On Earth As It Is In Heaven

The day the Angels screamed at Abe to stop, to stay his hand,
Was when that man woke up at last and came to understand –
Restraint is half of giver-life, without which folks get hurt,
For just to give and not hold back in life just doesn't work.

Two years it's been since she held forth and shared that truth with us;
Ironically we heard her out, two parties to the fuss,
Which acted out again today dynamics where he grasped
The truth she shared with us that day – I understood at last.

The Isaac-role had been my part in that sad interplay,
While Abraham held high her knife to please her God that way;
The Angels hurried in their tasks, for much was then at stake,
Like when old Abe bound up his son a sacrifice to make.

Abe had it wrong, (he'd figured out the first of two mistakes –
He'd seen there was one God behind all life – that part was great;
But this was when the second part came slowly into view
When Abraham saw Angel tears – broke through to something new).

Son Isaac saw the other half – restraint is half of life –
Contempt he had for his old man who held aloft the knife;
He knew his dad was generous, said "yes", "take this, my gift"
But couldn't see the second half (the "no") and hence the rift.

Now Isaac was the silent type – "If you can't see – too bad;
I've tried to help you see it dad, you can't, and that's so sad;
If all you do is "give", and think "love’s only shown that way",
There's nothing left that I can do, and nothing I can say."

When we, like Abe, think God just "gives", says "yes", "indulgent is",
Like Abraham we miss a part of how God really lives;
We gripe and carp when God says "no", we plead, and storm his gates
With vigils, prayers, and formulas, do anything that makes –

Us think we're doing all we can, and more – just like a kid
Who pesters parents for some gift until they yield, to rid
Their lives of that annoyance, "Here, take this, and take a hike;
You win, you self-indulgent one, have anything you like".

What was the part which Abe had wrong? his second little glitch?
(‘One God’ – that's not the problem here, which put him in the ditch)
The part he could not see that day – confused he was indeed –
"Does that one God, like Moloch, bid us kill our kids to feed –

"Some twisted lust for blood when things get tough for us in life?
Or we need help to live our lives midst this terrestrial strife?"
We hear the parts which we have known – interpret what we see
By what we "know" and that's the catch – with Abe, and you, and me.

God is aware we cannot see, He's patient as can be;
He knows though eyes are very good, sometimes it's hard to see;
Two lights on that container-ship don't jibe – they don't add up
"Turn right? No, I'll turn left – I know – I've studied all that stuff".

But in the dark of night what looks to us a simple thing,
Can put us on trajectory with trouble – death can bring;
Such was the scene upon that mount where Abe upheld his knife –
A missing lightbulb said to kill – he "knew" from former life.

A perfect storm indeed it was, as factors there converged –
Old Abe was heaving to the port despite what he had heard;
And Isaac, silent with contempt for "love", and "yes", and "give",
Thought, "Do it dad, you blind old fool, for "yes" is all you live."

So closed he was – Abe could not see a ram there on the scene,
(And rams are huge, and thrash around when caught in the thorns they've been);
And Isaac, just refused to cry – contempt shut off all tears –
The knife went up, the Angels screamed, "Abe, stop! Why can't you hear?"

Then Angels’ tears dropped from the sky, fell into Isaacs eyes,
When Abe saw tears he spun his wheel to starboard, as advised;
He saw it then – "God does not ask for sacrifice of sons –
"I see it now – there's ‘no’ in life, ‘restraint’ has now begun."

The teen relaxed – his dad now saw the half of life he knew;
Close call indeed! like ship at night with upper light that blew;
So Abe went down from mountaintop to join his men below,
And Isaac stayed to study "yes" – the "giving" part to know.

Melchesidek had run his school there on that mountaintop;
Reflected on "one God" with Abe, but failed to teach him "stop".
But Isaac knew of "stop", "restraint", "don't share with all, your heart";
Released when dad picked up that truth – to learn his father's part.

For years I'd wondered "Why, O God, did you say ‘Don't attack –
Just let the church hold high its knife and stab you in the back –
I have my ways to set them free, though you will die perhaps,
Just stick with me and see it through, don't on your ‘yes’ relapse."

Like Jesus on the hill that day, the knife was not withheld;
They plunged it deep – they carried on – their course to port was held;
They do not see, " ‘Restraint’ and ‘no’ are half of showing love" –
Until they do they'll think they live on earth as up above.

And me? What has transpired in life since she explained that truth?
I've stumbled to my feet again and gone a different route.
It's not so much that they've not learned; I've learned so much from this –
That " ‘giving’, ‘yes’, without restraint" is half the Kingdom's bliss.

It takes two years for truth to ‘set’ then rise with power in me;
I do not change with speed of light when once some truth I see;
Now as I get back on my feet, I trust in God far more –
"God gives – withholds; says yes and no; He opens, closes doors."

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