This site was last modified on September 28, 2003 and is now being maintained at eachnewday.com
begun December 14, 1995
updated September 5, 2003
The Gallery
APOLOGY
what if time bent back
upon itself
and what is not yet
visited what no more is
supposing a place was built
for them to stand
and watch
from time’s remote beginning
to its distant end
to learn, to praise
what wonder would be seen
and if too light I seem to tread
on that which so holy is
recall that I as well as you
love the Lord and God of all
I am His and His alone
and know His word is best
but I can't ever stop the asking
"What if..."
PRELUDE
there was nothing in the beginning but God
no
silence
darkness
light
God alone
all sufficient
all knowing
ALL
still the stage is conceived,
made, and set
the “play” is put upon it
DAY FIRST
the nothing shattered by a thund'rous word
“LET THERE BE LIGHT!”
and there was
a sudden burst of flaming light
the glorious breaking of day’s first dawn
new born darkness flying wild
embed across the infant universe
with God's eternal light
darkness came
and night,
and after night, new dawn
DAY SECOND
the day old brightness shattered by a mighty voice
“LET THERE BE A SKY!”
and there was
bold and wide and awesome clear
between two tumultuous seas
one reaching Heaven’s grace down to earth
one stretching high to creation’s King
darkness came
and night,
and after night, new dawn
DAY THIRD
between the seas His voice of power
“LET THERE BE LAND!”
and there was
a sudden heaving of the seas
all eager for their maker's will
piling up in sudden haste
revealing His called forth land
mountains rearing to the skies
from murky water’s depth
to bear the beating of the sea
never even here eternal
scarcely two days new
upon His new named Earth
of vast and undulating plains
hills and vales and river’s gorge
in their silence proclaiming loud
the glory of their Maker’s Name
who’s power did tree and grass command
to spring abundant taking root
from tallest height
to lowest low
fast onrushing green hued flame
of towering redwood
and sea borne mite
all pleased to do their Maker’s will
and He looked and saw that it was good
darkness came
and night,
and after night, new dawn
DAY FOURTH
that great voice spoke
“LET THERE BE LIGHTS IN THE SKY!”
and there were
a sun, a moon, and a countless host of stars
to serve as a reminder
for a creature uncreated
of his Father’s glory, majesty, and pow’r
when e’er he saw them reel across the sky
wondrous, untouched beauty
without breath giving praise
to their Maker’s glory
and He looked and saw that it was good
darkness came
and night,
and after night, new dawn
DAY FIFTH
again that voice mighty spoke
empowered o’er the vast and arching sea
yet unfading into silent air
“LET THERE BE THOSE THAT SWIM AND THOSE THAT FLY!”
and there were
swimmers that swam
vast and unimagined beneath the waves
large and small and all that lay between
fluke, fin, and fan
almost infinite variety
and fliers that flew
fast and free upon the wind
calls and throbbing wings
with splashes into the sea
and the noise of life began
darkness came
and night
and after night, new dawn
DAY SIXTH
this last day’s brightness shattered by a mighty voice
“LET THERE BE BEASTS!”
and there were
dino's and rhino's and all sorts of beast
fur clad and bare skinned
tossing horns, chomping teeth,
shaking mane and whipping tail,
stomping and neighing in a holy clamour
rejoicing at the last to be made
as He in love had made them
and in His power stayed them
spoke again that voice, full of might,
and pow’r,
and gentle love,
“LET US MAKE MAN!
LET US MAKE HIM MAN IN OUR IMAGE!
LET US MAKE HIM TO BE OUR STEWARD
RULING BY OUR AUTHORITY THIS EARTH
THAT BY HIS SIMILARITY
HE MAY BE DRAWN TO US
AND FIND IN US HIS LIFE.”
and the hand of God reached down to earth
forming from the soil the form of man
dusty fingers framing His likeness
moulding him gently in the mud
labour of love
by Heaven’s almighty King
His hands to his body
His lips to his lips
His breath to his breath
His Life to his life
intimate even here
and life springs forth from silent earth
a dancing, praising man
a dancing, praising woman
together before their God
in the world brought forth for them
and He looked and called it very good
darkness came
and night,
and after night, new dawn
DAY SEVENTH
hallowed
because the Holy One
who alone is Holy
proclaimed it so
and blessed it
“LET THERE BE REST”
a remembrance perpetual
of the labour of the six
their Lord and His rest
THE GIVING
and again that awesome voice spoke
giving all His tremendous wealth
to His subordinates of dust
to rule and treasure and obey
filling with their offspring
the proof of His eternal love
and live lives in honour of Him
who alone could be their LORD
obedient to His will
THE LOSING
but fell
to flattering words
sweetly spoken lies
wrap tight their coils on life
leading careless to temptation
from temptation to desire
and from desire to realization
of their rejection of His love
awareness of their shame
and onset of their death
He came
and suddenly they feared
Whom once they only loved
and hiding made Him look
who already knowing all
found and covering their shame
showed again His love
even then forgiveness came
in spite of such abuse
but with it banishment
flaming, he stood at the entrance
sword held and ready
his tears the merest echo of Heaven’s sadness
a guard
preventing the return of friends
who once roamed free with God
now wanderers
every ruined thing
their own
His final words
a lingering echo in their minds
their return to dust
but before that death
great toil
great pain
and enduring that
great hope
THE WASHING
at fearful rest
after years of labour
faithful to God to the end
in the face of ridicule
all alone, these eight
enclosed by God in a box of their own making
already smelling of too many animals
far too close together
mingling close with tar and sweat
listening in fear to the sound of downpouring rain
in torrents unbelievable
God’s grim judgement suddenly real
silent in their shelter hearing:
the laughter of their neighbours
their ridicule and scorn
turning quickly to cries of terror
shrieks and frantic poundings on unyielding wood
diminishing to terrible silence
as fathoms of water flow wild about them
and this box of their own making
to the gracious plan of God
shudders and trembles in the flood
lifting them boldly from the earth
floating on a sea of retribution
while beneath them the world they knew
passed away
THE TESTING
he was already old
when this joy had been a promise
now walking beside him
carrying his burden of wood,
curious but ecstatic, he was with his dad,
while he carried a burden of an other kind
a tear flowing sadly down his wrinkled cheek
his feared destination looming ever closer
upon this rocky plain
how could he do this thing
could his God be asking too much
first taking him from his family
now taking his family from him
but no
how could he not do this thing
his God could never ask too much
and as his hand felt slowly down
to the knife within his belt
his heart went up to heaven’s throne
would that God would intervene
as oft’ before He had
He would have spared the city
had the righteous been enough
but if even He did not
a promise made is a promise kept
God’s word is always true
and from this boy His promise filled
and so slowly up that des’late slope
he trode beside his son, his love,
answering the questioned lack
with dependence on God’s provision
carefully he built the pile of stone
tenderly taking his own little boy
and binding him fast upon it
beneath his upraised hand
gasping with relief
at the intervention
the staying of his steady knife
by the joy of his Father’s voice
and the sight of a ram in a bush
that would die where his son now lay
THE REVELATION
he clambered on alone
already old
visions of bushes burning,
vast and mighty wonders,
great seas parting,
and countless numbers praising
flowing through his mind
that very God before him,
who appeared within the bush,
been with him through all his trials,
atop this heap of rock
waiting on him
within the cloud and flashing lightning
The One who saved them
by His mighty upraised arm
and he hurried on
to meet His God
and carry to His people
His law
excited as a little child
fearful as a new wed man
THE KINGDOM
a man, once a shepherd
a king, always a shepherd
dancing before his God in jubilation
and the praising of his folk
the presence of their God!
again to be with them
the strength of their kingdom
their glory and delight
as upon their dusty streets
mere mortal voices echo those of heaven
praising the one, eternal King
THE CLEANSING
light has come,
He walked beside us
living
human
divine
alone among all men their God
exciting rush of Heaven’s
call
forgiving all who came
who heard Him speak God’s speech
loving mankind from the first
Earth’s eternal glory
and her only hope
and night,
He hung before us
dying
broken
scorned
alone as no man had ever been
sole target of His Father’s
wrath
forgiving those who killed
for they "know not what they do"
loving mankind even now
Earth's sublimest moment
and her only hope
and after night,
He goes among us
alive
healing
adored
alone our help before our judge
our help where other helpers
fail
forgiving all who ask
the unquestioned gift from God
loving mankind to the last
Earth's ongoing challenge
and her only hope
new dawn
THE LIVING
I
who bear upon myself
Adam’s curse
the usurper
walk upon this earth
this same earth
entombed the One who formed me
as it shook beneath its makers wrath
that it was not torn apart
proof of grace
as I walk
grace again is proved
tears
I don't know why, I'm happy
God be praised!
THE ENDING
it comes at last
after centuries of waiting
ridicule and expectation
that night so long desired and scorned
the night of light
the night of joy
the night of terror and falling hills
the night Earth’s rightful King
returns to claim His own
the night to end
all nights
save the longest
darkest night of all
for those who have refused the Light
He shall come and call my name
and split the sky to take me home
then death shall flee to reign no more
FINALE
eternity in the city of our King
eternal bliss
eternal glory to our God
saviour of our souls
damnation in the despair of Hell
unending torment
hopelessness eternal
utter endless despair
the decision made so long before
decided forever by a glance at His face
Who in love and righteous anger
welcomes His own
and damns the dead
the choice is yours which you must make
no man alive your fate may take
that happened once and nevermore
but only He whom all adore
has done that and you must
choose