ANOTHER SLEEPLESS NIGHT
I’M SPENDING IT
AS I USUALLY DO
PUZZLING OVER THINGS
THAT INTEREST ME
TONIGHT
IT’S
DEATH DYING
AND BEYOND
WHEN CHRIST DIED
THE CREED TELLS US
HE DESCENDED
INTO HELL
SHEOL
HADES
THE LAND OF SHADES
HE WENT THERE TO FREE
TO FREE THE DEAD
THOSE GOOD MEN AND WOMEN
WHO HAD GONE BEFORE
HE CAME TO SET THE CAPTIVES FREE
THE GOATS HE LEFT BEHIND
THEY SELF DIVIDED THEMSELVES
THOSE WHO SAW THE BEATIFIC VISION
AS GOOD
CAME NEAR
THOSE WHO SAW THE BEATIFIC VISION
AS HATEFUL
FLED AWAY
ANOTHER THOUGHT
IS THAT CHRIST
BURDENED WITH ALL THE SINS OF MANKIND
PLUMMETED TO THE LOWER REGIONS OF HEEL
FOR SIN MUST BE ATONED
MUST SUFFER THE PAINS OF HELL
ITS UTTER LONELINESS
AND ABANDONMENT
HAVING TRULY ATONED FOR SIN
HE SET THE CAPTIVES FREE
FROM THE UPPER LEVELS
ONE THOUGHT IS THAT AT DEATH
THERE IS A JUDGMENT
AND ONE IS EITHER ASSIGNED TO HEAVEN
OR HELL
ANOTHER SCHOOL OF THOUGHT SAYS
THAT THE GOOD
MUST UNDERGO A SEASON OF PURGING
FOR SINS UNREPENTANT
LIKE GOSSIP
WHOSE ILL EFFECTS
LINGER ON LONG AFTER THE SINS ARE FORGIVEN
A REMOVAL OF THE SCUFFMARKS
THAT EVIL MAKES ON OUR SOULS
A SORT OF BUFFING
A SORT OF SUNDAY CLOTHES
REQUIRED
TO ENTER HEAVEN
HEAVEN
HELL
AND A PLACE OF PURGING
ARE NOT REAL PLACES
BUT A CONDITION
A STATE OF MIND
THAT A SOUL
TRAVEL WEARY FROM HIS JOURNEY
NEEDS REFRESHING
AND THAT SEPARATION IS SELF INDUCED
THAT THE SOUL
ONCE SEEING GOD
RUES HIS SINS
DISTANCES HIMSELF
AND BURNS WITH PASSION
TO SEE HIM AGAIN
THE THOUGHT OF PURGING IS AS OLD AS CHRISTIANITY
AND BEFORE THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT
WE KNOW THE EARLY CHURCH PRAYED FOR THE DEAD
IF THEY WERE ALREADY IN HEAVEN
WHY PRAY FOR THEM
HEAVEN IS THE PLACE WHERE ALL GOOD SOULS GO
WHETHER DIRECTLY
OR PURGED
THE GOATS REMAIN IN THE ABYSS OF HELL
BUT ANOTHER THOUGHT IS THAT ALL WILL BE SAVED
THAT HELL WILL BE EMPTIED OUT
THAT THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS
WAS SO GREAT
IT COULD WIPE OUT ALL SIN
UNIVERSAL SALVATION
CARRIES WITH IT OVERTONES OF PURGING
AND GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR HIS CREATION
AND GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR HIS CREATION
COMFORTS ME
NOW IN THE TWILIGHT OF MY LIFE
I HAVE FAILED THE PROVERBIAL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN
BUT I STILL LOVE GOD
IMPERFECTLY
I CAN PRESUME
GOD LOVES ME
AND WHICHEVER OF MY THOUGHT PROVE TRUE
IF ANY
I KNOW
THAT IN THE MORNING
COMES DAWN AND SUNLIGHT
AND I REST
AND WILL REST
CONTENT
THAT IN HIS GREAT LOVE FOR ME
HE WILL RESCUE ME
AND TAKE ME HOME
FRANK A VOLLMER
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