Quick, grab this moment

Before it fades away

Don’t let yourself forget

How you felt that day.

The restless tug at your heart

The way your chest went tight

At those words, “He’s gone.”

No, this isn’t right.

Here today, gone today

No wonder that denial

Is how we all respond to death

For the first little while.

Call it shock or disbelief

Or astonishment you might

But they are all expressions

That something is not right.

As time goes on, we move along

From denying to accepting.

This is good, and we should

But there’s something worth remembering.

Yes, let a trace of your shock

Linger in the light

Of your journeys forward

That something is not right.

Something is not right about

Life that ends in death

‘Creation was not always cursed’

You hear in whispered breath.

The whispers become clearer

As you open up God’s Word

And yet returns your shock

As you read what next occurred.

Your sin-cursed world and agony

Were not lost on your Creator

Promises were made and kept

And fulfilled in an unlikely Saviour.

God himself! He came to us

To finally reconcile

That feeling that each death evokes

That feeling of denial.

In the greatest of all ironies

His perfect life at its height

Jesus laid his down for us

Could this be right?

But carry on towards his tomb

It’s the one that’s filled with light

He rose again!  Conquered death!

Ah, this is what feels right.  

And now dead hearts hear his voice

And they too are made alive

Their bodies only laid in graves

For the blinking of an eye.

So, again, I ask you

To keep denial’s trace in sight

So long as it reminds you

That one day all will be right

By Lydia Mangwathe

The post Redemption of Denial appeared first on Proverbs 31.

In the garden before the fall.

We had no lack

Before we went off track.

Naked yet felt no shame,

Because innocence defined our frame.

The presence of God, O wonderful sweetness!

His voice filled with love and tenderness.

He made it all,

In beauty – all great and small.

From the fish that swarmed the seas,

To the birds that flew with ease,

All creatures that crept on the ground,

To the cattle and beasts that he made to abound.

Man, who was made in His image and likeness

Was to care for it all in kindness.

We heard him call,

But His tender love we could not recall.

Fear and dread filled our mind

As we sought for a tree to hide behind.

He said we could eat, but not from that one

Or death would surely come.

But beguiled by the serpent’s crafty entice,

We exchanged God’s truth for a lie.

We heard mercy call

From the One whose authority is above all;

The Son of God, full of truth and grace,

He came and showed us God’s embrace.

Although we were by nature children of wrath,

He died to bring us onto the right path.

Sinless and righteous, yet took upon Himself our shame,

He bore God’s wrath and took the blame.

So come now you all

And take heed to His call,

All you from every tribe and nation, great and small.

Come to the place that He has prepared;

Where fellowship with Him has been totally repaired.

The former things have passed away,

No more sin or death, nor suffering or decay.

He has promised to restore everything to perfection,

And that is our hope as we await our glorification.

He alone is God Almighty,

Praise His Holy name for He alone is worthy!

The post Restoration through Christ Jesus appeared first on Proverbs 31.

We had it all

In the garden before the fall.

We had no lack

Before we went off track.

Naked yet felt no shame,

Because innocence defined our frame.

The presence of God, O wonderful sweetness!

His voice filled with love and tenderness.

He made it all,

In beauty – all great and small.

From the fish that swarmed the seas,

To the birds that flew with ease,

All creatures that crept on the ground,

To the cattle and beasts that he made to abound.

Man, who was made in His image and likeness

Was to care for it all in kindness.

We heard him call,

But His tender love we could not recall.

Fear and dread filled our mind

As we sought for a tree to hide behind.

He said we could eat, but not from that one

Or death would surely come.

But beguiled by the serpent’s crafty entice,

We exchanged God’s truth for a lie.

We heard mercy call

From the One whose authority is above all;

The Son of God, full of truth and grace,

He came and showed us God’s embrace.

Although we were by nature children of wrath,

He died to bring us onto the right path.

Sinless and righteous, yet took upon Himself our shame,

He bore God’s wrath and took the blame.

So come now you all

And take heed to His call,

All you from every tribe and nation, great and small.

Come to the place that He has prepared;

Where fellowship with Him has been totally repaired.

The former things have passed away,

No more sin or death, nor suffering or decay.

He has promised to restore everything to perfection,

And that is our hope as we await our glorification.

He alone is God Almighty,

Praise His Holy name for He alone is worthy!

The post Restoration through Christ Jesus appeared first on Proverbs 31.