Greetje: New page: {{info}}Paul stood above the screaming din
Outside the Roman barracks in
Jerusalem, as angry Jews
Cried out “Away with him!” The news
That he was being beaten near
The ...

Greetje — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:08:06 GMT

New page: {{info}}Paul stood above the screaming din Outside the Roman barracks in Jerusalem, as angry Jews Cried out “Away with him!” The news That he was being beaten near The ...

New page

{{info}}Paul stood above the screaming din Outside the Roman barracks in Jerusalem, as angry Jews Cried out “Away with him!” The news That he was being beaten near The temple court had reached the ear Of Roman guards in time to spare His life. But now the raucous air Was filled with cries that Paul be put To death, and men were throwing soot And shoes above their heads. “Away With such a man,” they cried, “and lay His blood with us and with our seed. Give him the lash and let him bleed.” The Romans hadn’t heard such jeers For almost five and twenty years— Since Pilate stood before a mob Like this and did his bloody job. This time it wasn’t Jesus’ name That set this frenzied mob aflame. One word was more enraging for Jerusalem. At first the roar Subsided while Paul spoke about His life. But then the word came out. He lifted up his voice and said, “The Lord declared, ‘Paul, go and spread The promise of your fathers I Have bought with my own blood, and cry Out to the coastlands far away: ''Gentiles ''are welcome on that day.’” 

At this they stopped their ears. Of this— That gentile heathens share the bliss Of Abraham’s inheritance— They would not hear. There was a tense And fearful clash, as soldiers seized Their prisoner and then appeased The crowd by tying up his hands And hanging them with leather bands High on the flogging stake. But then, Before they struck, Paul said, “Oh men Of Rome, do Romans flog a man Who is a citizen? And can You lawfully inflict the stroke On one not yet condemned?” This broke The frenzy of the hour, and Paul Was put in custody, and all His enemies began to plan How to eliminate the man. Next day, a hearing split the tie That bound his enemies. The high Pitched sounds of Sadducees, who claimed God does not raise the dead, now blamed The Pharisees for buttressing The heresy of Paul. Each wing Beat down against the other, and Again the man escaped the hand Of his accusers—for the night. That night two things occurred. The light Of God shown in the prison cell, And said, “Take courage, Paul, and tell The truth of Christ. Stand strong at home, And you will testify in Rome.

The islands and the tribes will hear! This is my oath. Now do not fear.” Meanwhile that night the Jews had made A plot. And more than forty laid Their hands on sacred scrolls, and swore By God that they would neither pour Themselves a drink nor take of bread Until the man named Paul was dead— The plan of forty men with sword Against the promise of the Lord! Soon after dawn a child, a lad Named Malach, nine years old, and clad In common clothes, approached the guard Who stood outside the gate that barred The way to Paul’s detaining place. The boy looked up without a trace Of fear and said, “I’d like to see My uncle Paul.” “And you would be The nephew of the prisoner Named Paul?” the guard replied. “Yes sir. My mother is his sister, and I have some bread here in my hand That she would like for me to give To him. She said that pris’ners live On gifts from friends and other aid.” The guard looked down, “Aren’t you afraid? He is a criminal, you know. I’ll give the man your gift, you go And thank your mother for the bread.” “No sir, I’m not afraid,” he said. “My uncle Paul is brave and strong, But not a criminal. You’re wrong To call him that. May I please take The food to him myself? I’ll make It short.” “All right, young man, at your Own risk. Come follow me.” The door Was thick and heavy. One small slit Allowed a little air, and lit One corner of the cell where Paul Sat on some straw in prayer. “You call Me when you’re done,” he said, and let The boy go in. The floor was wet Beneath his feet. “Hi, Uncle Paul.” “Is that you Malach? You’ve grown tall. How old are you?” “I’m nine.” “Well, tell Me, Malach, in my private cell, Is it against the law now in Jerusalem, or is it sin, To hug a nine-year-old?” “No sir, It’s not. But even if it were It would be right.” Paul held him tight A long time in the shaft of light That pierced the cell. He smiled and said “You sound just like your mom. Well bred. ‘But even if it were, it would Be right’—just like your mom. That’s good Young man. How is your mother, son?” “She’s fine.” “I’d love to see her one Of these rare visits to this town Sometime. It seems like there’s a frown On me each time I come. What’s in Your bag?” “I told the guard I’d been Sent by my mom and had some bread For you. But Uncle Paul,” he said, And trembled. “There’s a scary plot. The bag is empty. All I’ve got Is news. This morning we—my friend And I—were going to the end Of Market Street to get some bread, And overheard some priests who said, That forty men had vowed to take No food or drink, until a stake Is driven through your heart—they said It just like that. Until you’re dead They will not eat or drink. They plan To ask the tribune if you can Come down for questioning, and then They said there’d be an ambush when You’re half way there. And so . . .” “And so You took a risk and said, ‘I’ll go And save my uncle’s life.’” “Well, not Exactly, Uncle Paul. The plot Is really scary and I thought: If I come here I might be caught, And maybe they would even kill A kid. But my friend said, ‘It will Not matter if they kill a kid Who follows Christ, ’cause Jesus did Not stay inside the grave, and won’t Let us stay either, and so don’t Hold back or be afraid, but go.’”

“Well, Malach, I would like to know His name, this friend of yours. That kind Of faith is rare. It is assigned To very few. What is his name?” “It’s not a him, it’s her.” “No shame In that. What is her name?” “Her name Is Talitha.” Paul smiled, “The fame Of that word runs wherever Christ Is loved. He spoke that word and sliced The veil of death in two and raised A little girl from death and dazed Her father Jairus with his might. I guess her mom and dad did right To choose that name.” “I thought you’d know The story uncle Paul. And so Perhaps you’d like to know the rest. That twelve-year-old that Jesus blessed And raised up from the dead, well, she’s The mother of my friend. She sees The world so differently than all The rest of us. And Uncle Paul, Her daughter, Talitha, my friend, Sees everything that way. ‘Go send Your uncle news,’ she said. ‘If they Kill kids you won’t be dead.’ Someday I hope I see the world that way.” “Well, Malach, God has let you play With Talitha, and given you A friend who knows and feels what’s true And right, and sees the universe The way it really is. Immerse Yourself, son, in the words she speaks. The wisdom every human seeks Is in this wild and risky truth. I marvel she is but a youth.

But, Uncle Paul, aren’t you afraid? Tomorrow, Uncle Paul, they’ve made A promise—more than forty men Won’t drink until you’re dead. And then They said they’ll feast.” “No, Malach, I Am not afraid, because my eye Can see what they cannot. God will, In truth, tomorrow night fulfill A promise he has made, and then There will be forty thirsty men Here in Jerusalem. The Lord Has purposes for me. The sword Of man cannot destroy God’s son Until those purposes are done. ‘The islands and the tribes will hear, This is my oath’ he said. ‘Let fear Be gone.’ So Malach, tell your friend, Tell Talitha, ‘God has an end, A goal, in mind, for giving such A faith as yours. Your simple touch Makes Malach bold, and spares me for The tribes and islands set before My heart and mind. Such faith is meant To fill your heart with discontent, Until you’ve spent your faith-filled life, As single woman or as wife, Completing what I aim to do, But will not finish without you.

Such faith as this—that sees and knows: If they kill kids, they cannot close The grave of those who live in Christ— Such faith, when all is sacrificed, Will say, “I do embrace the pain And call my fleeting losses gain, If I can be among the few Who say, O Gentiles, unto you A Savior has been born, the seed Of Abraham, and you are freed From all your sins if you will trust In him.”’ Now Malach, go. You must Make haste and tell the tribune all You know. Fear not. Your uncle Paul Will be all right. Make sure you say To Talitha, ‘I learned today Why Jesus stood beside that bed, And raised your mother from the dead.’”

O may the gift of candle three Be this: the light by which we see That every promise from the Lord Is true, and nothing—neither sword Nor famine, nakedness nor death— Will separate us from the breath Of life that Jesus breaths into Our soul. That if we die, it’s true We are not dead; Christ Jesus rose, Himself, up from the dead, and those Who follow him will never die. And that this news must multiply And all the nations taste and see How full God’s house was meant to be, With every race and every tongue In love embraced, both old and young. Then we will see when this has spread, Why God raised Jesus from the dead.

Paul, Malach, and Talitha - Revision history

Greetje: New page: {{info}}Paul stood above the screaming dinOutside the Roman barracks inJerusalem, as angry JewsCried out “Away with him!” The newsThat he was being beaten near The ...

Greetje: New page: {{info}}Paul stood above the screaming din
Outside the Roman barracks in
Jerusalem, as angry Jews
Cried out “Away with him!” The news
That he was being beaten near
The ...