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{{info}}Across the field and through the trees<br>of Ephron, slumped upon his knees<br>Beside the cave of Machpelah,<br>The old man scorned anathema<br>For love and kissed the ivory lips<br>Of his dead wife; then laid the strips<br>Of silk and linen on her face,<br>As beautiful today with grace,<br>He thought, as when Abimelech<br>Desired her once, without a speck<br>Or blemish to this day, but now<br>As cold as snow upon the brow<br>Of Mount Moriah. Abraham<br>Thought to himself, "This time no ram<br>Caught in the thicket for her life,<br>You spare my son but not my wife."

He rose with Sarah in his arms<br>And laid ten thousand days and charms<br>To rest within a Hittite cave,<br>And in the dark paused once to save<br>The union for a moment more.<br>But in the dripping dark before<br>His mind the awful scene arose<br>Again: first one, then two plateaus<br>The boy and he, alone he thought,<br>Had climbed Moriah while he fought<br>The tears and coughed away the sobs.<br>He felt again the way it throbs<br>Behind the eyes when there's no vent<br>To grief. The wild bewilderment<br>On Isaac's face when he perceived.<br>And then the fear, deep unrelieved,<br>That his own son might curse the Lord<br>And tear his flesh against the cord<br>To save his life; and kick and bite<br>And scream and writhe with all his might<br>Like any ordinary boy.<br>But Isaac knew he was the joy<br>Of this old man. By wonder born,<br>By wonder he would die, and scorn<br>The pain and look into his eye<br>With childlike trust and say goodbye.

"The greatest moment of my life,"<br>Thought Abraham. "O precious wife,<br>The darkness of this cave is brief,<br>And we've been trained in strong belief:<br>‘Is anything too hard for God?'<br>And should we not now kiss the rod<br>And wait until the angel voice<br>Express the everlasting choice<br>Of our appointed substitute?<br>This time, my love, it did not suit<br>The sovereign will to interpose<br>A ram for you—or me—He chose<br>Instead to test me once again<br>If I will trust him now as then?"

Then father Abraham walked out<br>And spoke these words without a doubt,<br>"As sure as I stand in the light<br>The Judge of all the earth does right.<br>The Lord is not God of the dead<br>But of the living, as he said."

Almighty God, all praise to you<br>As we light advent candle two.