
Your identity bought on the Cross when He died
In the Baptism Font, God forever defines you
His “Child”! From the enemy’s lies, He unblinds you
Your identity comes as a gift from above
So relax! You’re a “son” or a “daughter” belov’d
All one’s skills or tattoos(2) can’t define WHO one is
Rather, WHOSE does! Declare: “He is mine; I am His” (Song of Songs 2:16)
…Better yet, hear Him say in your heart, “You are mine”(3) (Isaiah 43:1)
****************
(1) Pope John Paul II, Angelus, December 15, 1996
(2) I’m not suggesting that this is the motive everyone has for getting a tattoo
(3) Full verse: “Thus says the Lord, he who created you…: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.‘”
“For we are God’s Masterpiece…” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
What masterpiece arrests you?
What artwork thrills, yet tests you?
What manmade craft invites you?
Inspires, enthralls, and
Smites you, yet delights you?
Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa?
The bowing Tow’r of Pisa?
Mike’s Pieta so tearful
Or Sistine scene,
Pleasing, yet plum fearful?
Stained glass of Notre Dame?
The Giza Sphinx of fame?
Manhattan’s Times Square Plaza?
Navona’s fresh and
Fountainous Piazza?
What genius compositions
By classical musicians
Tattoo your heart with beauties
Give joy and strength to
Ease those heavy duties?
Scarlatti’s fun sonatas?
Bach’s choral-rich cantatas?
Van Beethoven’s quartets
Or Mozart’s moving
Sets of minuets?
Gus Mahler’s mighty “Titan”?
Rich Wagner’s “Flight” will frighten!
Debussy’s “Clair de lune”?
Tchaikovsky’s cracking
Tunes with glory-strewn?
Yet Solomon’s finest could never compare
To nature’s most humble and plain lily fair (cf. Mt. 5)
But nature’s best work, not sweet Mona’s smirk
Not fav’rites by Handel
Could dare hold a candle
To THE Masterwork
God’s Masterpiece! To some, disguised
Unseen, unloved, unrecognized
The Apex of His works, despised
“The Human Being”! We’ll be surprised
One day by folks we loved, ignored
To see they hid our thirsting Lord
Immortal bearers of Christ’s Face
Each thirsting member of our race
God’s Grandest Masterpiece, bar none
Among the creatures He has wrought
His Mother Mary, spotless one
Unstained by sin, by shame unfraught
This chosen one, to bear His Son
God crafted special, sparing naught
She, through the Holy Spirit, spun
The One Whose death
Our death
Dead caught
Be not afraid, nor be distraught!
Heav’n’s King and Queen for you have fought
They fight on fierce for you and kin
So let them in o’er sin to win
Let Mary lead you once again
To love Her Son, through thick and thin
To love Christ through
Each word and deed
And thought
Rhymes for the Rejoiceful 