WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2006
My Near Conversion to Orthodox Judaism, Interlude
by Peter Sander
Find entrance to the narrow gate
Through which find the waters living
Forgo Him, Oh! A dreaded fate
Embrace Him now, the Oft Forgiving.
Others have a wall erected
Through ordinances that set a limit
Zealously a well protected
To keep away the thirsty admit.
This thirsty soul bore the weight
Sought from this well the guarded giving
And rather found a fleeting bait
All this to his own misgiving.
For this well, the Lord rejected
Idols in his heart did sit
The liberating Word deflected
Self-charmed by trust in wit.
Forsaken was the freeing yoke
For promise of a purer well
Forbidden fire did he stoke
A piety of rote to lull.
Burden heavy, nigh to croak
Beneath the weight, which on him fell
God the scaffold was wont to poke
To make the burden twice a hell.
‘Neath the weight, finally broken
Chastised son, His praises tell
Of the gate that was forsaken
Yea, the Lord, this trial to quell.
Burden lifted, Spirit freeing
On my knees, His presence new
Commandments with new eyes seeing
Life infused, so free to do.
Posted by PeterS (Tzuriel) at 1:35 PM
1 comments:
Maureen said...
Awesome composition!
May these words be an inspiration and comfort, especially to someone who may think it is too late to return to the "Oft Forgiving" God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
I have found in my life that recognizing and repenting of the idols in my heart has resulted in this new infusion of life that you speak of, along with a renewed, joyful ability to walk in God's ways. Salvation is not a one-time event at a church altar or bedside, but an ongoing, renewable relationship with the LORD. Our spiritual lives ebb and flow; the fire sometimes burns low. We must come to the "Oft Forgiving" again and again. Not that we walk in willful sin as true believers, but we get off the narrow path somehow and find ourselves in the thicket or ditch, from whence we call upon the LORD for rescue once again. Yeshua would much prefer to come to our rescue now than be our Judge later.
December 25, 2006 12:36:00 PM CST
