For Israel, Speedily (Isaiah 49) copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo ON, 2017
Prisoners made by strangers Shackled at their hand Made to leave familiar For a hostile land Gone the glee of children Old men at the Gate Wedding chimes and dancing Nothing now but hate Still I note the evil Jeering “Does God see?� Soon the sword is coming One direct from me. Down those mountains looming Done the tears and thirst Bitter dregs of judgment All abuse reversed. Hear the Heavens singing See the earth in bloom Baffled children gathered
And they need more room. And they watch as numbers Strangers from outside Come beneath my Covenant Share in Abraham's pride While the rumours topple Claims of my neglect I the doting Parent Now have world respect. Still my mighty Arm saves Way beyond all doubt Those once bent and brooding Leap and laugh and shout. Note: See how beautiful deliverance appears and the Lord's ultimate recompense. Image by James Tissot.
Re-Creation (Ezekiel 37)
The bones are off the tendons All strewn upon the field And Israel lies in shambles Their unbelief, this yield But I have heard the whisper Above these graves of men 'Oh Son of Man please tell me Can these bones live again? Can these bones clutch the sinew And flesh as once before And re-create my warriors To fight a different war? Can they again stand hardy Can breath infuse the cause Can they again be holy And faithful to my laws?' This Son of Man stands baffled But you God, have no peer And yours the precious Spirit To draw each warrior near So let the breeze indwell them With new life from the dead And let this Israel battle By Gospel love instead.
Ezekiel 46: Going Out Differently
If ye go in by the North Ye shall go out by the South Not a word but thankful praise Shall be issued from thy mouth. And the princes there shall serve They no longer shall oppress. And the priests all decked in linens Burn the lambs, their God to bless. All is in remembrance now For my Son ONCE paid the cost That atonement might be gained For the wayward and the lost. And one Prince of great renown Shall attain the Eastern Gate In the fullness of My time; Neither Premature nor late. And through Him All gets my smile Not a furled brow, nor a frown Friends, go forth from this great Temple Tell the nations, tell the town!
Friday's Strange Relief
This is the Day The world stood still At noontime dark and dread And Goodness hung Upon a cross And Power wished Him dead.
The trip to town Was filled with mirth As hopeful praised the One Who spoke of change And second birth And called Himself God's Son. They watched Him heal Absolve the sin They knew His ways were kind How quickly had They lost their zeal To leave this Prince behind. And so the worst Of church and state Had bound the Son in chains To paint a cross With His dear blood To lose their sun in rains. As if Jews' God Were frowning then And words long spoke come true How blameless blood Would staunch sin's flood Isaiah's words overdue. His groans were deep Their mocking sharp A Mother held His eyes A thief nearby Who hung for crime Would hear of Paradise. And then the lapse His breath released His finished work so strange Could mankind guess In just three days That everything would change?
Destination
Never used to bother To think about the finish Days of sun and sporting And friends all in a row Targets, tests and training Compelling each semester
Interludes of romance Oh where did they all go? Household came and family And years of nudge and nurture Trusting in a help-mate And she as good as gold. Darkening days and set-backs And drudgery never dreamed of Waking up one morning And sensing one was old. But a spark ignited And held the cords through trouble Heaven looked right downward And quickened this one's heart Friendship so unfailing And with a kindly Saviour One who sure had been there And helping from the start. Now all seems but chaos A world gone to distraction Stealing, rage and lying A part of daily fare But I and mine, untroubled And looking for the Son-rise Knowing that a purpose And place await us there. Might you think this selfish? All me and mine and mercy God to clear a pathway Refresh me with His Cup? Oh but then some close friends Have watched the odd progression Hearing, if they're willing, The reasons I look up. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6)