Exloring Life Eternal

Begun today @ an Ann Arbor Transportation Authority bus stop.

A. STANZA ON LEAVING HOME (& rebellion).
1. He took the number one, & thought it was fun.
2. Took the number two, & forgot about truth.
3. He took number three, & thought he was free.
4. And then number four, & wanted some more.
5. He tried number five, & thought he’d found life.
6. With the number six, the devil played tricks.
7. While on number seven, he forgot about heaven.
8. And with number eight, he no longer prayed.
9. Got on number nine, he thought all was fine.
10. He thought on number ten, “I’ll try ‘em all again!”

B. STANZA ON LUSTS, PRIDE: SIN (& revelry).
1. Rode the number one, & didn’t try to run.
2. Caught the number two, & said, “I love you!”
3. He grabbed number three, said, “Hey look at me!”
4. Then with number four, “Now I want some more!”
5. Cruisin’ number five, he started to jive.
6. Took the six to Ypsi, and seven past heaven.
7. Kept ridin’ that bus, like he was in a rush.
8. Lucky number eight, he felt really great.
9. Old number nine, “The world is mine!”
10. So back on the ten, he was gonna ride again!

C. STANZA ON LOSTNESS SEEN (& regret).
1. Well, number one, wasn’t quite so fun.
2. On number two he had to face the truth.
3. He ran for the three, but was startin’ to see.
4. Along the four, he knew there was more.
5. Alone on five, he didn’t feel alive.
6. Waitin’ for the six, he realized the trick.
7. So with number seven, he cried out to heaven.
8. Back on number eight, he really, really prayed.
9. When ridin’ the nine, wanted Jesus more than wine.
10. When he got to ten, he turned from his sin.

D. STANZA ON LOVE RESTORED (& repentance).
1. Stopped at the station, and there he did some waitin’.
2. A buck for eleven, then he threw away the leaven.
3. A pass on twelve, he started gettin’ well.
4. Singin’, “Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen.”
5. Onto the twenty, and leave the pigpen.
6. On twenty-two, read the book of Truth.
7. Then thirty-three, shouted, “Jubilee!”
8. Along thirty-six, the devil lost his tricks.
9. He walked the walk, and he talked the talked.
10. Will you join the song? Will you leave your wrong?

E. STANZA ON LIGHT OF GOD (& review of 10 commands).
1. You know number One, you belong in God’s Son.
2. And then number two, confess Jesus is True.
3. Now, number three: leave your idols; be free!
4. And listen to four, get the Promised Reward.
5. Remember five, be glad you’re alive!
6. Follow number six, and don’t throw sticks.
7. Faithful to seven, know that love is from heaven.
8. Notice number eight, means to give, and don’t take.
9. If you practice nine, your mouth is benign.
10. Now enjoy all ten, and your heart’s content.

F. STANZA ON LIFE WITH GOD (& rejoicing in the Lord).
1. The Lord’s number one, and Life is getting’ fun.
2. Our neighbor’s too are turnin’ to the Truth.
3. Life is our Tree, and our children are free.
4. Eleven kept faith, but many more wait!
5. Twenty-four elders, sang, worshipped, yelled!
6. John three sixteen tells me God is not mean.
7. And after day three, the tomb was empty!
8. Three thousand saved, when the early church raved.
9. Holy steps & holy hope. Love bound hearts like three-cord rope.
10. “Eternal Father, we give our all!”

Freedom of speech has its limits (ie: yelling fire in a croweded theater) even in this country

=====
L.

What you said is quite right & quite wise.

Sadly, there are many theaters, religiously attended, where mention of fire is only found in works of fiction or theoretical discussions. At times, it requires a deaf dog to bark at the smell of smoke & burning flesh to wake up the sleepers in the crowd. Again, this is a free country, but such behavior unacceptible despite ... and so the embers smolder ... awaiting the day when sulfur burns. I recently read a sign indicating that it is also illegal to clean onself or to be unhygenic in one place. I was confused, but that is almost the exact wording. In another place, it was a crime to view pornogrophy on public computers & an offender was prosecuted vigorously. But outside the doors of that institution, by the entrance stood a statue that mocked all standards of decency.

Personally, I would rather see lots of water hitting the coastlines while cries for help swamp our windows & the poor pull at our pockets than to pretend that molten sulferic compounds are not toxic to the human soul & merely needing appropriate technology & education for indefinite safe handling.

Repents unlocks the riddle & few can close their ears to barking, even dogs.

If anyone wishes to read a poem I wrote & distributed a few years ago while in the Crescent City, please email me. Some poems are available @
http://poeticpreacher.openweblog.com/

As one who has received mercy,

Mert