If He Had Stayed

If He Had Stayed

If He had stayed where tender, caring hands had put Him, Wrapped around with linen and aromatic preparations, Stayed enclosed in the cool, dark rock, to sleep on, decayed and forgotten, while eternity rolled away into forever-ness. If He had stayed imprisoned behind the Roman seal, soon to be but another set of bones added to the numberless skeletons bred of earth, If He had stayed down where tradition laid His head, done with sight, and touch, and voice; Oh Beloved ! If He had stayed...excruciating contemplation! Hopelessness behind doom ahead, no gathering here today. Yet here we are, and it can't be said without enough power, not by human voice anyway; No, imagine it ringingly proclaimed by heaven's angelic hosts... ( He didn't stay ) He is risen ! poem by Audrey Yeager

"...and if Christ has not been raised , your faith is worthless; you are dead in your sins." I Corinthians 15:17 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable..." I Peter 1:3

The Bridge of Love ~by Audrey Yeager

The night sky beckons

Through an open window

The wispy curtains flutter

To and fro

And I stand Big-eyed and breathless Almost seeing God Before such hurting sweetness Glittering diamond shards Twinkle from infinity And I dare to dream of more, A promised God-made city How deeply within our hearts Is this magnetic yearning And man has known it In all Earth's troubled turnings A pulling and an urging To join with what's been lost To touch at last, the Father's hand We cry, " what is the cost?" The requirement was appalling And no one had the price Except the Man from Heaven The God-man, Jesus Christ He paid with love-filled pain Underneath the scourge and nails He bowed His head and lifted us And tore the temple veil He alone is worthy And why He loved me , I don't know He took my sin while sinless, And let it bring Him low Now the night sky hangs above Just as it was before And I know the Father listens Because of what my Jesus bore by Audrey Yeager ( written not long after salvation)

~Thank-you Audrey for allowing me to publish your beautiful, heart's song in poetry!~

If He Had Stayed....by Audrey Yeager

~Trilliums growing in the woods at Cedar Pond~ ~If He Had Stayed ~ If He had stayed Where tender, caring hands had put Him, wrapped around with linen and aromatic preparations Stayed enclosed in the cool, dark rock, to sleep on, decayed and forgotten, while eternity rolled away into foreverness, If He had stayed imprisoned Behind the Roman seal, soon to be but another set of bones added to the numberless skeletons bred of earth... If He had stayed down where tradition layed His head, done with sight, and touch and voice... Oh,beloved! If He had stayed... excruciating contemplation! Hopelessness behind doom ahead no gathering here today Yet, here we are, and it can't be said with enough power, not by human voices anyway; No, imagine it ringingly proclaimed by Heaven's angelic hosts...( He didn't stay) He is risen! poem by Audrey Yeager

From Her Heart.......SISTERS , by Audrey

~This is an old photograph of the author of the poem, with her step- mother Ida, and her sister Elaine. The poem is written by Audrey Yeager, a dear friend, to her sister.~ ~SISTERS~

If hearts had the power to grab, and tell,

And convince,

Oh,how you would believe!

If love, so deep and steadfast,

and real,

could force truth upon you,

Oh! Yes! I would force it!

Because---

You must be with me in this,

With me in life, real life,

endless, glorious real life,

Not through limited family relationships,

Not only till the aches and wrinkles

ruin us,

Not only 'Till our bloom fades, and wilts, and falls;

No! No! More! So much more!

I just want to hold you tightly

Against my dearest dream,

Pressing you into it until it becomes

Your dream too.

Oh , Jesus tell her

Help her to know

That your good news is good indeed;

That she can live an amazingly glorious eternity

Yes, certainly! Without a doubt!

I would make you believe if I could; for at some point in the

Future, when Heaven is my home,

I want to turn around and see you walking toward me, so I

Can run to greet you,

Crying out , " Dear Sister!

I knew I would meet you here!"

~"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son the whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16~