An Easter poem
The lie of the Garden
With apple and the snake
Was that God didn’t really love us,
And we listened, with an ache
An ache that tore us from God
As in sorrow we left.
(Though God, with heart-wide-rendered
Gave us second-chance, through death).
The lie of the sacrifice
Of Abraham and son,
Was that God could not be trusted
With the work He had begun.
The lie in the desert
Where we walked for 40 years
Was that God would abandon us:
To the drought and to our fears.
The lie fought by the prophets
Was that we were on our own:
Unloved, unknown, forgotten,
Orphans without a home.
The lie faced by the patriachs
Was that death would be the end,
Enshrouded by the darkness,
Forsaken by all friends.
The lie giv’n to the apostles
Was that He could be ended
As blood and nail mingled
And into Hell He descended.
.
[pause]
.
Your lease is up, Deceiver,
The battle has been won,
Death has no victory
Over the triumph of the Son.
The tomb from death is empty,
We see its pushed-back stone,
He comes with wrists now nail-marked,
Tells us we’re not alone.
His arms ripped forth our fathers
Henceforth enchained below,
In faith now pulled to heaven
The grace now full-bestowed.
He let us feel his nail-marks,
Made us food and faith and friends,
Promised us His Spirit,
As to heaven he ascended.
He wanted to be with us,
To never doubt his presence,
So He stays with us in Holy Bread
Like manna from the heavens.
The truth we know from Easter
Is that death will not win,
That love can conquer fear and hate
That the lamb will bear our sin.
Oh Happy Fault, we sing in church,
That we should know this savior,
He calls us, claims us as His own,
Restores us to His favor.
The story of salvation
Is a God who won’t give up
Who seeks us through the ages
That we might know His love.
