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December 14, 1995 - August 9, 2021
The Gallery
APOLOGY
what if time bent back upon itself and what is not yet visited what no more is supposing a place was built for them to stand and watch from time’s remote beginning to its distant end to learn, to praise what wonder would be seen
and if too light I seem to tread on that which so holy is recall that I as well as you love the Lord and God of all I am His and His alone and know His word is best but I can't ever stop the asking "What if..."
PRELUDE
there was nothing in the beginning but God
no
silence darkness light
God alone all sufficient all knowing
ALL
still the stage is conceived, made, and set the “play” is put upon it
DAY FIRST
the nothing shattered by a thund'rous word “LET THERE BE LIGHT!” and there was a sudden burst of flaming light the glorious breaking of day’s first dawn new born darkness flying wild embed across the infant universe with God's eternal light
and He looked and saw that it was good
darkness came and night, and after night, new dawn
DAY SECOND
the day old brightness shattered by a mighty voice “LET THERE BE A SKY!” and there was bold and wide and awesome clear between two tumultuous seas one reaching Heaven’s grace down to earth one stretching high to creation’s King
darkness came and night, and after night, new dawn
DAY THIRD
between the seas His voice of power “LET THERE BE LAND!” and there was a sudden heaving of the seas all eager for their maker's will piling up in sudden haste revealing His called forth land mountains rearing to the skies from murky water’s depth to bear the beating of the sea
never even here eternal scarcely two days new
upon His new named Earth of vast and undulating plains hills and vales and river’s gorge in their silence proclaiming loud the glory of their Maker’s Name whose power did tree and grass command to spring abundant taking root from tallest height to lowest low fast onrushing green hued flame of towering redwood and sea borne mite all pleased to do their Maker’s will
and He looked and saw that it was good
darkness came and night, and after night, new dawn
DAY FOURTH
that great voice spoke “LET THERE BE LIGHTS IN THE SKY!” and there were a sun, a moon, and a countless host of stars to serve as a reminder for a creature uncreated of his Father’s glory, majesty, and pow’r when e’er he saw them reel across the sky wondrous, untouched beauty without breath giving praise to their Maker’s glory
and He looked and saw that it was good
darkness came and night, and after night, new dawn
DAY FIFTH
again that voice mighty spoke empowered o’er the vast and arching sea yet unfading into silent air “LET THERE BE THOSE THAT SWIM AND THOSE THAT FLY!” and there were swimmers that swam vast and unimagined beneath the waves large and small and all that lay between fluke, fin, and fan almost infinite variety and fliers that flew fast and free upon the wind calls and throbbing wings with splashes into the sea and the noise of life began
and He looked and saw that it was good
darkness came and night and after night, new dawn
DAY SIXTH
this last day’s brightness shattered by a mighty voice “LET THERE BE BEASTS!” and there were dino's and rhino's and all sorts of beast fur clad and bare skinned tossing horns, chomping teeth, shaking mane and whipping tail, stomping and neighing in a holy clamour rejoicing at the last to be made as He in love had made them and in His power stayed them
spoke again that voice, full of might, and pow’r, and gentle love, “LET US MAKE MAN! LET US MAKE HIM MAN IN OUR IMAGE! LET US MAKE HIM TO BE OUR STEWARD RULING BY OUR AUTHORITY THIS EARTH THAT BY HIS SIMILARITY HE MAY BE DRAWN TO US AND FIND IN US HIS LIFE.” and the hand of God reached down to earth forming from the soil the form of man dusty fingers framing His likeness moulding him gently in the mud labour of love by Heaven’s almighty King His hands to his body His lips to his lips His breath to his breath His Life to his life intimate even here and life springs forth from silent earth a dancing, praising man a dancing, praising woman together before their God in the world brought forth for them
and He looked and called it very good
darkness came and night, and after night, new dawn
DAY SEVENTH
and He looked and saw all that He had made and saw that it was very good
hallowed because the Holy One who alone is Holy proclaimed it so and blessed it “LET THERE BE REST” a remembrance perpetual of the labour of the six their Lord and His rest
THE GIVING
and again that awesome voice spoke giving all His tremendous wealth to His subordinates of dust to rule and treasure and obey filling with their offspring the proof of His eternal love and live lives in honour of Him who alone could be their LORD obedient to His will
THE LOSING
but fell to flattering words sweetly spoken lies wrap tight their coils on life leading careless to temptation from temptation to desire and from desire to realization of their rejection of His love awareness of their shame and onset of their death
He came and suddenly they feared Whom once they only loved and hiding made Him look who already knowing all found and covering their shame showed again His love even then forgiveness came in spite of such abuse but with it banishment
flaming, he stood at the entrance sword held and ready his tears the merest echo of Heaven’s sadness a guard preventing the return of friends who once roamed free with God now wanderers every ruined thing their own His final words a lingering echo in their minds their return to dust but before that death great toil great pain and enduring that great hope
THE WASHING
at fearful rest after years of labour faithful to God to the end in the face of ridicule all alone, these eight enclosed by God in a box of their own making already smelling of too many animals far too close together mingling close with tar and sweat listening in fear to the sound of downpouring rain in torrents unbelievable God’s grim judgement suddenly real silent in their shelter hearing: the laughter of their neighbours their ridicule and scorn turning quickly to cries of terror shrieks and frantic poundings on unyielding wood diminishing to terrible silence as fathoms of water flow wild about them and this box of their own making to the gracious plan of God shudders and trembles in the flood lifting them boldly from the earth floating on a sea of retribution while beneath them the world they knew passed away
THE TESTING
he was already old when this joy had been a promise now walking beside him carrying his burden of wood, curious but ecstatic, he was with his dad, while he carried a burden of an other kind a tear flowing sadly down his wrinkled cheek his feared destination looming ever closer upon this rocky plain how could he do this thing could his God be asking too much first taking him from his family now taking his family from him but no how could he not do this thing his God could never ask too much and as his hand felt slowly down to the knife within his belt his heart went up to heaven’s throne
would that God would intervene as oft’ before He had He would have spared the city had the righteous been enough but if even He did not a promise made is a promise kept God’s word is always true and from this boy His promise filled and so slowly up that des’late slope he trode beside his son, his love, answering the questioned lack with dependence on God’s provision carefully he built the pile of stone tenderly taking his own little boy and binding him fast upon it beneath his upraised hand gasping with relief at the intervention the staying of his steady knife by the joy of his Father’s voice and the sight of a ram in a bush that would die where his son now lay
THE REVELATION
he clambered on alone already old visions of bushes burning, vast and mighty wonders, great seas parting, and countless numbers praising flowing through his mind that very God before him, who appeared within the bush, been with him through all his trials, atop this heap of rock waiting on him within the cloud and flashing lightning The One who saved them by His mighty upraised arm and he hurried on to meet His God and carry to His people His law excited as a little child fearful as a new wed man
THE KINGDOM
a man, once a shepherd a king, always a shepherd dancing before his God in jubilation and the praising of his folk the presence of their God! again to be with them the strength of their kingdom their glory and delight as upon their dusty streets mere mortal voices echo those of heaven praising the one, eternal King
THE CLEANSING
light has come,
He walked beside us living human divine alone among all men their God exciting rush of Heaven’s call forgiving all who came who heard Him speak God’s speech loving mankind from the first Earth’s eternal glory and her only hope
and night,
He hung before us dying broken scorned alone as no man had ever been sole target of His Father’s wrath forgiving those who killed for they "know not what they do" loving mankind even now Earth's sublimest moment and her only hope
and after night,
He goes among us alive healing adored alone our help before our judge our help where other helpers fail forgiving all who ask the unquestioned gift from God loving mankind to the last Earth's ongoing challenge and her only hope
new dawn
THE LIVING
I who bear upon myself Adam’s curse
the usurper
walk upon this earth this same earth entombed the One who formed me as it shook beneath its makers wrath that it was not torn apart proof of grace
as I walk grace again is proved
tears I don't know why, I'm happy
God be praised!
THE ENDING
it comes at last after centuries of waiting ridicule and expectation that night so long desired and scorned the night of light the night of joy the night of terror and falling hills the night Earth’s rightful King returns to claim His own the night to end all nights save the longest darkest night of all for those who have refused the Light
He shall come and call my name and split the sky to take me home then death shall flee to reign no more
FINALE
eternity in the city of our King eternal bliss eternal glory to our God saviour of our souls
damnation in the despair of Hell unending torment hopelessness eternal utter endless despair
the decision made so long before decided forever by a glance at His face Who in love and righteous anger welcomes His own and damns the dead
the choice is yours which you must make no man alive your fate may take that happened once and nevermore but only He whom all adore has done that and you must
choose
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The Gallery A poem by Peter Rhebergen Download the book Each New Day a Miracle Bible Studies How to Study the Bible Life is Wonderful Photography Copyright 2024 About me |
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