The Flood

*** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: I Peter 3:18-22 CLASSIC POEM: Affliction George Herbert My God, I read this day, That planted Paradise was not so firm, As was and is thy floating Ark; whose stay And anchor thou art only, to confirm And strengthen it in ev’ry age, When waves do rise, and tempests rage. At first we lived in pleasure; Thine own delights thou didst to us impart: When we grew wanton, thou didst use displeasure To make us thine: yet that we might not part, As we at first did board with thee, Now thou wouldst taste our misery. There is but joy and grief; If either will convert us, we are thine: Some Angels used the first; if our relief Take up the second, then thy double line And sev’ral baits in either kind Furnish thy table to thy mind. Affliction then is ours; We are the trees, whom shaking fastens more, While blust’ring winds destroy the wanton bow’rs, And ruffle all their curious knots and store. My God, so temper joy and woe, That thy bright beams may tame thy bow. *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: The Flood Chana Bloch 1 The ark noisy with children, angels, birds – dim, stuffy, close, the nest of home where Noah broods, at sea. … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]