Saturday, July 15, 2006

Noah

I wrote this sonnet for the sermon I'm giving in the morning. I was having a hard time getting my arms around the story of Noah and this helped. It's a huge story about the nature of God and the nature of mankind and I'm still pretty nervous about teaching it. There are so many layers and I've chosen an application that's pretty broad and non-specific. It think tomorrow is one of those days that challenge our thinking about who God is more than a day that gives us a plan for the next week. I'm not using the poem in the sermon, but we did tag it onto the email that goes to the whole body each week.

Anyway, you need to know that the name Noah sounds like the Hebrew for comfort and there's a prophecy about that in Genesis 5.29.

Noah

His hand had stayed the furrow many days
without the tremble rain would recognize;
the oxen were resigned, the door was raised,
and thunder roared and ripped apart the skies.

A man of dirt might dream of dew and mist—
when water comes he’s thankful for the mud.
Raindrops would be blessing—never this,
the first fruits of fury and of blood.

Judgment smells like flotsam tinged with death.
Patience sounds like tide to those who wait.
Goodness looks upon all He gave breath
and Mercy says that none shall live save eight.

Alone, adrift, awake without relief,
aware that peace and Comfort come through grief.

(c) Steve Pruitt 2006

12 comments:

f1rststory said...

cool poem...how did the sermon go?

texnartist said...

Steve,

Praise, the Lord.

God's sovereignty, judgement, hell and a challenge for the body to do something about it.

Not that it matters what I think, but only that you were faithful to the word of God, but for what it is worth. Great job.

cody

kreider said...

Steve was particularly effective in telling the story of Noah within the context of THE story of creation, fall, and recreation. Also, the horror of God's judgment came through loudly and clearly. Noone who understands the wrath of God should ever be able to speak of judgment without deep pain and sorrow. Not only did many people die in the flood (they all deserved it), so did many animals (and they had done nothing to deserve it). In addition, the earth itself was judged in the flood and her judgment is due only to the sin of the imagers (see Rom 8).

And finally, Steve nicely called our attention to the grace of God. For since our hearts are always evil all the time and every inclination of our hearts is always evil all the time we too deserve God's judgment. But because he is rich in mercy, God is gracious to us through Christ. That is good news indeed.

"Blessings not just for those who kneel . . . luckily."

Steve said...

Thanks Wendy and Cody!

Kreider,

I hope you know that I know how much you influenced the way I told the story.

Anonymous said...

I like the poem even better the second time through. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Great job on the sermon! I am still shaken by the overall presentation of how wicked we are as man, how soverign God is and yet how much he loves us that Jesus became one of us. That was sooo powerful for me.

Thanks!

deersnake said...

My favorite part....and I loosely quote you here - "...and as wicked as man is, He came down to be one."

Wow.

Good thing the skit didn't have a "where was Noah after the flood?" question.

I have some other comments that I'll share off-line to keep this brief.

Excellent & thoroughly engaging.

Anonymous said...

boy do I miss your teachings...let me know if you're ever speaking in my neck of the woods (wherever that happens to be at the time), I would love to hear. That or you could put yourself on podcasting.

And are you insinuating that I'm a little hard to handle, a little rebellious, and/or perhaps a little hard-headed by recommending that I don't get kicked out of Covenant? I've always been the easiest person to "deal" with ever---I'm indignant ;-)

--I'll try to focus my rebellious energy into figuring out why or why not I believe certain theories, philosophies, etc that this Presbyterian school is going to offer me. I'm excited for the challenge.

Kel said...

nice, I always enjoy your poetry Steve. You write really well.

Wendy said...

So, when are you going to do another blog entry!

Anonymous said...

Nice poem, Stevie P. Dude, I just got back from working at DRG as a counselor all summer, it was amazing. And then I found out yesterday that I'm leaving on the 30th of August for Basic and Advanced Infantry Training at Ft. Benning. So there's the next season of my ministry and life. And Mark's getting married on friday (the 18th). How are you and Wendy and the kids?

Anonymous said...

Man your blogs are starting to sound the same. Oh wait it is the same one, silly me.

Great retreat by the way, y'all did an awesome job.