THE RESURRECTION
By Jonathan Brooks
His friends went off and left Him dead
In Josephs subterranean bed,
Embalmed with myrrh and sweet aloes,
And wrapped in snow-white burial clothes.
Then shrewd men came and set a seal
Upon His grave, lest thieves should steal
His lifeless form away, and claim
For Him an undeserving fame.
There is no use, the soldiers said,
Of standing sentries by the dead.
Wherefore, they drew their cloaks around
Themselves, and fell upon the ground,
And slept like dead men, all night through,
In the pale moonlight and chilling dew.
A muffled whiff of sudden breath
Ruffled the passive air of death.
He woke, and raised Himself in bed;
Recalled how He was crucified;
Touched both hands fingers to His head,
And lightly felt His fresh-healed side.
Then with a deep, triumphant sigh,
He coolly put His grave clothes by
Folded the sweet, white winding sheet,
The toweling, the lined bands,
The napkin, all with careful hands
And left the borrowed chamber neat.
His steps were like the breaking day;
So soft across the watch He stole,
He did not wake a single soul,
Nor spill one dewdrop by the way.
Now Calvary was loveliness;
Lilies that flowered thereupon
Pulled off the white moons pallid dress,
And put the mornings vestures on.
Why seek the living among the dead?
He is not here, the angel said.
The early winds took up the words,
And bore them to the lilting birds,
The leafing trees, and everything
That breathed the living breath of spring.
This great love demonstrated by God has given us the freedom to love in return. Have a wonderful Valentines Day, thanks for letting me share. God has done for me what I could not do for myself JRE
By Jonathan Brooks
His friends went off and left Him dead
In Josephs subterranean bed,
Embalmed with myrrh and sweet aloes,
And wrapped in snow-white burial clothes.
Then shrewd men came and set a seal
Upon His grave, lest thieves should steal
His lifeless form away, and claim
For Him an undeserving fame.
There is no use, the soldiers said,
Of standing sentries by the dead.
Wherefore, they drew their cloaks around
Themselves, and fell upon the ground,
And slept like dead men, all night through,
In the pale moonlight and chilling dew.
A muffled whiff of sudden breath
Ruffled the passive air of death.
He woke, and raised Himself in bed;
Recalled how He was crucified;
Touched both hands fingers to His head,
And lightly felt His fresh-healed side.
Then with a deep, triumphant sigh,
He coolly put His grave clothes by
Folded the sweet, white winding sheet,
The toweling, the lined bands,
The napkin, all with careful hands
And left the borrowed chamber neat.
His steps were like the breaking day;
So soft across the watch He stole,
He did not wake a single soul,
Nor spill one dewdrop by the way.
Now Calvary was loveliness;
Lilies that flowered thereupon
Pulled off the white moons pallid dress,
And put the mornings vestures on.
Why seek the living among the dead?
He is not here, the angel said.
The early winds took up the words,
And bore them to the lilting birds,
The leafing trees, and everything
That breathed the living breath of spring.
This great love demonstrated by God has given us the freedom to love in return. Have a wonderful Valentines Day, thanks for letting me share. God has done for me what I could not do for myself JRE
