The Light Before Dawn
by Paul Purdayhttps://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PaulPurdayPaintings?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
Our God, who brushed the skies with feeling hand
Of the world's film-set like a desert wand
And paused though darkening colours drape the stage
Portraying beauty while the nations rage.
Why rage? When all the daylight seems to thrill
With fresh adventures, fresh delights to fill
The shallow hearts and shallow outward eyes
The enemy unseen, unspoken, paints the skies.
With gaudy hues, and colourful displays
Showing what men can do, what men can praise
But as the brilliant autumn colours fade away
A faint low light portrayed the dying day.
Dying for some, but if our eyes can see
The faint horizon light can set us free
Only new eyes, new minds, can take it in
And hope ignited from a light within.
Within? Without? God's ancient master-stroke
Unveiled to those who from a dream awoke
The Sun of Righteousness and Spirit's Dove
God's way to show the world that He is love.
No other way to wake from earth-filled sleep
No other way to see what others keep
As freedom falsely tethered to their will
With dying hope their empty hearts to fill.
The Sun of light, the Father's Son alone
Brought freedom from captivity and shone
Into our hearts, with light that never dies
For all eternity beyond the skies.
But now, the present day, and dying way
Has led the dying world so far astray
Where can it go? What possibility?
Where is its ancient durability?
The former hopefulness has disappeared
Despite the many who have persevered
To chase the dream of better days to come
But falsely proved, were better days for some.
There is another way, an only hope
Most find it hard to see, and hard to cope
As mankind's efforts find it hard to place
Allegiance only to a world of Grace.
Grace, only Grace, it is another world
Where mercies flow with billowing flags unfurled
And rich forgiveness paves a kinder road
Strewn with the banners of a lesser load.
This, only this, is safely found in One
Who trod the lonely path that others shun
This, only this, could ever solve the pains
Of death, despair, disease and endless chains.
He trod that lonely path and took our case
Suffering and marred, we see it in His face
There was no other way to solve our plight
He broke the chains so we can walk in white.
He burst the grave, rolled back the power of death
A Man's in heaven - while here on earth, the Breath
Of God, the Wind that blows abandoned, free,
Will bring eternity to you and me.
