Read "Think About it..." Online Warrior Stories  | Excerpts | News Articles | Poems
Rear Cover | Reviews | About the Book | About the Author | Order | E-Mail  |  Home


                         He Stayed...

This happened during a forest fire or perhaps shortly thereafter.
       In a place called Yellowstone and it was quite a disaster.
Somehow a fire got out of control and burned with rage and wrath,
       consuming wildlife and trees, burning everything in it’s path.
The fire caused great alarm and panic in both man and beast.
       Everything fled from it’s coming, from the greatest to the least.
Though some animals were killed, none wanted to stay behind.
       All of them fled in panic, an instinct imbedded in their mind.
As the rangers began walking the burn area, assessing the damage
       in forest kings and animals, there was devastation and carnage.
Then one ranger, looking for smoldering embers to extinguish,
       had a startling experience that he could not relinquish.

He came upon a burnt and statuesque bird at the base of a tree
       standing there as if saying to the fire, "You can come but I won’t flee."
The ranger was puzzled as to why this bird seemed willing to stay,
       curious as to why it hadn’t done like the others and flown away.
Surely it had to have known what was about to take place?
       Couldn’t it feel the heat and smoke or flame upon it’s face?
Yet, it stayed behind and braved the fire, what a curious thing to do,
       to knowingly accept death and the pain it must have gone through.
Sickened, the ranger took a stick and knocked over the little bird.
       From under the wings ran little chicks, one–two, and then a third.
It was then he realized what the little bird had bravely done,
       she had sacrificed her own life ...to save her little ones.

As he thought about what he just saw, a quickening came to mind,
       of a much greater sacrifice for the saving of mankind.
Like the bird, Christ knew what was coming and He willingly stayed.
       He could have left, no one would blame him, for when He prayed;
He said, "O my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me."
       He said this prayer not once, not twice but a total of three.
Now, some have wondered if that prayer was out of fear.
       But I know that He stayed because He loves us so dear.
And no one had the right to ask Him to do for us what He did,
       He could have gone and left us behind or run or even hid.
But He stayed and He suffered so you and I could be saved.
       He stayed so our road to eternity could be opened and paved.

   Inspired by a true story reported by National Geographic. And Psalm 91:4
   "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust..."

       Officer Samuel Jeppsen, #3751 (Ret) R# 140, March 2001-c    www.LDSCOPS.com


 

Read "Think About it..." Online Warrior Stories  | Excerpts | News Articles | Poems
Rear Cover | Reviews | About the Book | About the Author | Order | E-Mail  |  Home

S&J Liberty Publishing
P.O. Box 7899
Mesa, AZ 85216-7899
Fax: 480-380-6013