Christopher Lawrence

Earl says

The Crucifixion

Sunlight upon Judea's hills
And on the waves of Galilee,
On Jordan's streams and on the rills
That feed the dead and sleeping sea;
Most freshly from the green wood springs
The light breeze on its scented wings;
And gaily quiver in the sun
The cedar-tops of Lebanon.

A few more hours--a change hath come!
The sky is dark without a cloud;
The shouts of joy and wrath are dumb,
And proud knees unto earth are bowed.
A change is on the hill of death,
The helmeted watchers pant for breath,
And turn with wild and maniac eyes
From the dark scene of sacrifice.

That Sacrifice!--the death of Him,
The high and ever Holy One!
Well may the conscious heaven grow dim
And blacken the beholding sun!
The wonted light hath fled away,
Night settles on the middle day,
And Earthquake from his caverned bed
Is waking with a thrill of dread.

The dead are waking underneath!
Their prison door is rent away!
And, ghastly with the seal of death,
They wander in the eye of day!
The temple of the Cherubim,
The House of God is cold and dim;
A curse is on its trembling walls;
Its mighty veil asunder falls!

Well may the caverned depths of Earth
Be shaken and her mountains nod;
Well may the sheeted dead come forth
To gaze upon a suffering God!
Well may the temple-shrine grow dim,
And shadows veil the Cherubim,
When He, the chosen one of heaven,
A sacrifice for guilt is given!

And shall the sinful heart alone
Behold unmoved the atoning hour,
When Nature trembles on her throne'
And Death reigns his iron power?
Oh! shall the heart--whose sinfulness
Gave keeness to His sore distress,
And added to His tears of blood
Refuse its trembling gratitude?

--John Greenleaf Whittier

posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )

Earl says

“The First Fruits of Them That Slept”
(1 Cor. 15:20)

Past are the anguish and weight of His passion;
Sealed in a sepulcher, Jesus doth lie,
Guarded by soldiers in armor, whose fashion
Only imperial Rome can supply.

Just from the courts of Jehovah descended,
Clothed in a raiment as white as the snow,
Shining in face by lightning attended,
Speeds there an angel as a dart from a bow.

Reaching the garden as daylight is springing,
Backward he rolleth the stone from the grave;
Up cometh Jesus, in majesty bringing
Proof reconfirmed of His power to save.

Shaking with fear, to the ground fall the keepers;
Quaketh the earth with mysterious thrills.
Glory to God in the highest! Ye weepers,
Shout in the chorus that heaven now fills.

Earth could not bind the true Lord of creation;
Vanquished is death by the Author of life;
Quickly arise ye and tell every nation
Jesus has won in the glorious strife.

Past are the anguish and weight of His passion;
Pleasures forever bide Him on high;
Clothed is the Savior with garments in fashion
Human resources could never supply.
(Robert Rothman)

Yours in our Risen Lord,

Earl

posted 2 years ago. ( send a note )

Earl says

“The First Fruits of Them That Slept”
(1 Cor. 15:20)

Past are the anguish and weight of His passion;
Sealed in a sepulcher, Jesus doth lie,
Guarded by soldiers in armor, whose fashion
Only imperial Rome can supply.

. . . to be continued

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Earl says

posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )

Earl says

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Earl says

posted 2 years ago. ( send a note )