The Spark  [#10B] (Matt.4:16-25)

On those who live within the land
Of death’s dark shadow, understand,
A light has dawned in East for each,
Though from night’s storm your boats are beached.

Not just you people in the night,
Who’ve seen in darkness this great light,
But you on whom the shadow fell
Of death – it’s dawn “Look! All is well”.

And this fulfills Isaiah’s words,
Which through the years some people heard –
God shows a way within constraints,
Despite the darkness evil paints –

Christ’s cousin languishing in jail;
Christ’s brush with death out on the hill;
Christ’s ragtag bunch, and scattered sheep
From John’s small group – the scene was bleak.

But then a way God opened up –
“Call four to start, for that’s enough;
If well you train them in your cause
Encroaching darkness now will pause”.

“Come follow me”, Christ said to them,
“And I’ll transform you fishermen
From ragtag group to lean machine
For catching men like world’s not seen.

“For you two casting out your net –
You’ll fish – you’ve not seen fishing yet –
You’ll fish for men – not mouths alone,
But all the fish – start here at home.

“And you two fixing up your nets –
Yo – James and John – you’ll fish, and yet
You’ll write, and work to make repairs,
So fish don’t slip through nets with tears.

And so they did; they jumped right in;
“Though it is small as we begin
It’s like this dawn in eastern sky
A hint of light for those who lie –

In land of darkness, death’s dark vale,
Which lighter grows from dawn that’s pale;
Each hour brighter than the last,
’Till noonday shouts that night has passed.

“First step of any trip we take
Is movement of the heart we make,
From beached in darkness after storm,
Through willingness, to day that’s warm.”

Word spread; they traveled through the north;
Folks flocked to hear as He held forth,
“Repent” (which means, “turn ’round – indeed,
Thin ice ahead won’t meet your needs”.

For Heaven’s Kingdom now is near;
Just look around, for it is clear
That light indeed streaks eastern sky –
Death’s shadow’s passed – you need not sigh.”

And so He preached; healed sick, diseased;
Cast demons out; when seizures seized,
Released they were; and paralyzed
Could move again ’neath dawning skies.

Thus pain and darkness were pushed back,
Though cousin fell to King’s attack;
Christ started out like spark in bush
Which spread like wildfire, once it took.

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