|
|
|
MORNING
By Bob
Slosser
darkness lay
heavy upon Mary
as bare feet
moved truly among rocks
just revealing
morning’s nearness
and dawn light’s
security
oh fear in
the night
abruptly her
vision exploded
before the
flinty tomb
whose hollowness
echoed silently in the mind
shattered
she stood alone
entranced
in her numbness
as words from
windless eerie distances
escaped from
her drying lips
‘could
my God have gone away
perhaps to
take his Son away?
my God i am
alone
in my ruination’
sobs from
her breast
hung swollen
in the graying air
momentarily
in the stillness predominating
but fleeing
vaporously
in the sweetening
light
and silver
flecks of awakening time
it was holy
light following night
‘if
I could find my Lord
oh my Father
who art in heaven
show me my
Lord that I
might love
him again’
and two angels
looked back at her from the tomb
instantly
the earth reeled in merriment
and events
raced with hymnal accompaniment
as nature’s
love named sun
splashed his
caresses
upon that
moment
and history’s
cymbals clashed
nevertheless
the soft footsteps
pierced Mary’s
consciousness
and she turned
to speak
‘if
you have carried my Lord away
please’
the silence
of one second stopped time
until Jesus
spoke for eternity ‘Mary’
|
| |
|
Easter
They Had Their Own Script in Heaven
By Bob Slosser
CBN.com -- Jesus was crucified,
cruelly, horribly, and bloodily, on a day just like this. God His Father raised Him from death to life on a day just like this Sunday.
This had to be done for you and me. There was no other way. And Jesus
did it once and for all, for all time, forgiving the world its sins
and reconciling the Father to the world. All that was lacking was something
He couldn’t do. The world, which He loved and still loves, had
to reconcile itself to Him. There is no other way.
We know the scene well, and most of us do an admirable job in recreating
Good Friday and Easter with pageants and glorious music, just as we
are doing this weekend. I love the church, and I love its pageantry
when done to the glory of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit
(who did the work of raising Jesus from the dead [Romans 8:11], along
with a lot of other things).
I also love the precious Holy Scripture, which gives us a scene from
heaven about the Risen Lord, and I want to talk of that scene today.
I have also written a separate piece consisting of a poem about the
scene in the Garden of the Tomb Easter morning. Please turn to it when
you finish my column.
It helps to note Revelation 4:1ff, where the author of the prophecy
– traditionally labeled John the Apostle – is told to "come
up here," suggesting he was too earthbound to see what was really happening.
Are you too earthbound to see clearly? "At once I was in the Spirit,"
he said, so up he went into the throne room of the universe where "one
was seated on the throne." There is nothing democratic about who’s
in charge of the universe. John describes an apocalyptic scene –
beautiful, busy, and full of glory and honor. The singing is powerful
and ever worshipful. We should learn from the worship.
Then, at the beginning of Chapter 5, comes a scene that a man I loved,
David duPlessis, used to refer to occasionally as the "first ascension."
We find the heartbreaking need for someone to break the seals opening
the scroll in the hand of God on the throne that contains the future.
No one is worthy apparently. John starts weeping. Who wouldn’t?
No future? Has Satan won? Then an elder in heaven told John to knock
it off. "The Lion of Judah…has triumphed." He can do it.
John looks around quickly and all he sees is a lamb, "looking as though
it had been slain." The Lamb of God – He was the Lion of Judah,
having died an ignominious death without uttering a sound, without losing
His love for His Father or for His friends throughout all the passion.
He had paid the price in full, so He went to take the scroll from the
right hand of Him who sat on the throne, and the universe breathed a
sign of relief.
When the Lamb had taken it, the four living creatures and the 24 elders
fell down before Him. Each had a harp, and they were holding golden
bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (you and
me). They sang a new song, which I hope you are able to join in with:
"Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our
God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (KJV).
If you listened real closely you could hear the whole earth saying,
"Amen." Happy Easter! Jesus is alive! He is alive indeed!
More from CBN.com's special Easter
section
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
|