Kevin Hartnett Poetry

He Is Jesus

VERSE 1

Who is this young helpless little baby
Mary is caressing gently in her arms?
Why do shepherds hurry there to see Him,
Coming to the stable from surrounding farms?

He is Jesus, promised One of ages,
Sung by heaven’s angels as the Lord of all.
How will he then bring His mighty kingdom
Lying as an infant in a dirty stall?

VERSE 2

Who is this, now entering the city
Riding on a donkey through the cheering throng?
Can you see the faces of the soldiers
As the branches wave in Messianic song?

He is Jesus, wonder working prophet,
Known to silence demons, even raise the dead!
Will he now command His mighty army,
Or remove our chains a different way instead?

VERSE 3

Who is this now bloodied from a scourging,
Falling ‘neath a timber of a cross of shame?
What has happened to the adoration,
Have all men forgotten His exalted name?

He is Jesus, sent to free His people,
Not from Roman bondage, but from Heaven’s rod.
He is Jesus, nailed upon the altar,
Cursed for our transgressions; slaughtered Lamb of God.

VERSE 4

O that I might join the angels’ chorus,
Worshipping the One who humbly came to save!
He fulfilled God’s loving plan to free us,
Banishing our sins and conquering the grave!

He is Jesus, He is my Redeemer,
Lord of Love incarnate, ransom from above.
He is Jesus, hope of ev’ry nation,
Crucified Messiah, saving Son of God!

I wrote these lyrics for a beautiful melody written by Kevin Schellhase. They were further refined at a Sovereign Grace Ministries songwriter's retreat, where I was encouraged to write what became verse two.  It was a glorious and memorable experience listening to the melody for the first time and having ideas rush into my head.  It was a unique moment of inspiration and worship.  In a small way, I felt "caught up" with the angels.   You can download the score of the song at the link below.

Download He is Jesus FINAL (12 1 09) - lead

Jesus Is Emmanuel

God made people much like sheep.
They both love to eat and sleep!
Shepherds too for them He made,
So they wouldn’t be afraid (and)
This is why He came that day,
Lying with the sheep in hay.
God with man had come to dwell-
Jesus is Emmanuel.

Sheep and people disobey,
Both will wander far away.
Jesus leads us to His cross
So that we might not be lost (and)
This is why He came that day,
Seeking those who’d gone astray.
God with man had come to dwell,
Jesus is Emmanuel.

Sing with joy this happy song-
We, His sheep, to God belong!
Christ is come; His flock to save
For our souls, His life He gave (and)
This is why He came that day-
Taking all our sins away.
God with man had come to dwell;
Jesus is Emmanuel.

K.H., October 2006

Several years ago, friend Ken Boer and I collaborated on a number of children's songs.  This is one of them.  I pray others might find them useful.  You can get the score or by clicking accordingly below.  I'll try to add a link to a recording soon.

Download Jesus is Emmanuel

 

 

 

 

So I Will Praise Him in the Night

The plans of God bring ebb and flow –
His wisdom thus ordains it.
Prosperity to want may go,
As His good hands arrange it.
Both day and night dispense His grace;
Both work to serve His pleasure.
By day we know the glorious Face
At night we learn to treasure.

We err to think the darkness bad,
When shadows mask our knowing,
For there refreshing dew is had
That keeps the flowers growing.
The waxing and the waning moon
Both work to mark the season.
The winter dawn and dusk of June
Alike display His reason.

Should we then seek that He explain
The circle of His blessing?
Our daily rhythms here maintain
Great patterns there expressing.
For sorrows come until the Day
When Night itself will vanish,
While Wisdom works its perfect way,
And Light, will darkness, banish.

The happy soul is then content
To know that He is faithful,
And through each difficult event
Remembers to be grateful.
For God commands each circumstance
To serve those of His calling.
His loving Hand of providence
Will keep the faint from falling.

So I will praise Him in the night,
This globe of sorrows surely turns.
See there His stars of promise bright;
Behold, the light of dawn returns.

-- K.Hartnett, August 2007

This poem was inspired by the June 1st morning entry in Morning and Evening, Daily Readings by Charles Haddon Spurgeon.  I've copied the entry below. You can read other entries at the following link.

“The evening and the morning were the first day.”

(Genesis 1:5)

Was it so even in the beginning? Did light and darkness divide the realm of time in the first day? Then little wonder is it if I have also changes in my circumstances from the sunshine of prosperity to the midnight of adversity. It will not always be the blaze of noon even in my soul concerns, I must expect at seasons to mourn the absence of my former joys, and seek my Beloved in the night. Nor am I alone in this, for all the Lord’s beloved ones have had to sing the mingled song of judgment and of mercy, of trial and deliverance, of mourning and of delight. It is one of the arrangements of Divine providence that day and night shall not cease either in the spiritual or natural creation till we reach the land of which it is written, “there is no night there.” What our heavenly Father ordains is wise and good.

What, then, my soul, is it best for thee to do? Learn first to be content with this divine order, and be willing, with Job, to receive evil from the hand of the Lord as well as good. Study next, to make the outgoings of the morning and the evening to rejoice. Praise the Lord for the sun of joy when it rises, and for the gloom of evening as it falls. There is beauty both in sunrise and sunset, sing of it, and glorify the Lord. Like the nightingale, pour forth thy notes at all hours. Believe that the night is as useful as the day. The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow. The stars of promise shine forth gloriously amid the darkness of grief. Continue thy service under all changes. If in the day thy watchword be labour, at night exchange it for watch. Every hour has its duty, do thou continue in thy calling as the Lord’s servant until he shall suddenly appear in his glory. My soul, thine evening of old age and death is drawing near, dread it not, for it is part of the day; and the Lord has said, “I will cover him all the day long.”

From Morning and Evening; Daily Readings by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Morning entry, June 1st)

And Love Ever Echoes

Oh where might the voice of God be heard, 

And truth in fullness displayed? 

Was there such a place in all the earth 

His message was so conveyed? 

 

It was there on a hill beside the lake, 

He proclaimed what would set men free; 

And love echoed out across the land 

From Jesus of Galilee. 

 

****** 

 

And where might the prayer of God be known, 

Immortal conflict portrayed? 

Was e're such a place in all the earth 

A battle for spirits raged? 

 

It was there on a hill of olive groves 

He looked death in the face for me; 

And love echoed loudly in the night 

From Christ at Gethsemane. 

   

****** 

 

Oh where might the love of God be shown, 

In all its riches displayed? 

Was there such a place in all the earth 

Divine love should be surveyed? 

 

It was there on a hill outside the gate, 

It was there, meant for all to see, 

And love ever echoes in the earth 

From Jesus at Calvary.  

 

-- K. Hartnett, March 2006 

O the Riches in the Gospel!

O the riches in the Gospel! 

Purposes no man conceived! 

Grace unfailing; love astounding, 

Given those who have believed! 

 

Pardon full for helpless sinners. 

Justified- though guilty be! 

Jesus cursed for our transgressions; 

We made righteous by decree! 

 

Peace with God, oh timeless marvel! 

Christ’s blood our security! 

Holiness at one with Favor; 

Heaven opened wondrously! 

 

Purpose in the Master’s kingdom; 

We, His worksmanship by grace, 

Cleansed to serve; alive in conscience; 

Spirit-filled to run the race. 

 

Pleasure in His highest priv’ledge: 

Sons of God by name are we! 

Heirs with Christ through God’s adoption; 

Called in love eternally!

 

O the riches in the Gospel! 

Purposes no man conceived! 

Grace unfailing; love astounding, 

Ever theirs who have believed!

-- K. Hartnett, November 2005

 

Pardon, peace, purpose, pleasure - oh what riches we have in Christ!

You Go Before Us

Chorus

You go before us,

And what great comfort in the thought.

You've planned the future,

And love eternal is our lot!

Can it be You see my life through all eternity...

Waiting there for me?!

Oh gracious Father unto Thee

I pledge my love!

 

Verse One
Though my plans are filled with doubts and imperfections,

And the paths I choose do seem to go astray;

When I look again I see You there before me:

Establishing my steps along the way.

 

Verse Two
There's no mystery in Your purpose for the future.

Even now your faithful love's extending there.

You've made time to serve as keeper of Your blessings:

Another demonstration of Your care!

-- K. Hartnett, 1994
 

A Homeschooler's Happy Reflection

We marked the day she started what would be

Her formal "school" - and stacks of lessons learned,
Along with drawings, tests, and answer keys
Lie dormant now in front of books returned
From friends who shared the dream.  A season wrought

With work and prayer, at times it seemed to last
Too long, but faith and patience surely taught
Us all our lessons well.  The fruit surpassed

Our ev'ry expectation – a girl who
Loves the Lord, has godly friends, studies hard,
Writes thoughtfully, and even wrestled through
Pre-calculus and language with regard!

 

"Day one" began the journey of "suppose";
"Commencement" marks the start of what she knows.

-- K. Hartnett, April 2007

Today our godly, lovely and lively daughter Lydia graduated from homeschool highschool in a ceremony held at our church for 32 such highschool seniors.  This ends an era for my wife and I as our two children are now out of highschool and our homeschooling responsibilities have come to an end.  In a poetic sort of twist, Joshua Harris, our senior pastor, was given an honorary certificate and cap and gown today (all in fun- and all a surprise) since he too was homeschooled, but never attended a similar graduation function.  It was his father, Gregg Harris, that we heard teach on homeschooling about 20 years ago that really sparked our interest.  Joshua was in attendance at that conference too - helping from behind the book table as a pre-teen!  Oh the surprising and inscrutable plans of God!  The poem is set in a sort of loose English sonnet form.

If He Had Faltered Even Once

They spit upon His meekness, 

And struck Him in the face. 

Their floggers swung with hatred; 

They stripped Him in disgrace. 

Deep worked the Roman anger 

That tortured Him, a Jew; 

Yet this His contemplation: 

“They know not what they do.” 

 

His people cheered “Hosanna,” 

Then had Him crucified. 

They freed corrupt Barabbas; 

To sentence Him, they lied. 

He hung outside their city, 

Where leaders mocked Him too; 

Yet this, the hurt He carried: 

“I would have gathered you.” 

 

No angels came to help Him 

When Heaven on Him fell. 

The Devil tried to reach Him 

Through ev’ry lie in hell. 

Unthinkable the anguish 

As Father crushed the Son, 

Yet this His firm conviction: 

“Thy will, not mine, be done.” 

 

No selfishness, no hatred, 

No spitefulness was there. 

No unbelief, no cursing, 

No pity from despair. 

One sinful thought; one failure, 

And Love would not succeed. 

The ransomed souls of hist’ry 

Must His perfection plead. 

 

If He had faltered even once, 

In flames of hell would men abide. 

Then ponder Christ, and praise at length 

The strength of Him there crucified. 

   

-- K. Hartnett, May 2007

 

I wrote this one backwards, i.e. having the idea for the last four lines before writing the rest.  Verse one highlights Christ's physical sufferings; verse two, His emotional/mental and verse three, His spiritual.  The colossal irony that the very men who tempted Him to failure were among those He died in perfection to save captures my imagination - and praise.

 

What Now Do You See?

What now do you see?

And can it be the force of Truth

That here unites two lives as one? 

They vowed to God;

What simple happenstance occurred to make it so?

The book, the prayers, the animated faces-

All speak the great and common tongue of knowledge held most dear.

 

Did He indeed design the complimentary nature of the parties joined?

The elegance of every aspect speaks itself.

And louder still, the order seen in those who likewise vowed in times before.

 

‘Twas Christ Himself who taught that truth

Is heard by those who have an ear;

What now do you hear?

 

-- K. Hartnett, 11/2006

My friends Ken and Rachael Boer asked me to write a poem that they might print and have available on the tables at their wedding reception.  Their prayer and desire was to point non-church-attenders to God, and the fact that marriage is His design- meant in part as as a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church.  I actually wrote them two poems.  This one was the one they used.  The other is called This Picture His

Creation & Astronomy Index

Beauty Reaches Through the Eye
Saturn

Behold the Fleeting Meteor
Meteor

Blackened, Lifeless, Cold, and Grim
Comet Close-Up

Can It Be?
Moon

Dazzling Phosphor in the Night
The Star Sirius

Do You Know the Order of the Planets?
Io over Jupiter

Eartbound Eyes Can E'er But See
Orion Nebula

God Knows What You'll See!
Cat's Eye Nebula

Impossibly Gigantic
Whirlpool Galaxy

Lesser Sphere of Darkest Space
Solar Eclipse

Minister of Mystery
Comet Hale-Bopp

One World Is Immaterial
Crescent Moon

Praise Him in the Arts for the Sciences
Spirograph Nebula   

Sovereign King and Caring Lord

Ten Thousand Time a Thousand Still
Globular Cluster M80

The Incarnation
The Star Capella

The Lesser Light Which Rules the Night
Lunar Eclipse 

The Stars I See Are Yesteryear's
The Pleiades

The Tadpole Swims Within His Hands
The Tadpole Galaxy

Though Men Refine Electric Lights
The Summer Milky Way

Tiny Flickers Overhead
Star Field Near Deneb

'Tis There Beyond the Reach of Earth
Moon and Venus

What Matter Is So Strange as This?
Comet Hyakutake

What Name Has He for Me?
Hodge 301

What, Oh Man, Now Do You Know?
The Ant Nebula