Well It Happened to Me

 

 

 

 

Has it ever happened to you?

Well it happened to me,

What am I talking about?

Well you will soon see.

 

I’m not dealing with the young,

They can step out,

It is really the old like me-

That’s who I am talking ‘bout.

 

It is worse these days

Thus, happening more frequently

But I am not unduly alarm

Or ever hope to be.

 

Today I came in from outside

And called a friend of mine

After that to realize

The phone I couldn’t find.

 

It was not on its stand,

That is the first place I looked

And so, I proceeded to search

Like I was studying the Book.

 

Of course, the Book is the Bible,

Like searching for a verse

So, similarly searching for the phone

I was diligently immersed.

 

I walked up and down the house,

I even asked the wife

And I couldn’t help but wonder

How I came by this strife.

 

 

Then suddenly it dawned on me

The phone was on my ear

And with split-second awareness

Everything became clear.

 

It was not on its stand

Because I had taken it up

And my ear where the phone was,

Was not where I would look.

 

Here is another incident

More exacting than the first,

No wonder some believe

That old age is a curse.

 

I was sitting in my car

And talking to my wife

And the feeling that came over me

I tell you, it was not nice.

 

She had made a call to me

Not knowing I was at home,

I had just driven into the garage

So, I quickly took up the phone.

 

 

 

Attempting to multitask

I was talking while getting out,

I had my ATM cards and keys

But my phone was nowhere about.

 

“I must have left it somewhere,”

That is exactly what I had thought

And with that came a feeling

That left me quite distraught.

 

I mentally decided

That I would retrace my steps

But before I did exactly that

Into my heart a fear leapt.

 

However, before driving back out

I started to tell my wife

And suddenly my whole disposition

Went from bad to nice.

 

 

That my cellphone was not lost

Became abundantly clear

And oh, the relief that flooded me!

The phone was on my ear.

 

I felt like such a fool

I could have kicked myself

But this was nothing compared

To my improved mental health.

 

To have lost that cellphone

Would have set me back a bit,

You see, my resources are so limited

Such would give me a fit.

 

Has it ever happened to you?

Well it happened to me,

Now you know what I am talking about

At least, I hope you see.

 

Stewart Russell © January 10, 2023

 

Simon of Cyrene

 

Coming in from the country

So says St. Mark

And this is perhaps a good place

For us to make our start.

Father of Alexander

And also the father of Rufus,

He had a close up view

Of the crucified Jesus.

As a matter of fact

He did more than just look,

He also assisted Jesus

It’s recorded in the Book.

It was not Simon’s idea

To carry the cross

But the Romans compelled him

After all they liked to boss.

What distance he carried it

We do not know

But the experience that day

Must have been quite a blow.

He was about his business

And happened upon the scene:

A badly beaten Jesus

And soldiers who were mean.

It really was not,

Take this cross if you please,

And neither was it an effort

To give Jesus some ease.

Matthew and Mark show

That Simon was coerced,

Compel is the word they use

To show that Simon was forced.

Some argue his nationality

As though that is key

But the following is more important

And this we ought to see.

 

Whether an African or a Jew

Simon carried Christ’s cross,

That cross that brings us hope

When all hope seems lost.

Some say it was a privilege

To have carried the cross of Christ,

It means Simon played a role

In the Saviour’s sacrifice.

The fact he was not willing

Is shown in the word compel,

If he was in fact forced

He could not be willing as well

We must be careful not to read

More than has been shown,

He was forced to carry the cross

And that is what is known.

 

 

Clearly Jesus was willing

To carry his own cross

That is the reason he came

It was of infinite cost.

Take the facts as they are

Read nothing into them,

To go beyond the Word of God

Creates a serious problem.

Let’s put Simon in context

Just another fact in the event

But seeing beyond the mere facts

Should always be our intent.

Remember Jesus paid the price

His was the entire sacrifice,

No human help was needed

Only Jesus could suffice.

There is a cross to be carried

The Bible makes this clear,

We must be willing to take it up

And that Jesus will help us bear.

Stewart Russell © April 2019