Poems of Passion Week – Day 8 – ‘In Me’

 

EMPTY TOMB - BEAUTIFULFREEPICTURES - credits
Are you buried deep in sorrow
Over past and hurtful wounds?
Has the weight of your own failures
Left you feeling failure-doomed?

Has the peril of the systems
Of the economic sphere
Left you beaten down and overwhelmed
And buried under fear?

Has the rampant spread of sickness,
Diagnosis of sure death,
Left you reeling in confusion,
Condemned to draw your final breath?

Then look away: from all the darkness,
From the death and fear and pain.
Hear the rumble of the tombstone
As it rolls from off the grave.
See the lightning flash of glory
As the Son begins to rise,
As He steps from death’s dark dungeon:
The successful sacrifice.

Hear Him say, “The curse is broken!
I have come to give you life.
Ask of Me, and I will answer;
I have victory for your strife.
I’ve a storehouse of provisions;
I have healing for your pain;
I’ve forgiveness for your sin,
And I can make you clean again.

“For as surely as I died for you,
Took all your sin on me,
So My resurrection power is yours;
Enough to set you free.

There is no price;

It’s for the taking.

But the only place you’ll find it
Is in Me.”

 

 

~

 

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The Passion

Gilly has captured truly powerful photos of this very realistic portrayal of Jesus suffering and death in Exeter during Holy Week.

Lucid Gypsy's avatarLucid Gypsy

Earlier in the week I learnt that Exeter was staging The Passion in the streets today, so camera armed I went to see the event. It began with a service in the Cathedral and a procession through the town. I found it in Bedford Square and got a space close to the front of a big crowd of people. 1 where this lady was the  signing interpreter. 2 and a Roman soldier  really looked the part. 3 Mary’s tears washed the feet of Jesus. 4 Judas betrayed Jesus to the scribes and Pharisees. 5 Elders of the tribe watched

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While a blind man told how Jesus had restored his sight.     7 Then Jesus was brought to  the council of High Priests.

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Je was taken before Pontius Pilate, who spoke with Jesus, then asked the people three times, why Jesus should be crucified.

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The crowd only shouted ‘Crucify him’

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And Jesus was taken away

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with Judas looking…

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Poems of Passion Week – Day 7 – ‘The Price is Paid’

 

SATAN CAST DOWN - red - for blog
How deep and dark the grave in which they laid the Lord.
And naught to give Him hope except the Father’s Word.
But ’twas enough, for God had said, “When day three comes,
You’ll rise with life anew and come again to Home.”


Throughout the vigil, silence reigned and men did mourn.
And in the halls of Hell, the demons, they did groan:
This man from off the cross had stormed their barriers staid.
Hell panicked at the word from Heaven: “The price is paid!”


Then Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, stepped forth
And grasped the keys of Death and Hell with violent force.
Then rose through realms beneath to burst from earth and grave.
His shout of victory rang abroad: “Mankind is saved!”

 

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Poems of Passion Week – Day 6 – ‘The Reason’

 

JESUS IN GARDEN - NEGATIVE  -KAREN'S WHIMSY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O, Lamb of God
So pure, so holy, undefiled,
You came so meekly,
Vulnerable, a tiny child.

You took our sin
And took all of its consequence.
You chose the cross,
And on it your lifeblood was spent.

But for what cause,
When tempted in the garden that night,
Did you still choose
To let yourself be crucified?

You told us, Lord;
If we’d just listen, we would know.
You said, “Because
I love the Father, I will go.”

Lord, work in us
That holy and obedient love,
That we, when tried,
Will speak and act only for God.

~~~
(Photo courtesy of Karen’s Whimsy)

 

 

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Poems of Passion Week – Day 5 – ‘Christmas Promises Crucifixion & New Creation’

 

MANGER AND CROSS - NO WORDS

“What will Christmas bring, Mom?”
“Why, Son, ’twill bring you lots of toys and joys.”
“What else will Christmas bring, Mom?”
“Well, fun and games with other girls and boys.”


“But later on in life, Mom,
Will Christmas mean a lot when I am grown?”
“Oh, yes, it will mean more, Son.
For as you grow, a great truth you’ll be shown.


“You’ll learn that Jesus came, Son,
Not just to be a babe in manger sweet,
But to grow up a strong man,
Horrible death and suffering to meet.


“He came to take our sin, Son
And pay the price for it on Calvary.
So God could look upon us all
And shout, ‘From sin and all its curse you’re free!’”


“But I love the little babe, Mom.
I don’t want to think He died for me.”
“That’s what makes Christmas grand, Son:
That Jesus came to die and set us free.”


“You mean, the little baby, Mom?
He had to die and never live again?”
“No, Son, on Resurrection Day,
He rose victorious o’er death for all men.


“This truth of Christmas time, Son,
I think you now begin to understand:
It was the birth of death to sin,
And of eternal life for every man.”

 

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Ahhhhhhhhhh ……..

Hey Everyone,

COFFEE MAN

It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee!
`

Time and life have taught me much. One of the things I’ve learned is that, no matter where you go or who you see, what you do or what you fail to do, one of the most delightful experiences in life is breathing in the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee.

 

May I offer you a cup?

~

 

 

`

Poems of Passion Week – Day 4 – ‘Nathaniel’s Answer’

NAZARETH, ISRAEL - EDITED

Nathaniel was a man who knew no guile.
He walked with Jesus, loved Him all the while.
When first he heard His name, a question posed
But waited ’til the answer was disclosed.


“From Nazareth can any good come forth?”
He asked of those who knew that city’s worth.
He asked for meditation, not reply,
Yet found the answer true in Jesus’ eyes.


And although from the garden he did run
With others as they scattered one by one,
As Roman guards led Jesus, bound, away,
There came a reckoning after the third day.


As Mary ran to spread the glorious news,
Nathaniel, hidd’n with others, all confused,
Received her words with doubt, and hope, and fear,
And hungered so His Master’s voice to hear.


Then Jesus stood among them, His work done:
Salvation for the world from Nazareth comes.

 

~~~

(Scripture Reference: John 1: 45-51,  John 20)

 

 

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Poems of Passion Week – Day 3 – ‘Sufficient’

 

CRUCIFIX - FOR YOU - GOSPEL GIFSSeized and stripped and slapped and spit upon,
Scornful salutations; sorrow; shame;
Satan stalks the Son of God and Son of Man:
Scarlet stripes, scalding tears, searing pain;
Search the scriptures; surely they the story tell:
Insatiable evil strikes; the Lamb is slain.
But surely, it’s my sins He bore, my sorrow,
My sickness, my distress, my grief, my pain.
Submitted Sacrifice: He sealed the promise;
Sufficient, He bought me peace with God again.

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Poems of Passion Week – Day 2

 

 

CROWN OF THORNS ULTRA MODERN

 

 

 

BARABBAS

My heart pounded
As they dragged me out.
They stood me close beside Him,
And I looked about.


The crowd was frenzied:
With rage and raw disgust.
I wasn’t sure the real cause–
Why they fumed and cussed.


I glanced beside me
To catch a glimpse of Him,
But what my eyes saw in His
Convicted me within.


When guards shouted,
“Who is it going to be?”
Then I understood they’d choose
To set one free.


“Free Barabbas!
Set Barabbas free!”
I could not believe my ears:
They chose, not Him, but me.


“What of Jesus?”
Then asked the guards.
“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
He is not our God!”


My shackles fell off:
By law a free man.
Pilate called for water then
And there he washed his hands.


The day grew dark
As He hung there,
Upon a cross with thieves each side,
Then He said a prayer.


He prayed, “Forgive them.”
Did that include me?
When He said, “It is finished!”
I knew He’d died for me, Barabbas.

 

 

(Scripture Reference: Matthew 27)

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Poems of Passion Week – Day 1

 

CROSS WITH CROWN OF THORNS - BLUEWell, I started off okay with NaPoWriMo, but as the days progressed, I haven’t kept up my end of the challenge. I don’t think I need to make that one of my goals this year. However, I do have a similar goal, though shorter. I am setting myself the task, during Passion Week, of writing one poem a day about the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to focus in some special way on His suffering and death, and then His glorious victory and resurrection for my sake.

I can’t think of a better way than to create a poem every day from today – Palm Sunday – through Resurrection Day – Easter Sunday. In fact, since much of the church in several parts of the world celebrates Easter Week (the week following Resurrection Day), I think I will even write a poem for Easter Monday of that week as well.. I hope these poems add to your commemoration of our Lord’s loving sacrifice and to your celebration of His glorious salvation.

 

Here’s Today’s Poem:

 

SACRIFICE

A crown,
A diadem,
A shackle placed upon the brow.

Bestowed
Contemptuously,
And scarlet robe on shoulders bowed.

The grief,
The agony,
The tortuous, mutilating pain.

All born
By Innocence
To give me peace and health again.

A cross,
On Calvary:
To execute the Father’s plan.

A tomb,
Now empty stands:
He’s paid the price for every man.

~

 

 

 

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