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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 times 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 days 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 Heavens grace down to earth

one stretching high to creations 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 waters 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 rivers gorge

in their silence proclaiming loud

the glory of their Makers 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 Makers 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 Fathers glory, majesty, and powr

when eer he saw them reel across the sky

wondrous, untouched beauty

without breath giving praise

to their Makers 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 oer 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 days 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 powr,

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 Heavens 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 Heavens 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

Gods 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 heavens 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

Gods word is always true

and from this boy His promise filled

and so slowly up that deslate slope

he trode beside his son, his love,

answering the questioned lack

with dependence on Gods 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 Fathers 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 Heavens

call

forgiving all who came

who heard Him speak Gods speech

loving mankind from the first

Earths 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 Fathers

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

Adams 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 Earths 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

 


The Gallery

A poem by Peter Rhebergen

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