40 blogs of Lent – Day 15

New stone — New start

Messages to the churches – Day 12

Pergamum – Day 4

A thought experiment in free verse.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

New stone New start

God’s hidden manna,
A white stone with a new name.
is what you receive.

To start again with God
is not to turn over to a new page
the book is written,
a new page still leaves the old behind, intact.

To start again with God
is not turning over to a new page,
it is throwing the book away.
It is burning the book,
and burying the ashes where they will never be found.

You are a new creation
The old has passed away.

Dead.

And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practise sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
Revelation 2:12-17

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Seven Churches – Day 1