Edifying Thoughts of a Tobacco Smoker
Whene’re I take my pipe and stuff it
And smoke to pass the time away,
My thoughts as I sit there and puff it,
Dwell on a picture sad and grey:
It teaches me that very like
Am I myself unto my pipe.
Like me, this pipe so fragrant burning
Is made of naught but earth and clay;
To earth I too shall be returning.
It falls and, ere I’d think to say,
It breaks in two before my eyes;
In store for me a like fate lies.
No stain the pipe’s hue yet doth darken;
It remains white. Thus do I know
That when to death’s call I must harken
My body too, all pale will grow
To black beneath the sod ’twill turn.
Or when the pipe is fairly glowing,
Behold then, instantaniously,
The smoke off into thin air going,
Till naught but ash is left to see.
Man’s frame likewise away will burn
And unto dust his body turn.
How oft it happens when one’s smoking:
The stopper’s missing from the shelf,
And one goes with one’s finger poking
Into the bowl and burns oneself.
If in the pipe such pain doth dwell,
How hot must be the pains of Hell.
Thus o’er my pipe, in contemplation
Of such things, I can constantly
Indulge in fruitful meditation
And so, puffing contentedly,
On land, on sea, at home, abroad,
I smoke my pipe and worship God.
And smoke to pass the time away,
My thoughts as I sit there and puff it,
Dwell on a picture sad and grey:
It teaches me that very like
Am I myself unto my pipe.
Like me, this pipe so fragrant burning
Is made of naught but earth and clay;
To earth I too shall be returning.
It falls and, ere I’d think to say,
It breaks in two before my eyes;
In store for me a like fate lies.
No stain the pipe’s hue yet doth darken;
It remains white. Thus do I know
That when to death’s call I must harken
My body too, all pale will grow
To black beneath the sod ’twill turn.
Or when the pipe is fairly glowing,
Behold then, instantaniously,
The smoke off into thin air going,
Till naught but ash is left to see.
Man’s frame likewise away will burn
And unto dust his body turn.
How oft it happens when one’s smoking:
The stopper’s missing from the shelf,
And one goes with one’s finger poking
Into the bowl and burns oneself.
If in the pipe such pain doth dwell,
How hot must be the pains of Hell.
Thus o’er my pipe, in contemplation
Of such things, I can constantly
Indulge in fruitful meditation
And so, puffing contentedly,
On land, on sea, at home, abroad,
I smoke my pipe and worship God.
Johann Sebastian Bach
I did not know he was a poet too. That poem catches the reality of an evening sitting and thinking about the big things of life. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo, I've been thinking more about our conversation about death.
I may under emphasize it. I still feel you are giving it more than it is due. Death in many parts of the Bible does not only--or even mainly--refer to the stopping of the heart, but more so to the inability of us to be in relationship with God. This is what God hates. This for Jesus was the point of being forsaken by the Father on the cross. He did not so much fear bodily death in the garden as he did that separation.
For us this is the spiritual death we too often live in even while our bodies hum merrily along. This is the death the New Testament and, especially Paul write so much about.
John 8:51
Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
Romans 6:9
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
Romans 8:38
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, can separate us from the love of God.
1 Corinthians 15:26
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:54
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
1 Corinthians 15:55
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
1 Thessalonians 4:13
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
2 Timothy 1:10
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Perhaps this is an age/time perspective. Paul did not hate or fear death near the end of his life but rather viewed his body (this life) as a tent and would be content to keep living it if it meant preaching the gospel but really was prepared and eager to go on to life more full and permanent.
Eugene
Dr. Scott- I thought a lot about the differences between spiritual death and physical death after Derek's comments yesterday. I also enjoyed Andrew's sobering perspective of both "sides" of our discussion. I have my own struggles with the fear of death and the blind assertions of others that it is "no big deal" have done little to quell if not aggravate my worries. The robust debates like yesterday give me far greater hope in the face of such fears. But most of my critique is not in response to your position (one that after seeing it laid out, I believe as well) but to "no big deal, God needed her" straw man. I am also thinking of the skeptic and how they view death. Yes they need hope but they also need to know that God is not presiding over the deaths in Joplin with a satisfied "whatever" expression on his face. They, like me (a fellow skeptic at times), need a more robust account of what death means. Perhaps your and my sides are not opposing but pedagogical for each other in a circular strengthening, informing each side giving a great understanding of the power of death and God's victory (and subsequently ours as well) over death. Thanks for the dialog!
ReplyDeleteWell said, Michael. As you know by now. I love robust debate and dialogue. I too learned so much yesterday. And the beer and Mexican food (thanks, Dee Dee) weren't so bad either.
ReplyDeleteIt just occurred to me: that though God is seemingly more concerned about spiritual death, physical death may well freeze us in that state of separation from God. Therefore, the two should not be viewed as separate but rather as two stages of something God never intended for us.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, how did you like my Georgie Anne imitation with all those scripture references. Gotta love Bible Gateway.
Eugene
Haha, yeah I thought that too about Georgie-Ann. However, your comment was nowhere near as good as her's. :)
ReplyDelete