|
His Uttermost
by
Major David Laeger
based on Hebrews 9:25
I have heard of Paradise,
where Eden’s name meant pure delight;
I have heard of the Abyss
meant for angels of the night.
Between the two extremes I stand and sigh –
blue skies above fade into space
beyond my upward sight;
beneath green earth are unseen things
lingering near, ominous with fright.
I long to rise with holy wings,
heart-purified to sing
in chorus with countless saints
before the Mighty King.
I fear to sink into that lower realm
where terror reigns – where life is lost
and love replaced with dark regret and pains.
The uttermost of Heav’n,
where Spirit-laws and Spirit-love set free,
or uttermost of Hell
where souls His face will never see –
a choice of destiny finds no power in me,
until this conscience seared
He wakes to immortality.
One stands here with me
who knows each uttermost – thus I’m known.
To lowest chasm’s deepest fissure He alone
descended with His might
to touch Hell’s fiery stones;
then rose through heavens
reaching far above all thrones -
from uttermost to uttermost He has the right to own the
universe in its extremes,
yet it is for us – for us He longs.
The meanest place, the worst of crime,
the errors of all time
cannot hide from Him their varied kind –
from uttermost to uttermost
no realm untouched remains;
every grade of sin is met by Him the same,
the penalty of all met Him at Calvary.
He has the power that reaches every part
from outward flesh to inmost heart.
He searches not by Light alone,
but also by His Life applied -
His wounds meet mine, He feels my guilt,
His Love exceeds my crime.
I watch the pattern of His ways
to see how He obeys -
a pattern in His steps an even love portrays.
Our Great High Priest, in beauty wears
more than a golden crown engraved -
“Holiness unto the Lord,” it says
Holy Life in truth is His,
He by piety must daily live.
He rose before each dawn to pray
as Servant of the Lord;
then, as Servant Lord,
He humbly offered us His way –
the way through prayer not to be swayed
by prejudice, by circumstance, by thoughts
to disobey.
His harmlessness describes refined
but humble courtesy;
to heal and not to wound, to raise to dignity -
though well He knew our twisted minds
could not His love perceive.
Undefiled - without blemish, stain, deformity;
no scar, no fall, no accident, for angels watched His feet;
and every plan before His time
would always see defeat -
from uttermost to uttermost
the Mediator must have no flaw
to make Him weak.
My Lord was separate from sin
Adam’s germ of sin was not in Him;
nor did He will Himself to sin -
free will to Him was will to win;
Virgin-born, Seed of Abraham,
His mind was set to cure the sting,
the cause of death an end to bring.
Inebriant of ecstasy and Agonist of pain,
He prayed one night more strength to gain
They placed His arms upon the beam
they thought it pleasure to be mean,
not knowing that the ugly scene
was more than just some earthly scheme.
It was for God the Son an offering
portraying love’s extensive covering;
His arms outstretched displayed His power
to reach from uttermost to uttermost -
across the span of Hell’s abyss
from inth degree of its duress
up through the Highest Holiness.
He tasted death for every land
while touching God’s redemptive Hand –
both enemies converged and made demand:
God for His righteousness,
man with guilt he must confess.
My Lord rose high above the heavens
now to Him all power is given;
stigmata wounds, those hands yet riven
will soon be shown again to every tribe
and they will mourn the Crucified.
Rejecters of His Gift of love
will never see the things above.
Receivers of His Gift Divine
will see Him there beyond all time.
Should we explore from end to end
what Christ has done to banish sin
from uttermost to uttermost,
always would the venture just begin.
For God alone knows God alone –
we know the most when called “His own.”
|
