Monday, August 18, 2008

A Day Without The Master

I just finished The Holy War a couple weeks ago. I didn't think it was Bunyan's best work. Some parts of it were allegorical to the point of being frustrating and it lacked authenticity at times but the story was thought-provoking nonetheless and it has some very good lines.

One thing I liked about the book was how well it dealt with the issue of playing with sin. In the story, when Emmanuel has the city of Mansoul under siege, the evil Giant Diabolus at first refuses to give up the city to Him. After a long period of parley, the Giant's emissary finally comes to Emmanuel with a new proposition.

"But, sir, suppose that my Lord would resign the whole town to you, only with the proviso, that he sometime when he comes into this country, may, for old acquaintance' sake, be entertained as a wayfaring man, for two days, or ten days or a month or so. May not this small matter be granted?"

Then said Emmanuel, "No. He came as a wayfaring man to David, nor did he stay long with him, and yet it had like to have cost David his soul. I will not consent that he should have any harbour more there."

I wrote this after reading those lines...

A DAY WITHOUT THE MASTER
"May I come again to see you?
Not often and I won't stay long
It'll just be for a single day-
When you get up, I'll be gone.

May I slip in after midnight,
Just to see how well you fare?
I won't attempt to wake you,
I just want to know you're there.

I will keep this poor heart quiet -
You won't even know I've come
Until day on the horizon
Lights my footprints with the sun.

Footprints gentle and unnoticed,
Barely marking your clean snow.
Oh, the Master will not mind it
Why, He'll never even know!

You are always with the Master.
Do you think I do not see?
Surely you can take one day off?
Spare one day for me?

Get behind me, Satan,
For your words are poison rain,
And not even my poor, foolish heart
Will fall for you again

You took our joy and innocence,
You chained us up in Hell,
And as if that were not enough,
You want our hearts as well.

'But we are not your slaves
And will not be your slaves' we say
Our houses will not harbor you
Not even for a day'

For a single day you spent with David
And dug his feet a hole
And David, though his heart was pure
Had like to lose his soul

And if that boy after God's own heart
Could lose sight of the heart he was after
Than which of our trembling hearts can survive
A day without the Master?"
-B.J.J. aka StrongJoy

5 comments:

Everly Pleasant said...

Once again, I think that this is very good poetry. Not only pretty, but meaningful too. Aside from that, I have two questions:
1. Have you read "Pilgrim's Progress"? What about the children's version, "The Dangerous Journey." I assume that the former is what you are comparing this book to.
2. Have you read "Do hard things"?

In Christ,
Everly

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog. . . love it! It is so full of art, creativity and God!!!!! I wish I knew more about your bio, such as what your parents were like and what was your childhood like and all the things you like to do and what your family is like now. What is your age now. What are the things you like to do in your spare time and career. I have three teenage boys and a 10 year old daughter. What has made you have a passion for the lovely things of God.

Anonymous said...

Lovely! (Now that I finally have more reliable internet, I'm working on catching up with the things that slipped for the past two weeks. My apologies for falling off the face of the earth!)

StrongJoy said...

Hi Linda,

I'm so glad that you stopped by and I really appreciate it that you took the time to leave a comment.

I've spent most of my life overseas in the Middle East and only returned to the States this January so consequently you could say I've had a very intense childhood - I think that also contributed a lot to the way I see life and the way I think about the rest of the world. And then, of course, I've always been homeschooled and that has played a big part in making me the person I am today. Mostly though, if you're wondering what gave me my passion for "the lovely things of God," I must say that it was just grace - the grace of God that put me in my situation and gave me my wonderful family and showed Himself to me so early in my life and so beautifully.

You can find out more about my Mom and our family at her
blog here: www.higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com. I'm only fifteen right now and
so no career yet:) and I'm not sure what I want to do with the rest of my life...

Seize The Day!
-StrongJoy

Anonymous said...

And if that boy after God's own heart
Could lose sight of the heart he was after
Than which of our trembling hearts can survive
A day without the Master?"

Brilliant.
Very nicely done Bryana. That is very well written and well-thought out.