THE ARK IN CAPTIVITY

 

High Pond

Rightly she named her infant "Ichabod"

At that abyss of Israel's decline:
Men fled; the priest was dead; the Ark of God
Was taken captive by the Philistine.
But what is this that comes across the field
(Decked with the Philistine's pathetic pelf)
In power and dignity which will not yield:
The Ark of God is caring for itself.
 
They led the Saviour to a place of scorn,
Thinking to choose if He should die or live;
"Jesus..went forth..wearing the crown of thorn...":
The Son of God retains the initiative.
 
And now, despite the worst the world can do
The Lord will bring His testimony through.

PHINEHAS AND THE ARK

(Judges 20:28)

To pious minds all seemed to fall apart

But Phinehas remained before the Ark,

Though others' lanterns faltered into dark

And coldness crept across the nation's heart.

Dan turned to images of human art;

Benjamin flicked and guttered to a spark;

To pious minds all seemed to fall apart

But Phinehas remained before the Ark.

Their enemies all sought to seize a part

Of Israel, each voracious as a shark;

Would all be lost? Tossed like a feeble barque,

Israel seemed ignorant of star or chart ‑

But Phinehas remained before the Ark.

Safely returned from an enjoyable trip to India.  I'll mainly post India pictures to https://dcbindia.blogspot.com/ when I get settled down, but here is a sample.

Among tea plantations in the Western Ghats

OFF TO INDIA

 For your thoughts and prayers - off to India tomorrow morning, if the Lord will.

Photos from earlier visits are at https://dcbindia.blogspot.com/

THE ARK AT JERICHO

The sentries on the walls of Jericho

Would surely feel occasion to remark

On the procession they observed to go

Around them ‑ soldiers, Levites and the Ark.

Confiding in the structure of their wall,

They would not start to apprehend the power

Within that Ark to make their ramparts fall

And unbelievers of their city cower.

In outward weakness, but in secret might,

Those gathered to Christ's name now guarantee

The power of God will intervene to slight

Men's cities, and what they assume to be.

But, Lord, as Thou art cherished let me know

Within me this world's systems overthrow.

The waterfall at Inversnaid

Source for the poem by Gerald Manley Hopkins:

Inversnaid