Abraham Surveying Sodom

*** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: Genesis 18: 20-32 CLASSIC POEM: Abraham Surveying Sodom Anonymous (Found in The Beauties of Modern Sacred Poetry, Wm. McCombie, Ed. Aberdeen, 1852) The sun had risen on Jordan’s sacred flood , Tinged the blue mountain- tops, and blushed upon The purple mantled sky, when , slow and sad, The lingering patriarch entered Zoar. And now Abram the faithful gat him up and stood On Mamre’s hill , where in the evening shade, ( Presenced with God in colloquy sublime) He urged with awe his iterated plea For guilty Sodom, wallowing in her crimes. To hold high converse with celestial powers, Or rapt in thought profound to scale the heavens, And count the sapphires of the firmament. Here holy visions met the prophet’s eye, The burning furnace, and the lamp of flame, Portending all the fortunes of his seed The kilns of Egypt, and the guardian care Of Him who led them through the wilderness And Jordan’s flood to Canaan’s promised land. Here would he feed his eye on verdant plains, Sodama’s green retreats, that watered well, Bloomed like an another Eden, from the banks Of teeming Nilus to umbrageous Zoar, And Siddin’s vale irriguous. Ah, how changed ! A lovely scene no more. Where plenty smiled , And laughing pleasure led the jocund hours , Sulphureous vapors, flame and pitchy smoke Ascend in volumes dire. All -patient heaven Wearied at length, upon the sons of pride And sloth had poured the sudden vengeance down ; Whelming her towers, and fanes idolatrous In one promiscuous ruin. *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: Intercession is Hard Work Nikki Grimes SNIPPET: Some people say that life is just a given thing but you and I both know by whom its lent … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]