Glorious Surprise

The Lord is merciful to me
Amazing mercies now I see
Grateful tears now fill my eyes
Stunned by this glorious surprise

Oh great grace, flow over me
Deliver me and set me free
Thank God for what His love denies
Saved by this glorious surprise.

As we play out the story
Our lives are rearranged
From glory unto glory
We see our lives are changed
And as we are transformed
The old man in us dies
And Christ in us is formed
As the glory of this truth we realize

Though I am poor and I am weak
His grace sufficient I will seek
His clarion call bids me arise
Moved by this glorious surprise

Though I am a frail child of dust
On future grace I choose to trust
On this great hope my soul relies
Drawn by this glorious surprise

As we play out the story
Our lives are rearranged
From glory unto glory
We see our lives are changed
And as we are transformed
The old man in us dies
And Christ in us is formed
As the glory of this truth we realize

To my poor finite mind give rest
Make me a man who knows he’s blessed
My prayer that I may be made wise
Changed by this glorious surprise


Anthony Foster
June 28, 2011

Friend of the Fatherless

You were born in the fields of the fatherless
Cut down at the root and left there alone.
Jesus came as a friend to the fatherless
Picked you up and brought you home.

Life is hard in the fields of the fatherless
For its wounds cause the spirit to groan
Jesus comes as the friend to the fatherless
He knows the plans he has for His own

Now our friend, faithful friend of the fatherless
Walks the ground where so many seeds were sown
And the cut off the cast out the distressed
Are gathered up to be never disowned

So child come in from the fields of the fatherless
Enter in to be nurtured and known
You’ve been called and chosen for blessedness
For in this new work, God’s glory is shown.

June 24, 2011
Anthony Foster

Bringing Beauty From ashes

We all know loss, we all know what it costs
To follow our own way
To suffer when we go astray.
There are times when it is not our fault
Beyond our control comes the assault
To devastate our life
The world and the devil know how to dish strife!

But when you’ve been betrayed
Bereft, abandoned and afraid
There is a Savior who will do what it takes
There is a Savior who will never forsake.

From the ruined and wrecked
The good true tower He’ll erect
From broken pieces of shattered dreams
He restores, reconciles, and redeems.

From ashes of hope left in the void
Remnants of promises now destroyed
By sin and rebellion, evil and pain
Given to Jesus our loss becomes gain.
He takes broken pieces as a sweet offering
And beauty from ashes Christ brings.

Anthony Foster
June 15, 2011

Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel

Click here for the full message.

Eight Similarities Between Godʼs Adoption of Us and Our Adoption of Children

1. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) costly.

2. Adoption did (for God) and does (for us) involve the legal status of the child.

3. Adoption was blessed and is blessed with Godʼs pouring out a Spirit of sonship.

4. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) marked by moral transformation through the Spirit.

5. Adoption brought us, and brings our children, the rights of being heirs of the Father.

6. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) seriously planned.

7. Adoption was (for God) and often is now (for us) from very bad situations.

8. Adoption meant (for all Christans) and means (for Christian parents) that we suffer now and experience glory later.

There Is No Void

Out of the fullness of one flesh
Out of the joy of our hearts
Love overflows this vessel
This marriage of which we’re a part.

As covenant keepers He keeps us
There is no void that we are trying to fill
We share the acceptance and we share the trust
There is only abundance and only His will.

For we are partakers of blessing
All covenant children of grace
Adopted as heirs now confessing
Sheer joy at being embraced

There is room at our table
So come on inside
For God makes us able
To protect and provide.
For you now have a place
A forever family
An inheritance of grace
A new identity

For there’s always a risk in loving
But there’s more risk in standing alone
Come join us as children of promise
We were orphans but now we are home.

For we were all orphans and widows
Before we were found we were lost
Our dancing was founded in mourning
And we sing as we’re counting a cost

There is room at our table
So come on inside
For God makes us able
To protect and provide.
For you now have a place
A forever family
An inheritance of grace
A new identity

Come become a child to the Father
The children that the Spirit bears
For our firstborn brother made the way
For our adoption as children and heirs.

Anthony Foster
June 4, 2011