A SON OF ABRAHAM

If ever I had told you that Abraham’s my dad,

Tell me your reaction; the Jews would say. “He’s mad”

Where’s his circumcision, what about his nose?

Was he in the loony bin? He must be one of those!

Now in the world of nature, I guess they would be right.

I’ve got no Jewish ancestors; not even one in sight.

And flowing though my bloodstream is not the blood of Shem.

I’m told it’s purely gentile. So rightly they condemn,

And tell me I’m from Japheth of European stock,

And so my claim to “Jewish-ness” must surely take a knock.

And yet the Scripture tells me that what I’ve said is true.

I have no Jewish ancestors and yet I am a “Jew”. * ^{see note below}

Not by genealogy for that could never be.

But having faith in Jesus Christ affects my ancestry.

It seems I’ve been adopted into The Holy line.

My faith in God and Jesus means both of Them are mine.

Abraham believed God for what he couldn’t see,

And though it seemed impossible, he hung on constantly.

So he received the promise. The promised son was born.

Isaac, Jesu’s ancestor, was brought forth on that morn.

It really wasn’t difficult, the lineage came and went;

Waiting till the moment that the Son of God was sent.

But which one was the Promised Son? Sure, Isaac came along;

But Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He was the Promised One.

So Abraham was trusting God for Whom he didn’t know.

But God had made a promise and He would make it so.

This was the type of trusting that Father God desired.

A faith that never wavered and was utterly inspired.

So Jesus was the offspring to which Father God referred.

The others were all waiting for the fullness of His Word.

And anyone who trusts in God like Abraham that day,

Are offspring of the Father whatever others say!

The fact is I’m as much a “Jew” as those in Jesu’ line;

Only by my trusting in the Word of God Divine.

Not by mutilation of a portion of the skin,

But trusting Jesu’s mercy for forgiveness of my sin.

Nothing else will help me. It is by faith alone,

That I’m a son of Abraham the way that He has shown.

Jim Strickland – written Sunday, 03 July 2011
  Strictly speaking, “Jews” are the descendants of Judah, Jacob’s 4^th son by Leah. But common usage today calls all Abraham’s progeny “Jews”

COMMUNION OR PASSOVER?

Communion or Passover, Which one do you select?

Is there some special way for us whereby we can detect

The one that’s more important? If it was put to you,

Which one would find your preference; which one is the most true?

Of course the question’s silly. They both are much the same.

The one we find in Exodus; the one in Jesus’ Name.

Of course they’re not identical; No way could that be fact.

The one is in the upper room; the other action packed.

The one reads like a comic with pictures and with text.

It isn’t difficult to read; we know what happens next.

The one is mainly Jewish; They were Egyptian slaves.

The other is more Roman and proves that Jesus saves.

The stories are quite different and so it’s hard to spot,

That both declare God’s glory, as His “forget-me-not”.

The Hebrew ram was perfect; a yearling in it’s prime.

The Roman one was Perfect; the Son of God Divine.

The Hebrew one was sacrificed. It throat was cut to bleed.

Its life was slowly drained away; a bloody act indeed.

The Roman one was sacrificed upon a cruel cross.

The blood ran down his body, He died from His blood loss.

The Hebrew one was sacrificed; the timing was precise.

The very instant when God’s lamb was being sacrificed.

The blood upon the lintels of every house door frame.

Looked rather like a bloody cross on which God’s ram was slain.

The Hebrews hear the weeping; All Egypt’s first born son.

Were taken by death’s angel. That “Passover” was done.

But those who were protected by the sprinkled blood were free.

Their children and their animals were set at liberty.

The life and death of Jesus shines forth in every place.

The Hebrews saw it happening. We witness it by grace.

So which is more important? The image is the same.

The story book of Exodus and Calvary both claim

To tell us all what happened; and both of them are true.

Perhaps it’s the perspective you want to have in view.

But this one thing is certain. Death’s angel passed us by,

The moment that the lamb of God decided He would die.

He shed His blood upon us and saved us all by grace.

It really didn’t matter; the proper time or place,

The end is still consistent with what happened way back then,

And nobody can change it until Jesus comes again.

Jim Strickland – written Saturday, 02 July 2011