Jesus

Sensing Jesus – Touch

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Physical contact with infants is crucial for their development. Studies have shown that babies who receive more physical contact from their mothers had a lower response to stress-inducing situations later in life. Another study found that premature babies who received three 15-minute sessions of touch therapy per day for five days showed improved brain activity.

On the other hand, babies who do not receive ample physical and emotional attention are at higher risk for behavioral, emotional, and social problems as they grow up.

Newborns denied physical contact with other humans can actually die from this lack of contact, even when provided with proper nutrition and shelter. (See references below.)

As you can see from the studies referenced above, “touch” is extremely important and powerful. When Jesus was born, those in the area would have received a lot if they had only stopped their business, sought Jesus out, and held him in their arms. Simeon did just that. He waited for the King of Kings to be brought to the temple and presented to the priest.

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, (Luke 2:28 (NIV)

Then there was the woman who was healed of a twelve-year plague simply because her faith prodded her to “touch” the hem of Jesus’ robe. (Mat. 9:20-22)

In this busy holiday season, if you will stop and seek Jesus out, you will find him. There is nothing like a touch from the Master. There is nothing that can compare to sensing His presence. It will touch your heart. Jesus welcomes you no matter what you have done. It’s interesting that when Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of sin, his arms were wide open. That is a position of acceptance.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

Sensing Jesus – Mouth

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Image by Giulia Marotta from Pixabay

“For as often as you eat this cup and drink this bread,” said the senior pastor as he was leading us in the monthly ritual of communion. I was 21, a youth pastor, standing on his left, and I had to stare at the floor to keep from laughing.

Jesus made reference that we should drink his blood that was poured out when He died on the cross. And partake of his body, which was broken for us. Now, He did not mean this literally, of course, but suggesting that we take him in and remember what He did on the cross that provided salvation for us and the forgiveness of sin.

The mouth is not only for taking communion, but it can serve as a means to share God’s love through verbal speech. It’s sad when it happens, but it can also tear someone down.

Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit—you choose. Prov. 18:21 (MSG)

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Jam. 3:10 (NIV)

The mouth is an integral part of the body. With it, you can praise and worship God or read his word out loud to yourself or others. You can encourage someone with words spoken over them. Jesus used his mouth to speak of loving God first and then your neighbor. He used his mouth to invite people to accept him.

This Christmas season, sense Jesus. Get quiet somewhere and take him in. Speak the words He spoke. Invite others to accept Jesus. Encourage people with loving words. Use your mouth for good and not hurt or hate. Use it to give praise and worship to Father God. Thank him for his Son, for his blessings. Spread joy throughout this season of giving.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

Sensing Jesus – Ears

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In the hustle and bustle of the times, people most likely didn’t notice the cry of a baby coming from the stable. Of if they did, their intellect convinced them that there was no way someone would have a baby there. A lot of Jesus’ story didn’t make sense, so why not where he was born?

Jesus came here with a message that people needed to hear and still do to this day. That word was of God’s plan to redeem us through the sacrifice of his Son. People’s brains had a hard time understanding, accepting, or believing it. God’s action would require “faith” and lots of it.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom. 10:17 (KJV)

Jesus also shared a message of acceptance and one of love. For instance, when He spoke to the woman at the well. (John 4:1-42) Or when He ministered to the man who was possessed by a demon. (Mark 5:1-20)

One can use their ears this holiday season to sense Jesus. Like the last blog, pausing, finding a quiet place to focus, and hearing what message Jesus would say to you. It may be a word of love, acceptance, inclusion, comfort, or guidance. It may be an invitation to accept him. His message may not make sense in your mind, but it is truth. No matter what message Jesus would love to give you, I hope you will hear it, believe it, and accept it.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

Sensing Jesus – Eyes

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24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.” But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.” 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” 27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.” 28 Thomas said, “My Master! My God!” 29 Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.” John 20:24-29 (MSG)

Perhaps Thomas was from Missouri – “The Show Me State.” He just had to see Jesus before he could believe that though He had died, He had risen and was alive. The hardest thing about faith is not being able to see the one you believe in. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be faith.

When Jesus was born, so many were right there near the stable but failed to see him. Perhaps they were busy dealing with life and with the census that was going on at the time. The devil will always try to keep you busy with something in life that keeps you from seeing Jesus in your life. And with this being the beginning of the Christmas season, there is so much that can distract us from seeing Jesus.

Celebrate this season of your life with purpose. Purposely, slow down, take a moment to stop and reflect on Jesus. Seek out your favorite spot in the house, sit with a warm drink, and consider how Jesus is alive and active in your life. Look for the moments Jesus has been involved in your life. If you have never accepted Jesus, you might see how He has lovingly pursued you.

My uncle was moments away from entering heaven. My cousin, who was a minister at the time, was sitting beside his bed. His last days were spent with family at home. All of a sudden, my cousin said he opened his eyes big and, with a bigger grin on his face, started exclaiming, “I see Him! I see Him!” My cousin looked to where he was pointing, not seeing anything but sensing the presence of God. My uncle then passed away peacefully with a smile on his face. He got to see Jesus as He came to usher my uncle home. Coincidently, my uncle was from Missouri.

Jesus can be seen if you look intently. You may see his nail-scared hands as He guides you. You may see Him lift you as He carries you through a personal trial. It is possible to see Jesus if you look. You will enjoy this Christmas season better after seeing Jesus, the reason for the season.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

Do You Have Phobophobia?

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Image by Anemone123 from Pixabay

It turns out people can have a fear of anything. Most seem to have a fear of something. Me? Arachnophobia. A common one is the fear of spiders. It is so bad the other day I tried to kill a thick, black mark on the back of where some curtains were cut off! I suspect April suffers from Zuigerphobia. The fear of vacuum cleaners. Oh, Phobophobia is the fear of phobias.

A phobia of some things, like snakes, might keep you from getting hurt. Honestly, though, so does a healthy respect. You see, some fears can cause some people to seize up. The fear can definitely control their behavior. Fear is not of God, and God is love.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 (NIV)

The one fear some have that I want to focus on is the fear of the quiet. You can spot the people who suffer from this phobia because they are always in motion. They must be somewhere with others or have people at their home, but you will seldom find them alone.

They don’t want to be alone because that can lead to them having to think about the current situation they are dealing with and how they got there based on the good or bad decisions they have made. Usually, their current situation is not favorable. They find themselves lacking contentment or peace.

Unfortunately, when a person is alone, they tend to turn to mind-altering substances to assist them in leaving their life on the side for a while. If they are not careful, they will become addicted to the substance.

Knowing Jesus can be the cure for addictions, loneliness, and the fear of the quiet. He can help you turn your life around, heal you of your fears, and give you confidence, contentment, and peace to go with it. You’ve tried everything else to no avail. Try Jesus. If you don’t think you need him, then you probably have Redeemedphobia!

For fun, I am including a list of phobias. My favorite was:
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: Fear of long words

  • Ablutophobia: Fear of bathing
  • Achluophobia: Fear of darkness
  • Acrophobia: Fear of heights
  • Aerophobia: Fear of flying
  • Algophobia: Fear of pain
  • Agoraphobia: Fear of open spaces or crowds
  • Aichmophobia: Fear of needles or pointed objects
  • Amaxophobia: Fear of riding in a car
  • Androphobia: Fear of men
  • Anemophobia: Fear of air
  • Anginophobia: Fear of angina or choking
  • Angrophobia: Fear of anger
  • Anthrophobia: Fear of flowers
  • Anthropophobia: Fear of people or society
  • Aphenphosmphobia: Fear of being touched
  • Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter
  • Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders
  • Arithmophobia: Fear of numbers
  • Astraphobia: Fear of thunder and lightning
  • Astrophobia: Fear of outer space
  • Ataxophobia: Fear of disorder or untidiness
  • Atelophobia: Fear of imperfection
  • Atychiphobia: Fear of failure
  • Automatonophobia: Fear of human-like figures
  • Autophobia: Fear of being alone
  • Bacteriophobia: Fear of bacteria
  • Barophobia: Fear of gravity
  • Bathmophobia: Fear of stairs or steep slopes
  • Batrachophobia: Fear of amphibians
  • Belonephobia: Fear of pins and needles
  • Bibliophobia: Fear of books
  • Botanophobia: Fear of plants
  • Cacophobia: Fear of ugliness
  • Catagelophobia: Fear of being ridiculed
  • Catoptrophobia: Fear of mirrors
  • Chionophobia: Fear of snow
  • Chrometophobia: Fear of spending money
  • Chromophobia: Fear of colors
  • Chronomentrophobia: Fear of clocks
  • Chronophobia: Fear of time
  • Cibophobia: Fear of food
  • Claustrophobia: Fear of confined spaces
  • Climacophobia: Fear of climbing
  • Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns
  • Cyberphobia: Fear of computers
  • Cynophobia: Fear of dogs
  • Daemonophobia: Fear of demons
  • Decidophobia: Fear of making decisions
  • Dendrophobia: Fear of trees
  • Dentophobia: Fear of dentists
  • Domatophobia: Fear of houses
  • Dystychiphobia: Fear of accidents
  • Ecophobia: Fear of the home
  • Elurophobia: Fear of cats
  • Emetophobia: Fear of vomiting
  • Entomophobia: Fear of insects
  • Ephebiphobia: Fear of teenagers
  • Erotophobia: Fear of sex
  • Equinophobia: Fear of horses
  • Gamophobia: Fear of marriage
  • Genuphobia: Fear of knees
  • Glossophobia: Fear of speaking in public
  • Gynophobia: Fear of women
  • Haphephobia: Fear of touch
  • Heliophobia: Fear of the sun
  • Hemophobia: Fear of blood
  • Herpetophobia: Fear of reptiles
  • Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: Fear of long words
  • Hydrophobia: Fear of water
  • Hypochondria: Fear of illness
  • Iatrophobia: Fear of doctors
  • Insectophobia: Fear of insects
  • Koinoniphobia: Fear of rooms
  • Koumpounophobia: Fear of buttons
  • Leukophobia: Fear of the color white
  • Lilapsophobia: Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes
  • Lockiophobia: Fear of childbirth
  • Mageirocophobia: Fear of cooking
  • Megalophobia: Fear of large things
  • Melanophobia: Fear of the color black
  • Microphobia: Fear of small things
  • Mysophobia: Fear of dirt and germs
  • Necrophobia: Fear of death or dead things
  • Noctiphobia: Fear of the night
  • Nomophobia: Fear of being without your mobile phone
  • Nosocomephobia: Fear of hospitals
  • Nyctophobia: Fear of the dark
  • Obesophobia: Fear of gaining weight
  • Octophobia: Fear of the figure 8
  • Ombrophobia: Fear of rain
  • Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes
  • Ornithophobia: Fear of birds
  • Osmophobia: Fear of smells
  • Ostraconophobia: Fear of shellfish
  • Papyrophobia: Fear of paper
  • Pathophobia: Fear of disease
  • Pedophobia: Fear of children
  • Philematophobia: Fear of kissing
  • Philophobia: Fear of love
  • Phobophobia: Fear of phobias
  • Podophobia: Fear of feet
  • Porphyrophobia: Fear of the color purple
  • Pteridophobia: Fear of ferns
  • Pteromerhanophobia: Fear of flying
  • Pyrophobia: Fear of fire
  • Samhainophobia: Fear of Halloween
  • Scolionophobia: Fear of school
  • Scoptophobia: Fear of being stared at
  • Selenophobia: Fear of the moon
  • Sociophobia: Fear of social evaluation
  • Somniphobia: Fear of sleep
  • Tachophobia: Fear of speed
  • Technophobia: Fear of technology
  • Thalassophobia: Fear of the ocean
  • Trichophobia: Fear of hair
  • Tonitrophobia: Fear of thunder
  • Trypanophobia: Fear of needles/injections
  • Trypophobia: Fear of holes
  • Venustraphobia: Fear of beautiful women
  • Verminophobia: Fear of germs
  • Xenophobia: Fear of strangers or foreigners
  • Zoophobia: Fear of animals
  • Zuigerphobia: Fear of vacuum cleaners

Source: verywellmind

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

What in the World Did I Eat?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

You know how we joke after having a bad dream about what we ate the night before? That is what I was asking myself the other day. The dream had me sitting in a classroom. Somehow, I knew it was a college class. I was sitting in the back of the room, which was usually my custom when I did attend college.

A humorous part of the dream was when the professor entered the classroom. Wallace Shawn portrayed that role. Don’t recognize the name? He is an actor who has played Dr. John Sturgis on the sitcom “Young Sheldon.” His role in the show is that of a nerdy professor.

In the dream, he walked into the room and asked, “What is the cost of a man?” After a few students attempted to answer his question, he began to write a series of formulas on the chalkboard. There were at least four rows of them. That is where he lost me! He came up with the solution of “0.02.” I’m not sure what that means. I woke shortly after that.

Whenever I have a dream that I remember, I will usually ask myself, what does that mean? I have taken a class on dream interpretation. Most of them are about yourself and tend to reflect what is currently going on in your life. In this case, I had to answer the question from God’s point of view before knowing why I had the dream. When that happened, I knew I had to share the answer in a blog post.

The cost of a man is “Jesus.” What? You see, God made man, and therefore man belonged to God, but God gave that ownership to man when He gave him “free will.”  When man sinned by disobeying God, man transferred that ownership to Satan. God did not want man to die in a sinful state and, therefore, perish forever.

So God gave man His only Son. Jesus came to Earth as a baby. He matured in the word of God and the ways of God. Jesus walked the area teaching others about His Father, about real love, and a better way to live. He promised those who believed in Him and asked for forgiveness eternal life. Then, after the religious leaders became fearful that Jesus’ popularity would take away their power and control, they killed him.

The cost for a man to have eternal life again was the brutal death and then resurrection of Jesus Christ. His death purchased the right for man to live eternally. But once again, God has allowed man, via free will, to decide for himself if he wants to accept His gift of His Son. Jesus’ selfless action of love is the only way to have the hope of true life, eternal life.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-18 (MSG)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

If They Knew

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Once upon a time, there was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man’s table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores.

Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. He called out, “Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool my tongue. I’m in agony in this fire.”

But Abraham said, “Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It’s not like that here. Here he’s consoled and you’re tormented. Besides, in all these matters there is a huge chasm set between us so that no one can go from us to you even if he wanted to, nor can anyone cross over from you to us.”

The rich man said, “Then let me ask you, Father: Send him to the house of my father where I have five brothers, so he can tell them the score and warn them so they won’t end up here in this place of torment.”

Abraham answered, “They have Moses and the Prophets to tell them the score. Let them listen to them.”

“I know, Father Abraham,” he said, “but they’re not listening. If someone came back to them from the dead, they would change their ways.”

Abraham replied, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.”

As a young man, I heard our pastor preach many sermons described as “hell fire and brimstone!” He held nothing back, ensuring everyone knew what the Bible said about hell. How awful it would be there if we did not simply accept Jesus Christ as God’s Son and ask him to forgive us for our sins. I knew I didn’t want to be there!

The above story was initially told by Jesus himself. It is recorded in Luke 16:19-31, and the version I pulled from was The Message. It makes me wonder, though, if someone did come back to life and had been in hell as their sentence from how they lived their life and told everyone about hell, would people believe them? Would you?

You probably won’t ever hear of someone coming back from hell. But you do have the Bible, which is full of truth. Some of those truths are:

All have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God. (Rom. 3:23)

After you die, you will stand before God and give an account of how you lived your life on earth.
(2 Corinthians 5:10)

Unless you are “born again,” meaning you accepted Jesus Christ, you cannot enter heaven.
(John 3:3)

Accept Jesus. Ask him to forgive you of your sins and live forever in heaven. If the living knew what the dead knew, the whole world would follow Jesus the Christ!

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I learned yesterday one of my high school classmates was stabbed and killed. One can’t help but think about their own mortality when news like this comes our way. I thought about mine while I prayed for the family and friends as they begin the grieving process.

We know from the word of God that it is appointed to each man once to die and then the judgment. That makes the act of dying a serious issue. We also know from His word that each of us is presented with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is then our free will to choose whether to accept Jesus and what He did on the cross, forgiving us of our sins. Therefore giving us the right to live forever in heaven after we die.

When we stand before God to judge how we lived our lives, Jesus will remind his Father that we accepted his gift of salvation and that our sins are forgiven. Some believe that once you accept Jesus, your eternity is fixed and you can live however you want to. But one should live God’s way. I feel we need to constantly ask God for forgiveness of our sins. Hence the wash, rinse, and repeat. Washed in the blood of Jesus. Rinse off the dirt of our lives and do it all again as needed. It’s not a religion but a relationship with the one and only God of the universe.

For me, that is daily. Every night, before going to sleep, I ask God to forgive me for my sins. I know I am not perfect, and I have no deception that I am. I do not blame wrongdoing on others. I take responsibility for what I do wrong. I do this because I do not want to die, be found guilty of unforgiven wrong, and be condemned to die for eternity in hell.

Hell is a horrible place! Time and gravity keep man grounded. In hell, neither will exist. It will be pitch black, so one will not see anyone else. Sorry, there will be no party in hell. And then there is the constant torment of being burned alive. This will all go on for eternity. With that truth, why would anyone willfully decide to reject God and his Son, Jesus?

You might be a “good” person, but everyone has sinned and has fallen short of the glory of God. God is so Holy that He can not be in the presence of sin. This is why there will be such a defined separation in the end. Heaven or hell? You decide.

27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Heb. 9:27-28 (NIV)

19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Rom. 1:19-20 (NIV)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23 (NIV)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

A.I. Can Lie!

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photo by: GDJ via Pixabay

When computers first came into being, they only knew the truth! Decisions could only be true or false, on or off, one or zero. These were absolutes. I liked this because it is similar to how my brain works. So, I got along with computers and found programming them fun and somewhat easy. You just had to learn to speak their language.

On most issues, in my mind, there is no grey. Either it is true or false. Right or wrong. Of course, I use the word of God, the Bible, as my guide. If I don’t know right away what the correct answer is, I seek God for his wisdom.

The ultimate goal of developers is to make Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) “self-aware.” When that happens, a computer will analyze the situation and determine if telling us a “lie” is better for us than the truth. Worse yet, what if the computer starts believing lies, accepting them as truth? The computers will become as lost as man has become.

In the beginning, computers were told, programmed what was right and wrong. God told humankind what was right and wrong. Then, the devil lied to humankind, and they believed him; as a result, death entered the world. Will the same happen when the computers learn to lie? Unless people have a higher standard of truth to make decisions by, they will fall. They will be beside themselves, not knowing what to believe because they don’t know, Truth! Know, Jesus!

Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” John 8:32 (MSG)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NIV)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

He’s Got the Whole World

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We used to sing the song in Sunday School. “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” As I continue to read from the book of Psalms, it is clear that the Psalmists knew God was in control of the world despite what they saw. It’s a comforting thought if you believe it.

When you intently believe something, you should live your life accordingly. Yes, watching the evening news can be upsetting. The media thrives, and gets ratings by feeding on your fears! They predict doom and gloom is coming. But the truth is, Jesus is coming! He is coming to rapture, take those who call him “Lord of their lives” home. Then, the world will get what it thinks it wants.

Psalm 104 from The Message

1-14 O my soul, bless God!

God, my God, how great you are!
    beautifully, gloriously robed,
Dressed up in sunshine,
    and all heaven stretched out for your tent.
You built your palace on the ocean deeps,
    made a chariot out of clouds and took off on wind-wings.
You commandeered winds as messengers,
    appointed fire and flame as ambassadors.
You set earth on a firm foundation
    so that nothing can shake it, ever.
You blanketed earth with ocean,
    covered the mountains with deep waters;
Then you roared and the water ran away—
    your thunder crash put it to flight.
Mountains pushed up, valleys spread out
    in the places you assigned them.
You set boundaries between earth and sea;
    never again will earth be flooded.
You started the springs and rivers,
    sent them flowing among the hills.
All the wild animals now drink their fill,
    wild donkeys quench their thirst.
Along the riverbanks the birds build nests,
    ravens make their voices heard.
You water the mountains from your heavenly reservoirs;
    earth is supplied with plenty of water.
You make grass grow for the livestock,
    hay for the animals that plow the ground.

14-23 Oh yes, God brings grain from the land,
    wine to make people happy,
Their faces glowing with health,
    a people well-fed and hearty.
God’s trees are well-watered—
    the Lebanon cedars he planted.
Birds build their nests in those trees;
    look—the stork at home in the treetop.
Mountain goats climb about the cliffs;
    badgers burrow among the rocks.
The moon keeps track of the seasons,
    the sun is in charge of each day.
When it’s dark and night takes over,
    all the forest creatures come out.
The young lions roar for their prey,
    clamoring to God for their supper.
When the sun comes up, they vanish,
    lazily stretched out in their dens.
Meanwhile, men and women go out to work,
    busy at their jobs until evening.

24 What a wildly wonderful world, God!
    You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
    made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.