September 28, 2021

Exemplars

Babylon, six centuries before Christ        

a furnace, dead men beside its door

three men, no! four! together inside

the golden pillar stands forgotten

the musicians have all gone home

and on his throne, a king, amazed

his loyal stewards were preserved

yet we know of no complaint

still Babylon, still six centuries before

another man walks among the lions

his sleepless king tossing, turning

awaits the dawn and his hurried rush

hopeful God would save his favourite

the most loyal of his captive servants

and found the man alive and faithful

yet we know of no complaint

Damascus, after Christ’s ascension

a man lies in the dust, knocked askew

his life suddenly dedicated to the Glory

speaking to him as he lay unseeing

yet seeing more than he’d seen before

knocked down from Pharisaical height

to rejoice in persecution to his death

yet we know of no complaint

Philippi, some years after Damascus

an inner prison is filled with praise

two men, in stocks, at midnight sing

worshipping the One, glad to suffer

for the honor, the glory, of His name

earthquake, despair then salvation!

and release in accord with the law

yet we know of no complaint

Rome, a few years later, another cell

he writes of imprisonment for faith

with the same pen, in the same cell

he asks for prayer for his ministry

that those who keep him may see

the glorious beauty of his Saviour

in hope they themselves be saved

yet we know of no complaint

Rome, again, about the same time

another man, writing of suffering

reminds his brothers to be faithful

obedient to God, and, if suffering

to suffer for doing good, not evil

warning that suffering would be

asking that it be borne with honour

yet we know of no complaint

Jerusalem, in the time of Christ

dark morning on Golgotha’s hill

three men die, one man innocent

unjustly arrested, unfairly tried

unreasonably put to His death

even now, He shows only love

"Father, forgive, they don't know."

yet we know of no complaint

this world, today, amid a pandemic

love is cast aside for false liberty

rights held more closely than life

loyalty to one's king is abandoned

brethren are judged, condemned

in the mirror of self-righteousness

with anger the Gospel never knew

yet we know only complaint

how disappointed in us they must be

our exemplars, whose bold example

we tread underfoot as were rubbish

crying for our rights, our liberties

our Liberty is placed in dire danger

in pursuit of frail earthly freedoms

we risk the loss of our Saviour’s joy