don't fear, don't fret
don't look back with longing
or regret
don't stand on the precipice
of what is yet
toes tipping
over the edge
don't endeavour to forget
that the ledge is crumbling
stumbling backwards
through the door
way of what's to be
anchored to what's come before
past is an anchor
sunk into the floor
past faithfulness speaks of more
tethered to the eternal core
not letting the rope go slack
not focussing on what you lack
not looking up or down, just turn your back
and abseil into the future
two arms, the brackets are set in place
etmol faces machar in an embrace
and in the middle is the time and space
for you to be
caught in the grip
of faith and grace
in communion, face to face
the future is locked and the past is the key
to all you are and are to be
His faithfulness from all eternity
brings us such security
holding onto his promise's purity
"Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise"
we turn our backs to the future
and abseil into the future
*********************
Etmol and machar are the Hebrew words for past and future. "The Hebrew language has a peculiarity when it comes to the looking back at the past and facing the future - it has the two concepts switched up entirely. The word for yesterday, אתמול (etmol) is connected to the concept of being opposite to, or facing something. We are facing and looking directly at the past, not the future. Equally, the word for tomorrow, מחר (machar) is connected to the concept of being behind or after. The future is behind our backs. We cannot see it. We have our back to the future, so to speak. "
*Quotation and inspiration for this poem taken from the blog found at ;
http://www.oneforisrael.org/blog/105-the-power-of-Passover
