A Poem for the Savior

O, Word that lifted up thousand million billion galaxies

of the burning stars and nebulae grand and innumerable:

You are far more glorious than that mere ancient Nova , or

be it perhaps some grand heavenly planetary conjunction –

that illumined our humble Bethlehem’s tiny earthly stable.

It was hardly a mere peasant’s barn; for there indeed well

was momentarily a palace of the highest heavenly King

who lovingly came by humblest, commonest interception.

God with inconceivable mercy became the first son of Mary

to release the wayward and troubled sons of Adam and me;

Alpha – Omega, Lord Jesus, You already were the only One

who first ranking in eternity made all the suns and moons,

wove myriad threads of destiny while angels watched in awe;

You are the eternal redeeming Lamb whose holy blood atones

and sanctifies standing sons of earth before Him without flaw.

You grew and waxed strong in that tiny Nazareth of Galilee.

Even now as this broken piece of earthen pottery crumbles,

hesitates, and barely holds against the fierce cosmic winds;

A man whose portrait grows gray and full of cracks and bends,

the mortal sinner who knows his finitude and many stumbles.

He has found in You certainty so immovable and a constancy –

that all the world cannot shake or shame him from conviction.

He believes entirely because without You nothing can be free;

withoutYour resurrection body this life has no lasting mention.

But, Lord, I want to live and want to be free from my many sins;

Only You overturned that crushing Stone which silences , ends–

mortals in everlasting dust; for Your living Spirit now embraces

these condemned dying souls who here have no enduring friends.

Yes, Savior, like the poor convicted thief on the cross beside You –

I am judged guilty, a son of Adam, and full of his family’s taints;

Like him, yet look to You, Lord, who all sacred Writ declares true.

For Your transcendently pure life endures: it knows no constraints.

O Lord Christ, every pupil knows to pray to You in the hardest test;

By this example, I now too look into Your face and am forever blest.

Only You rescue me from the darkness which in my soul has dwelt;

for Your grace and mercy has into light delivered me, and I have felt

Your hand. Lord Jesus, have shown Your tender mercies to my youth

and now in my autumn age Your ways and will yet have proved truth.

Like old Nicodemus, I have met Jesus of Nazareth on one weary eve:

when tired of my broken sinful self, was born anew – for I do believe !

Joseph David Rhodes, M.A.

April 6, 2014 A.D.