The Apostle Paul - Revision history

Greetje: New page: {{info}}Within a fortnight Publius
Had put his faith in Christ. He was
A Roman guard assigned to keep
Paul in his house. But soon the deep
And joyful message took his heart,
Greetje — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:43:55 GMT

New page: {{info}}Within a fortnight Publius<br>Had put his faith in Christ. He was<br>A Roman guard assigned to keep<br>Paul in his house. But soon the deep<br>And joyful message took his heart,<br...

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{{info}}Within a fortnight Publius<br>Had put his faith in Christ. He was<br>A Roman guard assigned to keep<br>Paul in his house. But soon the deep<br>And joyful message took his heart,<br>And made him and his son a part<br>Of something very dangerous.<br>For almost twelve years Publius<br>Had raised his son alone. His name<br>Was Missio and soon he came,<br>When school was out, to sit with Paul<br>And watch him use his hook and awl<br>To make the tent and satchel seams.<br>But mainly he would tap the streams<br>Of memory inside the old<br>Man's head. "And was it really cold<br>Inside the jail?" he said. "Not so<br>Severe that season, Missio,<br>That half a dozen hearty psalms<br>At midnight couldn't bear. It calms<br>The heart and warms the shivering hands<br>To sing about the sovereign plans<br>Of God, and meditate on how,<br>This time, the Lord would keep his vow<br>To build his church and deal a blow<br>To hell." "And did he?" Missio<br>Leaned up and asked. Paul smiled and said,<br>"Someday, when you are grown and wed,<br>You take your wife to Philippi,<br>And see if you can find out why<br>This church, in all its poverty,<br>With joy has given more to me<br>Than any other church. God did<br>Indeed fulfill his vow, and rid<br>Not only me and Silas from<br>Our dungeon chains but also some<br>From bondage far more deep—not by<br>The shaking of the earth and sky,<br>But by the mighty tremors of<br>The heart, called grace and joy and love.<br>And so, young Missio, the Lord<br>Of heav'n has never let his cord<br>Of love be severed by my pain,<br>Or fear, nor will he ever reign<br>In vain! But he will build his church!<br>And mark this, Missio, go search<br>The thirty years that I have served,<br>And you will find God never swerved<br>From grace, though five times I was lashed<br>With forty stripes less one; rods smashed<br>Against my back three times with scar<br>On scar; in constant danger far<br>From any place called home; in thirst<br>And toil and sleepless nights; and cursed<br>To bear this thorn of Satan's hate<br>Since I was stoned at Lystra's gate.<br>Dear Missio, doubt not the Lord's<br>Dear love nor power; no human swords<br>Can stop the Word of God Most High<br>Until it shines from sky to sky." 

And so the old apostle Paul<br>Would talk with Missio. And all<br>He ever did or said he taught<br>The Roman lad, but sometimes thought<br>And wondered if the time was spent<br>In vain, or why the boy was sent.

Two years of house arrest in Rome<br>Had passed. For Paul the little home<br>Outside the great Praetorium<br>Where Caesar reigned, had quickly come<br>To be the beachhead of a King<br>Whose power over everything<br>Would make the flames of burning men<br>And women spread to Spain, and then<br>Up through the Pyrenes to Gaul,<br>And on to lands whose names Saint Paul<br>Had never heard, with blazing light,<br>As well as pain, and conquering night<br>And Satan's ancient reign. Nero<br>Had never dreamed the horrid glow<br>Of living lanterns soaked in oil<br>Would fail to function as a foil<br>For his own wicked cowardice,<br>And even turn the king's caprice<br>To serve the Truth and give it wings,<br>For Jesus is the King of kings!

At first Paul hoped that he would be<br>The one to reach the western sea,<br>And speak the mighty name of Christ.<br>For this he'd lived and sacrificed<br>For thirty years. He often said:<br>"Lord, I would suffer any pain,<br>If I could bear your name in Spain!"

But soon Paul saw the turning tide<br>In Rome. The witnesses had lied.<br>The Jews who trusted Christ were shut<br>Out of the synagogues and cut<br>Off from the shield of Israel.<br>And now the awful weeks would tell:<br>It suddenly became a crime<br>To worship Jesus Christ, and time<br>Was growing short. Unfailing trust<br>In God, that he is wise and just.<br>And that he rules the hearts of kings<br>And turns for his design all things,<br>Held back the great apostle from<br>Despair, and caused a dream to come<br>Into his mind.

Young Missio<br>Was fourteen now, his heart aglow<br>With God. His father had been burned.<br>And now he was alone, and yearned<br>With white hot zeal to give his life<br>For Christ. Not games nor gold nor wife<br>Ignited his desire, but only this:<br>"To die just like my dad, and kiss<br>The flames with courage to the end."

But Paul had other plans, "My friend,"<br>He said to Missio one day,<br>"I don't know why they've let me stay<br>Alive these weeks of torturings,<br>But I have word that morning brings<br>My time. Dear son, I ask a vow:<br>Tomorrow morn do not allow<br>Yourself the bold desire to die<br>With me. Please, swear this night to fly<br>And meet Luke in Neapolis.<br>Make haste, dear Missio, don't miss<br>The ship. My books and notes have gone<br>Before. The vessel sails at dawn."<br>"But why, my father, I am not<br>Afraid to die." "That is your lot,<br>Brave Missio, but not in Rome.<br>Swear now that you will leave your home,<br>And go for Christ—and me—to Spain.<br>And Missio...the loss is gain.<br>Swear now that you will not return,<br>But let my fire go on to burn<br>In you, my son, across the great<br>Peninsula and strike the gate<br>Of hell in Britain if you can.<br>Who knows if there might be some clan<br>Beyond the western sea the Lord<br>Has chosen for himself. The sword,<br>If need be can be passed again.<br>You will have sons, ten thousand men<br>And women will believe the truth<br>Of God. There will be other youth<br>To send, when you are old like me<br>And churches spread through Brittainy.<br>This is my passion, Missio,<br>My life, my call, my dream. Now go!"<br>The lips of Missio began<br>To quiver. "Paul, I'm not a man<br>Like you, I..." Paul reached out and took<br>Him in his arms, and while they shook<br>In speechless sobs the mantle passed.<br>"Go, son. The sorrow will not last.<br>Give me your hand and promise now."<br>He took his hand and said, "I vow."

And so the light of candle four<br>Has come to us from shore to shore.<br>And yet the dream is still a call.<br>Who feels the passion now of Paul?