“Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”” Joel 2:15, 17 Dedicated to George Unglaub Lent 2020
What shall we do in this vineyard of palms ?
where Prudentius’s vices are verdant fronds?
where we pretend to be “Blessed “trunks from the very first psalm
While our roots sit shallow in a climate so calm
What shall be our song ?
While vile villains and viruses threaten the crop ?
shall we sing “round the Rosie “before media’s shop ?
Till preachers hold out hands to command winds to stop.
Or politicians plead for another country’s crop.
Shall we hear from afar an ancient man’s song?
Telling a dirge for all we’ve done wrong?
He rebukes our tongues with Holy tong!
“young Fools who stand at palm tree with locked knee !
You Sloths at ease as you do as you please
Weaklings who can’t cut virtuous frond
you have no good thing for the King of the palm!
shame to you ,shame to you
There is no fruit to bear through you !
You fools ,Young fools !” the ancient man cries
“ you have no hallelujah !”
he Weeps and sighs
So what , Shall we say as we look at the field?
Can we bend our stiff knees where our heart’s once kneeled?
can Wednesday Ash intention bring better yield?
Can Repentance burning 40 make A sick land healed?
The child rises to Ask the ancient Man “can we believe ? “
The child takes his hands makes a ring for them to receive
Singing …
From ashes Upon ashes another Easter crop has a chance!
See old man a new palm tree made roots for our dance !
Oh sing with me old man To the king of the palm ..
and The king of the ground where we once belonged.
His lips are like concrete cracked beneath a florescent sun
my hands are gloved blue to hold one more moistened sponge
not hyssop or wine, nor vinegar,whiskey or the enemy gall
just one drop of water, i say …” one drop , the physician says that all.”
his eyes draw open , a pool of blue thanks ,reflecting Our distant light
His eyes flicker as sparks of joy like darting fire flies in the night
The sponge falls from my shaking fingers onto a blanket of white
” A drop is enough for now” he says”the physician may be right”
The sponge I toss with its debris to fellowship with waste
Ive so many more patients ,my care is killed by haste
The drawing of blood and plans,injections , bedpans and pills
Thinking “Is not this thirst of his the least of many ills ?”
But ….,
His “Thankyou, ” I hear follow me like a clinging child
“That will last me for today” the man said so softly and mild
I stop with pill and pan and blankets towels pillows and sheets
There comes this moment where pride drops all at Jesus’s lips and feet
“Oh have mercy my God our Father on these and mine parched soul
Oh have mercy God our Father on both us whom the “bell doth toll”
Oh have mercy God our Father, we feel one drop from you as a stream
One drop from you is a river, breaking through heart’s concrete seams.”
For I know there’s a physician Lord over this parched nurses heart
Who gives manna and water for souls daily start
And on this very morn , I, ungrateful for a drop of blood
Still jesus quenched my lips and now to my soul ,His body , He floods
Notes:
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.”Isaiah 41:17
We all are the ” poor and needy” and God has “answered us ” by His Living water , His Son.
“I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.”
Isaiah 41:18, 20
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'””
Because , It is NOW too late for me to roll up a sleeve.
Somehow now I see I cannot wrestle you away from this place.
I see that You have put a choke hold on all things of God’s grace.
ACEDIA , there is something about your ways that bore me to death!
So now mustering a mere ounce of umption I will exit for breath.
Walking OUT THE DOOR, away from the guest ACEADIA
“Oh come Oh Come Oh Breath of God, Breathe your Breath into my Yawns!
Blow the boredom that broods from dawn to dusk then dusk to damned dawn
Oh Breath, Sweet Breath of Jesus breathe your life Breath back into my yawn!!!
RETURN Slamming the door to berate the guest ACEADIA
Now, hear me Acedia ,will you please leave now from my couch?
UGH, sickly you bend and twist and then rest in a slothfilled slouch!
Your company makes thumbs stiffly fidget on tablets and phones
Stop euthanizing my soul! Our God gives Life of His to His own.!!!!
Looking OUT THE WINDOW at snow away from the guest ACEADIA
Oh Big Breath of God blow fragments of Life from the sacred Sky!
Wave whirlwinds of manna from places where only angels fly!
Oh Big Breath of God bring Chinock winds to thaw what’s cold alive!
So I will trade greetings “just exist” for calls to ” fully thrive”
Boldly Turning back to guest ACEADIA
Out of here you !And take your gadgets and trinkets two by two!
I’ve fields to harvest so white that they glisten with gospel dew!
You must be gone now! Gone , back to hell you tempter devil of Sloth!
Off my couch now !! Ive no room for both you and the one I betrothed!!
My Jesus, right here , will send you away after He crushes you on your lap!
And His foot will curse and destroy ALL the NOON DAY DEVILS TRAP!!!!
The Door blows open and The guest , Acedia , Flees with All his devices
1 . Acedia is a state of bored restlessness . Also, called the “noon day devil” It might be seen like a fidgeting laziness that comes after the freshness of morning. It is a definite creeping boredom with things of God. Though it was first defined 350 years after Christ as one of “eight evil thoughts”, later to become one of the “seven deadly sins” , it is a most modern sin. It is modern in the sense that it is most active today in anesthetizing the “Christian” by means of its numbing effect. The modern Christian is distracted to “present as a Christian person” but not inwardly “experience being an ALIVE and ACTIVE Christian”
2. Acedia prevalent in these “last days” leads to what Paul describes as times “where men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful un holy. . . . lovers of pleasure more than lovers of good. “ 2 Timothy 3:1-5
3. Acedia , also called “sloth” ,is what King Solomon warns us ” is suicidal “. “The fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide” (Ecc 4:5 (message )) and “Sloth causeth deep sleep to fall and an indolent soul doth starve” (Proverbs 19:15 ) In contrast Solomon writs of the godly woman “She watches the ways of her household, and bread of sloth she eats not. ” Proverbs 31:27.
4. The only means to defeat Acedia is to invite LIFE and TRUTH in the room of our HEARTS . Killing the sin of Acedia, is to invite JESUS to THROW ALL DISTRACTIONS OUT OF THE ROOM OF OUR HEARTS and welcome only the SPIRIT OF JESUS. Jesus has conquered Acedia and given us a life free of it!!!
I told them “time is always new when it finds its rest in you.”
I told them of days so pure yet wild , with your love so true.
How it is lit with flashes of your Face Of never setting Rays ..
Dew drips Mercy on mornings “Amen ” from you oh Ancient of days.
Oh havoc of hurricanes and hate , my Enemies plead me to ” remember….”
Instead I turn in labor groan to your watch nights late in December.
I push for Glad tidings of Hope as these Sad longings grieve to leave.
More yet more will be born Anew , Oh Lord , as with you, I push to believe!
All the while , you take my years in your hand and thrust them into flight,
all the while you hold my face at your chest so I might become your delight!
And though I hear clocks on your wrist tick tick tock my days to only few,
Your Open Heart will ever beat” There is Eternity for me and you !”
Father Time seems harsh to fling us all through such years to the Grave
But its You oh Jesus who woos me to High heaven , and guides me through this dark cave!
I love you more and more anew oh ancient one of ancient days
For Time is now swallowed by your Word and burned by its Eternal rays
I now see Our days together will be more than galaxies or stars in the sky!
I now see Your Love for me is beyond that where deepest seas lie!
Oh Ancient of Days let’s NOW plan “Whats New ” not on manmade calendar lines
For NOW my New rests in you forever, The One, I love who lives outside of time!
************************************
“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.”
For you, Oh Holy Gentleman. To come and Suddenly have Your way
We have waited and waited for this Pentecost hour.
When Love destroys Fear
And Perfect Love rises to Power.
Oh touch us now Holy Gentle Man. With Tongues of Fire. from our head to hand
Speak to us now Holy Gentle man. With roaring whispers blow sin like sand
Dress us now Holy Gentle Man.
As a Bride walking towards altar
Toward a True Covenant command.
We have waited and waited for this Pentecost hour.
When Love destroys Fear.
And Perfect Love rises to Power.
See these virtues our bridesmaids. They will be most dutiful. They stand behind us as we look to the Beautiful
See we hold Forth bouquets from fearless fortitude And tuck tight in garters Flasks Full Of Drunk Beatitudes
We have waited and waited for this Pentecost hour.
When Love destroys Fear.
And Perfect Love rises to Power.
So Holy Gentleman come present Jesus His bride.
And Lift off these scales and veils from Our eyes.
That we might Behold His Presence in hidden skies
We have waited and waited for this Pentecost hour.
When Love destroys Fear.
And Perfect Love rises to Power.
When our Tongues say I Love You. Amen amen Amen I do I do !
And we will be betrothed by the Father
To embrace only Jesus by the power of you!
Vigil notes
“The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.Revelation 22:17 ESV
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And SUDDENLY there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”Acts 2:1-2 ESV
“until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.”Isaiah 32:15 ESV
“And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.” Isaiah 32:17 ESV
Silly Lily now look away from me, the dark of night!
4.
Oh Silly Lilly , you see within
I’m not like you , in this common dirt, I toil and spin…
I am tangled in roots of doubt and grief and sin.
Oh Silly Lilly please stop your steadfast stare!
speaking to me how you too were once buried and bare!
5.
Silly Lilly did you really have the same conception?
Were you too buried dead hoping for a resurrection?
Silly Lilly today I consider you more and more.
But, you look not away , you do not blush or ignore
You speak with tongues of angels as I just sit in hope to adore.
6.
Silly Lilly your stem does not break bow or bend
When He comes with blood , water, fire and wind.
Silly Lilly You keep your watch at my tearing soul
While His glimpse goes past you and I lose control.
I bend, I bow, I break beneath His unveiled scroll.
7.
Silly Lilly , Jesus is coming past your unshakable pose.
I see His walk, His way, His words, His woos and His woes.
He comes past you oh Lily of this Valley of Death below!
He comes to me a creature small grounded like a worm so low!
8.
Silly Lilly now look and see
He has come in all His purity. . . . He really is here to set me free!
Face to face on this altar I with you belong
Where joy is real and saints write songs.
Referring to the Risen Christ and His Words
“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!”
Luke 12:27-28 ESV http://bible.com/59/luk.12.27-28.esv
They said that I could not come and see you
Oh Father God
His lips are like concrete cracked beneath a florescent sun
I told them “time is always new when it finds its rest in you.”
We Wait and Wait here for the Sudden
1.