THE HOLY SPIRIT (iv)

The substance of anointing,
Embruing the oblation,
Was ground of God's rejoicing
And of the priest's sustaining.
By produce of the olive,
Expressed in perfect patience,
Both God and men are honoured.

If Christ gives living water
It wells within our being
Expelling want or shortage
And springing in you freely:
And water will flow from one
Who is a tRue believer
And owns the Saviour's lordship.

Content to be a servant
He rode across the desert
To find his master's blessing,
The kindly rise Rebecca:
In type a glorious vessel
Comes, fittingly invested
For One who dwells in heaven.

On her journey from Haran
As the servant led her back
Power was needed to carry
Into Isaac's promised land;
Power was found in the camels
That endured, on Rebecca's path:
Camels supplied by the master.

Dry are the bones of the dead:
Flesh grows sinews and skin -
Stiff still they languish in death;
"Prophesy unto the wind".
"Come from the four winds, O breath."
Column by column, they live -
Born to their own land again.

First the woman lit the lamp;
Carefully she swept the house,
Patiently explored each crack
Till the missing coin was found:
Then, with thankfulness of heart
She invited neighbours round
That with her they might be glad.

Once, responding to Christ's worth,
The Spirit has descended
In the fashion of of a dove.
Repelled by what is fleshly
But impelled by such a One
He found, as come from heaven,
Peace where nothing can disturb.