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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Summer (the season) (07/09/09)
Sweltering summer heat overwhelms the electrical grid as dog days arrive;
Unmerciful temperatures causes businesses to stop everything to survive:
Michael’s stubborn response is to continue working through the wave;
Mary repeatedly warns Michael to “…repent right now before it’s too late.”
“Everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation!” Michael screams.
“Repent, my friend, please…” Mary humbly asks as she falls to her knees.

“Soon The Day of The Lord will come as a thief, then fire will burn the sky;
“Can’t you see what’s happening? This month-long heat wave is a sign!”
“Oh, Mary, Mary, Mary, you just don’t get it, I’m way too busy today;
“For I have too much to do and too many things in my house to save!”
“Foolish friend, all these things you worry about and protect will be gone;
“Everything we see will be burned up by fire, and a new day will dawn--”
“Really? I just heard on the radio there may be a break in the heat soon.”
“So you trust a weatherman over The Lord? Amazing! We’re all doomed.”




+++

Reference: 2 Peter 3 (New International Version)

The Day of the Lord

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
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This article has been read 1812 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Josiah Kane
07/17/09
The acrostic around your title was a nice idea, and it certainly is on topic.

You really shouldn't have included all of 2 Peter 3, not least because it infringes on copyright for the NIV. The NIV license if fairly generous in allowing people to use extracts, so long as, among other things, they don't form more than 50% of the work in which they feature--which unfortunately the chapter here clearly does. Instead I should have been inclined to add a few paragraphs of devotional or explanation of the story with a few key verses, while giving the reference for those who want to examine the matter for themselves.
Karlene Jacobsen 
07/21/09
This was creative. I thought the acrostic was a neat idea.
Mariane Holbrook
07/22/09
Very, very clever! I love acrostics and you did a great job with this one!
Jan Ackerson
07/22/09
Very clever acrostic and apt cautionary tale.

Perhaps a little bit of a tweak for smoother meter?

I'm very fond of acrostic poems, and never would have thought of doing one for the subject you've used. Very creative!
Christina Banks
07/22/09
I liked your acrostic. I have done a few acrostic poems, but never one that made a story, like yours. Nice job!
Patricia Herchenroether
07/22/09
Very creative. I'm really starting to like acrostics.
Sherrie Coronas
07/22/09
I enjoyed reading this creative piece! Thanks for the reminder about watching for the signs.
Stephanie Craig
07/22/09
First I have to admit that I'm a poetry dunce, but I'm not sure I fully get it. I had to read it a few times to understand who was talking and when. I liked the idea of all the first letters of the lines spelling out a theme. That helped me understand the piece more.
Sara Harricharan
07/22/09
Very creative! Thanks for sharing!
Joy Faire Stewart
07/22/09
Unique writing on the topic and very enjoyable.
Catrina Bradley
07/23/09
Part of me wants to congratulate you for including the entire text of 2 Peter 3 (the part that thrives on the Word) to illustrate your verses, but most of me thinks it might have been too much - maybe a shorter passage would be more affective. By the time I finished the piece, I had to go back and re-read the poem to remember how good it was. But then it meant so much more. So you could say I'm divided. ;)