Isaac and ropeburn....

“Ropeburn”

Dark skies, heavy breath
a wind that stills the motion
a rocky climb and lightning flashes
the thoughts of desperation.

A burst of thunder brings no rain
the wind dispersed the heat
the beads of sweat and tears of salt
fall down to ragged feet

the incline steep the dust it chokes
the rocks fall on their own
the heat in waves washes over doubt
and the heavy mood moves stones

The wood we have and the fire too
the knife is gleaming bright
but the sacrifice...atonement made
seems all by my own might.

Salvation seems just like a word
redemption redeems its own.
To the sacred place we bring ourselves
and to the altar of stone.

The altar stands against the sky
a sign of death and glory
and in defiance it raises itself
and brings the haughty lowly.

The bloodied stones cry out on high
of the tears and life all shed
of the offering made and the price that was paid
and the atonement that came when bled.

The silence is stifling as we arrive at the top
as the wood and the rope are let go
I sit and look over the mountain and vale
when I feel heavy rope on my wrists

I turn around and see my father
weeping with rope in his hand
I look in his eyes and there understand
The lamb we will sacrifice is me.

He binds my ankles and my wrists
yet beds the altar with hay
he lays my down like a newborn child
and brushes the hair from my face.

I feel a tear upon my cheek
And hear a stifled groan
down my face it quickly runs
and mingles with my own.

I feel the breeze from his raising arm
the breath is coming fast
the fire moves close on my neck
and the wind now blows in blasts.

I stop and think of lives now past
of the things I thought I knew
Of the rams that stayed where I now lay
And the thought I knew were true.

There was always a spotless lamb
from the beginning of the earth
God’s way was known to all who heard
But it now seems to have lost its worth.

And yet one thought pervades my mind
like water to the driest rock
That his mercy and love and grace remain
No matter the hard road we walk.

I clench my teeth and weep inside
“Provide a lamb Oh God!”
My father weeps and screams aloud
And his head bows in a nod...

Provide A Lamb Oh God Oh God!
Provide Oh Holy One!
Provide for us your chosen seed
Provide for us your sons.

Breath.
Heat
Tears
And sweat.
I give myself to Him.
I let it go and fall flat limp
And wait for the strike of steel.

I feel not the searing pain of steel
nor the cold pain fire brings
But instead I hear a bleating ram
and to the Lord I sing!

My father prostrate falls and prays
he weeps aloud with joy
the ropes he cuts and fire drops
as He lifts up his baby boy.

We kneel both down on the cold gray stone
and a rain begins to fall.
we lift up our voices praise the one
whose mercy always enthralls.

Atonement made, redemption gave
faith and hope was built
Mercy triumphs all day long
and Through Him we have no guilt.

The altar seemed a cold dark place
where life was taken and burned
but now I see that through the pain
True Life was gained in the end.

I look at my hands my ankles and wrists
I studied them long and hard
For any signs of fire or knife
and for any signs of harm.

Unscathed I passed through the fire and steel
laid on the altar and lifted away
tied up so I couldn’t lift even an arm
But then shown that The Lord Has a way.

Like I said... I was thinking.