Monday 21 May 2012

PENTECOST 2012

I went with my friends Fred and Marilyn Brown to Earl's Court Conference Centre to join in the PENTECOST 2012 celebration - a combined effort of three major city churches - namely HTB, Hillsong and Jesus House. There was good praise and worship, The lights gave the auditorium a disco feel. Pastor of the Jesus House preached a message basing it on the story of Nehemiah hearing of how Jerusalem was destroyed and deciding to return to there and rebuild the walls. I am not going to comment on that message as such, but during the evening, the first two stanzas of the following poem came to mind and I wrote them down. The rest of the poem I wrote while I lay a-coughing in my bed!

PENTECOST 2012

Spirit pouring out on many heads.
Thousands gathered - arms upraised.
Bouncing with delight that Jesus is their King.

Liberation to those who are bound
Nutrition for those who are malnourished
Sweet words of encouragement for those who are defeated
this was the cause for which He came

Binds that ensnare and bring people down
Blind alleys and false promises that lead people astray
But he came to snap the ropes of those tied up
And search out and rescue those who are lost.

Bombed and destroyed, everything exploded,
Buildings devastated and in wrack and ruin
Broken and d bashed and beyond repair
Like the Twin Towers of Manhatten
On Nine Eleven.

Jesus is the prince of Peace - "a peace the world doesn't know"
He does not rebuild - following another's design;
he Builds - removing the rubble and refuse that remained
Erecting an ediface that brings glory to His name.

Liberation to those who are bound
Nutrition for those who are malnourished
Sweet words of encouragement for those who are defeated
this was the cause for which He came

Everyday, upon our screens, the appeal is made for money
To help the children of Africa,
as an emaciated figure of little child stares out with huge pleading eyes.
Meanwhile we read that the richest folk are getting richer by the hour.
This is injustice and makes me MAD.
It fires me up and makes me SAD.
Christ is our nourishment - He feeds us well.
Not only does he feed us, he shares the meal.

It's not only the LACK of food that makes people sick,
But the wrong food or an over-abundance of it.
While in poorer lands, like the Sudan, famine decimates and destroys,
In the wealthy world of the West, It's Diabetes.
Whether it is too little, too much or the wrong sort,
people are being killed by the very thing that's supposed to bring life.
Be not become drunk with wine - that leads to debauchery,
but be being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Liberation to those who are bound
Nutrition for those who are malnourished
Sweet words of encouragement for those who are defeated
this was the cause for which He came

When we ran the race, but not fast enough,
When tried our best, but our best was simply not enough
Despite our best efforts, that job that we prized, is no longer ours
That marriage we treasured has been ripped to shreds,
In desperate times, with competition stiff,
We can bend over backwards and try every door,
And we realise that we are poor,
It's easy to become discouraged and fall in heap and want to give up.
"Failure" we hear them say:
"You're no use to us - go away!"

But all is not lost, and just when you think you are all alone,
The One made you says,
"Come to me and I will give you rest
I know you - I made you - I understand every sinew of your being."
After a while, when you regain your strength,
Jesus says to you,
"I know the plans I have for you
Plans to prosper you, not to harm you
Plans to give you a hope and a future."

Pentecost is the Church's birthday!
The Holy Spirit of God came to dwell with us all,
He did not stay in the luxury of Heaven 
But moves amongst us herein our daily lives.
Jesus came with a purpose to rescue mankind
This He did with a flourish, though Calvary's cross,
The Holy Spirit He sent, our companion and guide!

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(C) 2012 John Fairlamb

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