I read "Night" by Elie Wiesel a couple of weeks ago. It is a heart-wrenching book containing the horror of WWII; terror, and deprivation beyond endurance. What grieved me in the reading though, far beyond the "usual" horrors of WWII was this passage;
"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven time sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.
Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never."
I have often, since becoming a believer, prayed for those persecuted for the faith, prayed that they would endure beyond what is possible, prayed that the Holy Spirit would comfort and defend and protect them from their own physical and mental limits in the face of torment.
Viking Man spent an hour at BooksMart and read excerpts from "Dawn" and "Day," subsequent novels written by Wiesel....we were burdened for this man who had endured beyond what is humanly possible. But, his back remained turned, his soul and his God remained murdered. I hurt for Elie Wiesel.
Today we sang Hosanna Hillsong United - Hosanna lyrics LyricsMode.com , friends and children waving palm branches throughout the church as they sang. We entered the Holy of Holies and were washed clean. We drank and were refreshed. Hope was restored to those of us who had sinned, fallen short, lacked faith.
"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven time sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.
Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never."
I have often, since becoming a believer, prayed for those persecuted for the faith, prayed that they would endure beyond what is possible, prayed that the Holy Spirit would comfort and defend and protect them from their own physical and mental limits in the face of torment.
Viking Man spent an hour at BooksMart and read excerpts from "Dawn" and "Day," subsequent novels written by Wiesel....we were burdened for this man who had endured beyond what is humanly possible. But, his back remained turned, his soul and his God remained murdered. I hurt for Elie Wiesel.
Today we sang Hosanna Hillsong United - Hosanna lyrics LyricsMode.com , friends and children waving palm branches throughout the church as they sang. We entered the Holy of Holies and were washed clean. We drank and were refreshed. Hope was restored to those of us who had sinned, fallen short, lacked faith.
I pray that you had a peaceful Sabbath, that you encounter the One True Living God, and that no horror, or greed or grief destroyed or will destroy your faith in Him Who Reigns. That if you or I should encounter grievous hurt and disillusionment that we, like Stephen, would be filled with the Holy Spirit, watch the heavens open up and see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God and know His Justice, His mercy, His love. (Acts 7: 56).
1 comment:
You have such a way of writing. It is a gift I have not been given. I love your posts and want you to know they cause me to think and be a better person.
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