God, Our Father

inspired by Genesis 2:10-14

Photo by Arya Krisdyantara on Unsplash

God, our Father, Root and Source
From whom all goodness flows,
Come thou fount of every blessing,
Grant me words to sing Your ways.

Sing of water's head out-flowing 
From Your Eden's holy ground.
You, the origin of creation's growing
Like Eden's rivers gushing down.

First was Pishon, God's outpouring
In and through created life.
Sustained existence refining gold,
Incensed-sweet sealed names on stones.

Next was Gihon, God's resolve
To move His promise through Israel's tree.
One birth of earth from dust and breath;
The other of Heaven, burst forth from tomb.

Rivers three/four, we know them well.
Tigris, Euphrates in tandem go. 
One, an arrow of formidable force.
The other, like birthing water breaking.

Do you hear in God's word an echo of creation
sung in such names in the midst of this story?
A Driving Force and Bringer of Life?
Are these simply symbols for a man and his wife?

With sin yet to come in the chapters to follow
God breathed into clay His breath of life
Two beings that when united as one
Foreshadow Heaven's Ladder descending.

Not like the God-made-one flesh tore in two
Who proved labor in vain like a stillborn at birth,
Exposing how Fathers can't force human hearts,
And Mothers of life can't birth Spirit fruits.

Expelled East of Eden in curse's consequences,
Earth Forces quickly became Slaves of Sin,
And Child-Bearers birthed souls sentenced to death
Subsisting on bread and water alone.

Let their out-flowing prove flesh cannot save.
Let their earth efforts unveil idols still concealed.
Then recall again who makes family lines flow
And moves the plot down its twisting course.

Read again the rivers' names.
Follow backwaters to their source:
Sustained existence refines pure gold,
Incensed-sweet sealed names on stones.

God's resolve to move His promise 
Down Jacob's ladder through Israel's tree:
The Formidable Force stoops to wash feet;
The Author of Life's submission to death.

After all our words proved confused among nations, 
God sent His fullness in the form of His Son
Who sacrificed earth force and life to
Unite Sin-mastered and Sin-makers again.

He aborted their offspring, slavery and death,
And channeled a way for a marriage with Him.
So in making disciples, baptized in the Name,
We might be fruitful and multiply, subdue and reign,
Thus resembling the Son, our Bridegroom and Source
Bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh.

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