I became acquainted with this poem quite a while ago when the author left a comment on my blog. It so touched my heart that I asked her at that time if I could post the poem on my site. She graciously said yes. The poem was written by Elizabeth Burke, a born again Christian, and it surely comes from the depths of an evangelistic heart burdened for the lost. The poem came to mind again recently as I thought about the brevity of life and the many in my family who are not saved. The love of God and the love of souls compels us to evangelize.
A poignant and evangelistic poem …
THE GRAVES
One cloudy restless Sabbath Day,
I went in search of where he lay.
So pensively I picked my way,
Past ancient headstones and decay.
*
Celtic crosses in the mist,
Coloured gravestones, raindrop-kissed,
Crying curlew overhead,
Wooden crosses, unknown dead.
*
The old, the young, the rich, the poor,
A child, a babe…. a grief to endure;
A nobleman, a pauper, a puritan, a thief:
Death knows no boundary, and nor doth grief.
*
Who were these within their day,
Whose bodies now lie clothed in clay?
Were they told, or did they see
That Jesus died all souls to free?
*
And then I thought on the living-dead,
For whom His precious blood was shed,
And how I wished that they could be
Joyful, saved, from sin set free.
*
Oh, how I longed to talk with him,
Before the flickering light grew dim,
But hope had drowned in the Great Forever,
Where land and riches matter never.
*
So, brother, sister we must go –
Tell loved-one, neighbour, friend and foe,
For how can we so silent be…
If we love the Author of Eternity?
(by Elizabeth Burke, 2004, printed with permission)
2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
PEACEMAKERS 