My Dark Night.

My dark Night!

I was rushed to hospital and on life support. By God's good grace and excellent medical surgery I came through that 'night'. It would be another four months before being discharged. I am now on long term rehabilitation.
Below is a part of my experiences 

I woke filled with fright.

It was night.

The room touched by sickly light.

Then I heard,

“Nurse!” 

My night began in Hobart hospital.

To sleep soundly was ‘mission impossible.’

Besieged by doubt

My heart shouted out,

“Why am I here?”

“Where is here?”

Later this I learnt,

My trip to St. Luke’s hospital earnt

An emergency trip

In an ambulance on a drip. 

The blood clot in my leg

Was intent upon leaving me dead!

 In the darkness I struggled to pray.

What words? Impossible to say.

But no sense of the Lord was felt.

I was weak, my soul began to melt.

Insinuations intruded.

Whispers of unbelief invaded.

Your cries are not heard"
Your Master hasn’t stirred

To help you win the fight!”

Despair sought to undermine

My trust at this dark time.

Then, God’s word came to mind. 

To His disciples  Christ gave His word

“I will never leave you” is what they heard.

In this assurance they did face,

Opposition, death and disgrace.

And by His promise faced hostility

With faith, hope, love and humility.

Why then in my night of difficulty

Should I yield to unbelief’s slander?

Or to its corrosive thoughts pander?

Never!

Jesus promised to be with me!

In my soul’s night this is my light:

In the shadows He’s holding me tight!

 

©Ray Hawkins March 2019.

Outlined in RHH. completed at home.

I wasn't in the boat

I wasn’t in the boat

 

I wasn’t in the boat

On Galilee.

Nor did I see

He who slept peacefully

As they sailed tranquilly.

I felt not their fear

As the unexpected storm,

Wild, fierce, wind borne 

Threatened the disciples with death.

I heard not their tortured sighs

As they desperately cried,

“Wake up Master’ or we die!”

He stood up and calmly

Facing the storm’s ferocity

Commanded it to cease

 Its terror and be at peace!

Now, in awe, the disciples discover

Jesus of Nazareth is like no other.

 I did not feel the disciples’ emotion,

But can understand their devotion.

I’ve learnt, when Jesus seems asleep

As I struggle, stumble, suffer, weep,

With the danger I’ll falter, act in haste

Until I faithfully seek His face.

Then He ‘awakes’, draws near and acts,

Displays His grace, power, authority

To declare He is Jesus, Lord of glory

©Ray Hawkins  May 2019.)

 

 

 

 

I wasn’t at the Sea of Galilee.

 

 

I wasn’t there so I couldn’t see the frustration

On the bearing of the seven disciples’ concentration.

It was a long night fishing so fruitlessly

On the Sea of Galilee where, previously,

They had laboured so successfully.

 A voice floated over the waters with a command

“Throw your net on the other side” was its demand.

This they did, perhaps ruefully

Only to discover, in humility,

                                            They’d netted one hundred and fifty three.

 Impetuous Peter, jumped overboard, rushed ashore

To greet the risen Lord and maybe implore

The Lord to ignore those hasty words

Peter had spoken in denial of his Lord,

Who was under arrest to face Roman Law.

 I wasn’t there to listen in, but this I understand

Jesus confronted Peter so as the restore the man

With bitter, deep regrets for stumbling

And saying around the fire’s glowing

This Jesus, he wasn’t following.

 No recrimination from Jesus’s lips did sound

When asking Peter “Do you love me more than these?”

What ‘these were’ we can debate

But Peter’s heart, an open ‘gate’

Confessed “You know I love you!”

 What Jesus did for Peter, with mercy and restoration,

He will do for you, an act of renovation,

Removing denial’s devastation

Replaced by love’s consecration.

The ‘key’, Lord, I love you!

 

 ©Ray Hawkins April 2019.

I wasn’t with Mary Magdalene

 

 

I wasn’t with Mary when she went to the garden tomb

It was early when she walked through the gloom

With heavy heart wanting to fulfil Jewish burial rites

And found the Roman guards had been put to flight

The sealed was broken, the tomb was open wide

Inside no corpse was there.  Mary wondered why.

I would have enjoyed seeing Mary’s expressions

When she heard “Mary!”  and the easing of tensions

Grief, uncertainty and fear would have dissolved

For now The Messiah’s identity had been solved.

What Scripture’s prophecies and allegories implied

Found fulfilment in Jesus Christ the crucified.

 To Mary the first to have seen the victor of Calvary

Was given the privilege of heralding His victory

To those disciples cowering in disillusionment

Her testimony aroused faith and passion with intent

That made Peter and John run there to verify

What Jesus stated, though crucified He would arise.

 I wasn’t there to see it myself, but I believe her story

For with the other disciples, Christ’s resurrection glory

Would cause much joy and sorrow in their new mission

To share the gospel about Christ’s offer of redemption

And The Holy Spirit put it all together in Scripture

To lead you and me to faith, hope and a new destiny.

©Ray Hawkins April 2019.

I wasn't on the Emmaus Road

The account of the two disciples travelling on the Emmaus road holds within it some captivating pictures. What a wonderful sermon they heard from 'stranger' who joined them that day. Why were they leaving Jerusalem when the news was spreading about the resurrection of Jesus? How wonderful to sit at the table and have the 'stranger' break unleavened bread only to leave them there and then. Luke 24 has the details on which the following poem is based.

I didn’t travel the Emmaus Road

 

I didn’t walk the Emmaus Road

Where two disciples strode,

Wondering about the news told

Of the Lord’s rising from the tomb,

And the joy replacing disciples’ gloom.

When joined by a stranger

Who asked “what news from Jerusalem?”

They talked of Christ’s resurrection.

The stranger then shared a lecture

About prophecies in their Scripture

Concerning the coming Messiah.

 

I wasn’t there at the Emmaus Road venue

Where those three shared in the menu.

It was the second day of Unleavened Bread

Celebrating a Nation redeemed from the dead,

Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage,

To become a Nation to do homage

To the Great ‘I Am’, and the Passover Lamb.

And remember their call to the Promised Land.

It was when the stranger broke the bread

They knew He was the Lamb of God,

Jesus the Messiah, risen from the dead,

 

 

Though He vanished from their sight,              

Eternal day has replaced Sin’s eternal night.

When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Saviour

There's born within the heart a desire to sing

And gather together to remember Him

As the Passover Lamb, taking our place

 in agony, bearing our judgement and disgrace,

Destroying death's power by His sacrifice,
Fulfilling all of Heaven's demands for justice.
Now as the forgiven, we make the Communion time
Our testimony that Jesus is Lord and proclaim -
He is risen!
Christ Has risen from the dead

Hallelujah!

copyright Ray Hawkins

I wasn't at the resurrection

 

 

 

 

I wasn’t there that resurrection morn.

 

I wasn’t there that glorious Sunday morn
When, Jesus arose from the dead before the dawn.
Or sense how the soldiers felt as He drew near,
Causing them to retreat and cower in fear.
Soon, the message would be heard by one and all,
Jesus Christ is risen, now, in faith before Him fall!

Neither did I see Mary Magdalene’s

Joy at meeting Jesus, a beautiful scene,

But this I know, with eyes undimmed

I’ll behold Him, which His cross for me did win.

 No! I wasn’t there to be a witness to all this

But others were and their behaviour insists

That something had happened that day.

No threat, no sword, no loss would sway

From knowing, proclaiming Jesus’ worth,

Believing His kingdom will reign on earth.

The resurrection underpins their proclamation

And becomes our assurance on this confession

“I believe Jesus Christ is the risen Saviour, Lord,

In Him alone I trust, bow, worship and adore!”

 

©Ray Hawkins, February 2019.

 

 

 

I wasn't at Calvary.

I wasn’t there at Calvary.

I wasn’t there at Calvary
When the redemption prophecies,
Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 became a reality.
There the Lord, the great I AM
Became the Passover Lamb.
The crucifixion scene was merciless
But one thing astounds me, I confess
The silence of Jesus to Roman brutality

Inflicted by scourging, flaying and mockery.

 

                                                                                                                           

 

I wasn’t there so couldn’t hear

The whip, the fists nor the spears

Biting deep into Christ’s sinless flesh,

No curse, no cry, no sound of bitterness

Rose from His lips, or seen in His eyes

Aimed at those with orders to crucify.

Instead, from the cross was heard

“Forgive them Father” was His cry!

Then, in love’s victory, He died!

I wasn’t there at the crucifixion,

Nor felt the disciples deep desolation,

As hopes evaporated into desperation.

But, I am able to join their celebration

When, as foretold in word and allegory,

Jesus rose from the tomb in victory

Over Satan, Death’s curse and Sin’s shame.

Now forgiveness and newness can be claimed

By all who hear, believe and yield to His Name!

©Ray Hawkins

February 2019.

 Next week...I wasn't there at the resurrection