“In the beginning there is struggle and a lot of work for those who come near to God. But after that there is indescribable joy. It is just like building a fire: at first it is smoky and your eyes water, but later you get the desired result. Thus we ought to light the divine fire in ourselves with tears and effort.”
When the last day is run, and the Emperor of the Universe rides His horse through the heavens, and the angels trumpet, and the apocalyptic horses ride the skies, we will know the Majesty of the All-Knowing, the God, the Messiah.
Yet, this will never be taken away from us. Where now there is a majestic horse, once there was a humble donkey. Probably grazing somewhere on a heavenly pasture as we speak.
Where in the heavenly now there is a King glorious with crown and scepter and sapphire and honour, we had the honour to walk with a humble Rabbi Who sweated, and got tired, and sat and broke bread with us.
Where now there are angels bowing to the glory, and the light swirling around, and ten thousand ten thousand voices singling praise, once we had the joy of listening to a quiet Virgin from Nazareth sing a lullaby to the newly-born One, the culmination of the glorious Promise to our peoples.
Where now there is no sickness, death, sorrows nor tears; once we had the solace of Jesus bending to our sorrowful faces, and comforting us in our difficulties.
Though all will be perfect in Heaven, I have the great joy of knowing; once, I had the inestimable honour to prove to the Lord of Lords that I truly loved Him, by taking up my daily cross, kissing it, and following Him.
Don't wish away your days. Spend them in endless praise.
Humble Rabbi, Heavenly King
When final stars grow pale with light,
And Heaven parts before our sight;
The Emperor of all the skies,
Shall through eternal splendour rise.
Upon His steed in majesty,
He rides through vast infinity;
The angel trumpets loud shall ring,
While all creation hails its King.
The apocalyptic horses flame,
The heavens thunder with His Name;
The earth shall tremble far and wide,
Before the Lamb once crucified.
Then all shall know the Lord Most High,
Whose wisdom none can e’er deny;
The God, Messiah, crowned above,
The endless King of truth and love.
Yet this great glory will not hide,
The humble path He walked beside;
For where the royal horse shall be,
A little donkey carried happily.
Perhaps in Heaven’s meadow fair,
Gentle donkey still wanders there;
The creature lowly, meek, and small,
Who bore the Lord and King of all.
Where now Christ reigns with crown and flame,
And sapphire light adorns His Name;
We once beheld with mortal eye,
A weary Rabbi passing by.
He walked the roads through dust and heat,
With aching brow and sandalled Feet;
He paused beside the weak and poor,
And entered through the humble door.
He broke the bread with kindly Hands,
And spoke of everlasting lands;
The King Whom countless hosts adore,
Once sat beside the sick and poor.
Where now the angels bend the knee,
Before His endless Majesty;
While myriad voices rise above,
Great oceans filled with holy love.
Once in a quiet village mild,
A Virgin rocked the Holy Child;
And softly through the candle glow.
She sang where sleeping lambs lay low.
The Promise spoken long ago,
The Hope whom all the prophets know;
Lay cradled small in manger stall,
The Lord and Maker of us all.
Where now no grief nor tears remain,
No death, no sorrow, fear, or pain;
We once had Christ beside our tears,
To calm our trembling hearts and fears.
He bent toward each burdened face,
With tenderness and healing grace;
He knew the wounds that mortals bear,
And carried all with patient care.
Though Heaven’s joy shall perfect be,
One thought shall still belong to me:
That once upon this earthly sod,
I walked by faith beside my God.
I had the honour, strange and deep,
My daily cross through love to keep;
To lift it up through joy and loss,
And kiss the wood of suffering’s cross.
To prove unto the King above,
The truth and steadfastness of love;
For not by word alone is shown.
The faith by which the saints are known.
So do not cast your days away,
Nor curse the burden of your day;
These fleeting hours are golden praise,
The sacred path of earthly days.
For Heaven’s glory shall not dim,
The humble road that leads to Him;
And endless ages shall not erase,
The beauty of His saving grace.
Spend all your days in thankful praise,
And walk with Christ through all your days;
For once, before the throne above,
We had the chance to suffer love.
Inspired by Matthew 14:4 and Mark 13:26
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Humble Rabbi, Heavenly King"
(To the tune of “Be Thou My Vision”)
Long years the blind man walked without his sight,
Without the dawn, without the light;
He knew no bright colour, no soft shining flame,
And few in pity, remembered his name.
Beside the roadside, in sorrow he stayed,
While seasons passed, and sunlight played;
Yet deep in the darkness, his weary heart cried,
For healing, no earthly hand could provide.
Then Jesus came, with compassionate Gaze,
Bringing God’s Healing and heavenly Grace;
He spat on the earth, and He fashioned the clay,
To open blind eyes, that very same day.
The clay He placed on the blind beggar’s eyes,
Beneath the wide blue Judean skies;
“Go wash,” said the Christ, with tender command,
Then hope like lit lamp, burned bright in the man.
He washed in waters, refreshing and clear,
Suddenly all of the world drew near;
The light burst forth, like the gold morning sun,
As a new healed life, just truly begun.
The first bles'sed sight, that met his cleared eyes,
Was Christ Whose mercy, he did recognize;
O what a Saviour, so gentle, Divine;
Glorious Redeemer, forever is mine!
(Modulate to one key higher for the next verse)
So let us ask of Christ every day,
To wash all our inner darkness away;
To heal the blindness, concealed in our soul,
And make our broken hearts, united and whole.
When others suffer in silence and pain,
Too often we turn, and pass by again;
Lord, give us eyes, that truly can see,
The wounds of the lost, in humanity.
Bring holy light, into our minds and heart,
Bid hidden shadows, and fear depart;
Shine through the chambers, within us today,
Drive all the blight of sin, from us far away.
Then when at last, unto Heaven we rise,
With opened hearts, and with glorified eyes;
May holy lamps, within us still burn,
As our souls joyfully, to Jesus return.
Like the blind man, healed by Christ’s holy Flame,
Who joyfully praised, the Lord’s holy Name;
May Heavn’s tabernacle lamps brightly spark,
Ever shine in the depths of each heart.
This song fits beautifully to the public domain hymn tune “Be Thou My Vision” which has a gentle, prayerful flow suited to the theme of healing and inner light.
Hymn inspired by John Chapter 9
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Offering of light to the Divine"
JESUS HEALS THE BLIND MAN - JOHN CHAPTER 9
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GfDHFuopeyI
With thanks to Youtube
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Offering of light to the Divine"
(to the tune of public domain hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” by Robert Robinson)
(Sing with prayerful, soulful tone)
Verse 1;
When God looked down on His nation,
Dwelling in the desert sand.
He chose craftsmen for His station,
Gifted by His Holy Hand.
Bezalel wrought gold with splendour,
Aholiab did labour too;
For the Lord, they shaped great beauty,
Faithful in the work they knew.
Verse 2;
Filigree and shining treasure,
Precious stones in radiant flame.
Hammered out with skill and measure,
Fashioned for God’s holy Name.
Topaz glowed with wisdom’s brightness,
Amethyst with royal grace.
Pearls proclaimed the soul’s steadfastness,
Rubies burned through sacrifice.
Verse 3;
(Modulate to one key higher for the next verse)
Sapphires shone with loyal spirit,
Constant through the darkest days.
Every jewel seemed to mirror,
Hearts refined through holy ways.
For the Lord still calls His people,
To a temple, not of stone;
But within the soul’s deep chamber,
God would fashion as His own.
Verse 4;
We ourselves must be the dwelling,
Where the lamps of grace are bright;
Where the incense of our praying,
Rises upward day and night.
Let our virtues shine like jewels,
Set within the inward shrine;
Let our thoughts and deeds be holy,
Consecrated to Divine.
Verse 5;
When the griefs of life surround us,
Sorrows, losses, pain, and tears;
These are tools the Master uses,
Through the polishing of years.
All our pride and roughness yielding,
Slowly shaped by Heaven’s art,
Till at last the Lord beholds there,
A pure jewel in the heart.
Verse 6;
As the ancient craftsmen laboured,
For the Holy One above;
Let us labour in His Service,
Fashioned daily by His Love.
Then, when we shall stand before Him,
At the ending of our days;
He shall find His Image shining,
Through our lives of prayer and praise.
Verse 7;
(Modulate to one key higher for the next verse)
Not in gold that may fade slowly,
Not in earthly gems that dim;
But in souls made bright and holy,
With beauty meant for Him.
May we find the Divine Jeweller,
Who works through all our days;
To make us pure and holy,
Fit to offer heaven'ly praise.
Verse 8;
(First four lines of the tune)
(Rallentando)
Not in gold that may fade slowly,
Not in earthly gems that dim;
But in souls made bright and holy,
With beauty meant for Him.
Inspired by Exodus chapter 24, 25, 35 and 39
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "God, the Jeweller of our souls"
THE ARTISANS CALLED BY GOD
"And Moses said to the children of Israel, "See the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship; to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.
"And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver - those who do every work and those who design artistic works." (Exodus 35:30-35)
"And they set onyx stones, enclosed in gold filigree settings; they were engraved, as signets are engraved, with the names of the sons of Israel. He put them on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses." (Exodus 39:6-7)
"And they mounted four rows of stones upon it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings." (Exodus 39:10-13)
"And they saw the God of Israel; and under His Feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself." (Exodus 24:10)
"Then have them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8)
The Jeweller of souls
When God looked down on Israel’s camp,
Amid the desert’s sunlit lamp;
He chose two men with gifted hand,
To shape His House at His command.
Bezalel with wisdom richly blessed,
Aholiab whose talent was no less;
They wrought with silver, gold, and flame,
For glory of the Holy Name.
With filigree so fine and fair,
And precious stones beyond compare;
They carved and hammered through the night,
Till sacred things shone forth in light.
Topaz gleamed with wisdom bright,
Amethyst with royal light;
Pearl spoke soft of constant grace,
Ruby burned through sacrifice.
Sapphire told of steadfast ways,
Of loyalty through nights and days;
Each jewel set with patient art,
As though God shaped the human heart.
For even now the Lord still calls
Within our souls’ deep hidden halls;
Not now to build with earthly stone,
But shape the temple of our own.
Our bodies are His courts below,
Where sacred lamps are meant to glow;
Our souls the chambers set apart,
The Holy Place within the heart.
Let incense rise in faithful prayer,
Like fragrant sweetness in the air;
Let virtue gleam like jewels rare,
Adorning spirits bowed in care.
When the trials of life descend,
Sent not to crush us, but to mend,
Grinding sorrows, losses, tears,
Weight and polishing of years -
These rub against our roughened side,
Against our anger, fear, and pride;
Till slowly, through the Master’s art,
A gem is fashioned in our heart.
As craftsmen laboured for the Lord
According to His holy Word;
So let us strive with all our days,
To fashion lives of prayer and praise.
That when at last before Him stand,
The souls long shaped by His own Hand;
God may behold with loving Eye,
A beauty none on earth could buy.
Not clothed in gold that fades away,
Nor jewels that perish in decay;
But inward splendour, pure and bright,
Made radiant in His heavenly sight.
The poem was inspired by the Book of Exodus, chapters 24, 25, 35 and 39
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "God, the Jeweller of our souls"
