Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Parsonage Parsing (Parsonage's Passing)

Parsonage Parsing (Parsonage's Passing)

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 11:12 pm by Ben Witherington

Parsonage Parsing (Parsonage's Passing) 2015-03-13T23:12:45-04:00 Ben Witherington

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The glass was thick and wavy,

In the decrepit manse by the road

You could see the outside barely

Curvy, not well disclosed.

The dust of ages had settled

Upon the clapboard floor,

Must hung in the air

Like it’d been there evermore.

The cobwebs on the eaves

Had a settled look

Here for the duration

However long it took.

The old bookshelf listed

To the right hand side

And on its shelf a single book

The Good Book did abide.

I picked up the tome

The binding now quite loose

Not from age or sad neglect

But from perpetual use.

I opened it in the middle,

Where an ancient bookmark lay

And found these words underlined

‘The Lord is my strength and stay”.

If this old house could speak

And tell a well-worn tale

Beyond the stairs that bend and creak

Beyond time’s dark veil,

It would speak of a loving family

A house that served the Lord

A home where love and peace were known

While feasting on the Word.

It would speak of many years

Of service to one’s church

Of ministers who stuck through thick and thin

None left in the lurch.

It would speak of midnight emergencies

And racing through the night

To one hospital or another

To calm those in shock or fright.

It would speak of hours on one’s knees

Imploring God above

It would speak of singing in full throat

About a higher love.

It would speak of many meals

Where grace was shared and said

It would speak of hospitality

A good and generous spread.

It would speak of meetings on and on

About this need or that

It would even tell of wrangling

About budgets thin or fat.

It would tell of Bible study times

The Spirit in the air,

And God’s good word was opened up

With understanding care.

It would tell of tearful goodbyes

When kids left too soon for college

To try and make their way in life

By gaining some sort of knowledge.

It would tell of celebration’s joy

When new life came on stage

Of births and baptisms and parties

New births, even in old age.

It would tell of funerary rites

And black suits hanging down

And comfort cold and warm

As the dead were laid in the ground.

And weddings galore with full rapport

Brides all resplendent in white

And noticeably nervous grooms

Unable to eat a bite.

Hatching, matching, dispatching

Were the daily chores

And preparing that ‘good sermon’

Went on forever more.

The old parsonage could preach

If we had ears to hear

A thousand tales of ministry

Done over many years.

Long after the reverend was dead and gone

Long after the parsonage was left to fall

There was still the strong sense within—-

That God is forever, Lord of all.

9-4-2011

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 17, 2011

More Hurtado on the Sad State of NT PHD Studies

Next Post

September 20, 2011 'A Week in the Life of Corinth'

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz