Jesus All in All

 

 

What does it really mean

Jesus our all in all?

Well, I will give you as much

As I can quickly recall.

 

And it is strange

Re the roles he fulfilled

For they are rather conflicting

Yet complementary still.

 

He is the shepherd

And he is also the sheep,

That he can be both of these

Is profound and deep.

 

 

He identified with both

As shepherd and lamb

And as to his care and protection

The ewe yet a ram.

 

He knew the sheep

Being a lamb himself

And as himself the shepherd,

He cared for its health.

 

He is the fold

And the door to the fold

And to declare that he is both

Seems rather bold.

 

The born-again child

Becomes one with Christ

And since he is also the door,

This more that suffice.

 

 

Jesus is the door

As well as the enclosure

Sustaining the sheep in himself

As Shepherd and Saviour.

 

Jesus is the sacrificer

As well as the sacrifice,

And the shedding of his own blood

Doth more than suffice.

 

He sacrificed his life

And he took it up again

Having satisfied his own demand

As he took our blame.

 

The lamb without spot

In whom was no sin

As both sacrificer and sacrifice,

Now calls all to him.

 

 

Look nowhere else

For whatever you need,

Jesus, both shepherd and lamb,

Is our all in all indeed.

 

Stewart Russell © July 29, 2024

 

The Only Wise God

 

 

Can you tell what I am thinking?

I know someone who can,

He even knows my future

And He never reads my palm.

Crystal balls are not His thing

And He never ever predicts,

He doesn’t even prophesy

Yet He sees all from where he sits.

He knows when we are sincere

And whenever we pretend,

He knows what we will decide

And all that we intend.

What question he cannot answer?

There is actually none,

He alone can decide

How long each course will run.

Time’s clock has been set by Him

From its beginning to its end,

He knows every twist and turn

Every tunnel and every bend.

He is the ultimate Ruler

King of kings and Lord of lords,

He is one yet three

As substantiated by the Word

There’s much we do not understand

As expressed in His Word,

And often in our brilliance

We deem that Word absurd.

He alone orders the wind

And the boundaries of the sea,

No effort or struggle is required

Just a simple “Let there be”.

He transcends all of creation

It is all contained in Him,

Everything is for His purpose

Not our fancy or our whim.

We were created in His image

Though we often tend to forget

And the balance that He initiated

We constantly try to upset.

His ways are past finding out

His thoughts are not our thoughts,

He is from everlasting to everlasting

And He cannot be bought.

All in the earth are His

There is nothing that He needs,

He has provided it for our sustainment

Not to satisfy our greed.

He is the Lord God Jehovah

The I AM that I AM,

Revealed in Christ the Saviour

The Shepherd and yet the Lamb.

That he died for me is amazing

That he lives in me is comforting,

That he is coming for me is reassuring

That I am in him is enlightening.

It is my honour to know Him

It is my privilege to be called His own

His slave I may be but I am free

Free to enjoy true liberty.

What blessed freedom in Christ!

My Shepherd, Lamb and Sacrifice,

Nothing brought I but one sin-sick soul

Yet he washed me and made me whole.

All of Him and none of me

No credit can I take,

No merit in me, no merit at all

God did it all for Jesus’ sake.

And now I rest assured in Him

Until my earthly rest shall be,

Anticipating the glorious resurrection

When I shall live eternally.

Stewart Russell (c) April 2019