- A Quiet Night in Bethany A reflection after the triumphal entry to Jerusalem.
- God's Friday From Gethsemane to the tomb.
- Sabbath Wrest Peter wrestles with his conscience after the events of Good Friday.
- Son's Day Morning The Resurrection. As it happens!
- The Road to Emmaus Two friends meet the risen Christ.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Passion Portfolio, 2015
Over the years, I've written a series of poems rooted in Holy Week. They are all on the Poetry section of my blog. To help you find them (assuming you may be interested), here are links in the order of events rather than the order in which I wrote them. Each link opens in a new window.
Monday, March 16, 2015
On Crossing the Ocean of Life
No boat-builder designs an ocean-going yacht with plain-sailing in mind; he knows the sea too well. His design must account for much more than the comfort of the crew: survival is the greater concern. At sea, "What if . . . ?" is a pointless question, "When" a much more sensible approach.
There must be adequate beds for the crew to sleep in, a means of cooking that copes with the roll of the waves, ventilation for hot, balmy days in the sun but which will not let the rain in. The cabin must be sealed against stormy seas. The mast must withstand the strain of wind on sails, the hull the hammer-blows of wave upon wave crossed at speed.
There must be equipment for knowing where you are, and what is in your path, and keeping the boat on course when all you can see in the lightning flash is the top of the next wave and the bottom of lowering clouds.
The chances of success on crossing the ocean depends on the materials the boat is built from and the skill of its crew, and a good boat can be capsized and still right itself. If the boat succumbs to the waves, there must be a lifeboat with food and water to sustain the crew until rescue, and the means to help searchers locate it.
Life's circumstances are the high seas on which the good ship Perseverance sails. These waters are as dangerous as any faced by the sailor, yet many a believer launches upon them in a rowing boat with a picnic hamper as if on a bank holiday outing.
"We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22 NIV). Do not be so foolish as to think your life will be plain-sailing. It will not be. You will enjoy calm, warm days but you will also face raging storms and angry seas. Foaming reefs will threaten your passage, your destination will be hardly perceived, your whereabouts obscured. You will be subjected to stresses and strains, capsized and possibly even crushed.
Think about the boat you sail in. What is it built with? How well is it crewed? Make sure it is well suited for the whole journey—half-way across the ocean is not far enough! And take with you the lifeboat of hope.
There must be adequate beds for the crew to sleep in, a means of cooking that copes with the roll of the waves, ventilation for hot, balmy days in the sun but which will not let the rain in. The cabin must be sealed against stormy seas. The mast must withstand the strain of wind on sails, the hull the hammer-blows of wave upon wave crossed at speed.
There must be equipment for knowing where you are, and what is in your path, and keeping the boat on course when all you can see in the lightning flash is the top of the next wave and the bottom of lowering clouds.
The chances of success on crossing the ocean depends on the materials the boat is built from and the skill of its crew, and a good boat can be capsized and still right itself. If the boat succumbs to the waves, there must be a lifeboat with food and water to sustain the crew until rescue, and the means to help searchers locate it.
Life's circumstances are the high seas on which the good ship Perseverance sails. These waters are as dangerous as any faced by the sailor, yet many a believer launches upon them in a rowing boat with a picnic hamper as if on a bank holiday outing.
"We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22 NIV). Do not be so foolish as to think your life will be plain-sailing. It will not be. You will enjoy calm, warm days but you will also face raging storms and angry seas. Foaming reefs will threaten your passage, your destination will be hardly perceived, your whereabouts obscured. You will be subjected to stresses and strains, capsized and possibly even crushed.
Think about the boat you sail in. What is it built with? How well is it crewed? Make sure it is well suited for the whole journey—half-way across the ocean is not far enough! And take with you the lifeboat of hope.
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