Friday, January 9, 2009

The Entry

This is a poem, written by Mike on August 12, 2002. It is eerily prophetic...

Entry
His journey nearly over.
Weary, but unbowed
He enter into the dark valley.
A trumpet blows in the distance
Dimly heard through mortal ears
But his heart beats faster with its call.
He does not hear
The shout through the city.
He does not know
The trumpet blows for him.
He does not know
As his earthly body stumbles
and falls,
That his heavenly welcome
has begun.
For a moment, he does not see
Multitudes within the city
Gathered with joy
To greet the hero.
For a moment, he does not see
Angels and seraphim
Saints and friends
Patriarchs and heroes
Coming to greet him
As he enters his eternal home.
His mortal body stumbles and falls
And having done all it was meant to do
It finishes its earthly race
And leaves behind the things
of earth.
But the pilgrim himself does not
stumble and fall.
Freed from earthly bonds and cares
He leaves his broken mortal body
And enters unbroken eternal life.
Now he sees the welcoming crowd.
Now he hears the shouts of joy.
Now he see the saints and heroes
And now he knows he has come home.
He hears the blowing trumpets
He sees the streets of gold.
He hears the sounds of heaven
And eternally he is home.
Nothing earthly can this equal!
Nothing mortal can this match!
all surpassing joy and victory!
His at last! His at last!
Through the gates he comes with wonder
Seeing all the King's great works.
Mighty beauty, glorious music
Light and joy and love and peace.
Surrounded by the shouting greeters
Joining in their praise to God
He finds completion of his journey
Knowing he is really home.
Yet still he senses incompleteness.
His journey's goal was more than this
Still he knows there's something missing
Still he misses heaven's kiss.
Then the pressing crowd goes silent.
Shouting greeters move aside
Even heaven's glories falter
All else is laid aside.
The greatest One now stands before him
and he sees his precious Friend.
Now he knows the joy of heaven.
As he bows before his King
Jesus above all else exalted!
Nothing in earth or heaven compares
King of kings and Lord of Glory!
Jesus, savior, King and Friend!
Jesus is the King of heaven
We will see Him face to face
We will hear his voice of welcome
Finding He has made our place.
O to bow before the Savior
O to see His precious face
O to hear His gracious welcome
Saved by His unchanging grace.
He will be the best of heaven
The King is who we want to see
Jesus is the One exalted
To be with Him is all we need.
(Inspired by II Timothy 4:8; Revelation 21 & 22; Matthew 25:21, 34. Pilgrim's Progress (the welcome of Christian), and John Hall's "Palms of Victory")

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