Where an angel kept God's book.
He was writing so intently
I just had to take a look.
* * *
It was not, at first, his writing
That made me stop and think
But the fluid in the bottle
That was marked eternal ink.
* * *
This ink was most amazing,
Dark black upon his blotter
But as it touched the parchment
It became as clear as water.
* * *
The angel kept on writing,
But as quickly as a wink
The words were disappearing
With that strange eternal ink.
* * *
The angel took no notice,
But kept writing on and on.
He turned each page and filled it
Till all its space was gone.
* * *
I thought he wrote to no avail,
His efforts were so vain
For he wrote a thousand pages
That he'd never read again.
* * *
And as I watched and wondered that
This awesome sight was mine,
I actually saw a word stay black
As it dried upon the line.
* * *
The angel wrote and I thought I saw
A look of satisfaction.
At last he had some print to show
For all his earnest action.
* * *
A line or two dried dark and stayed
As black as black can be,
But strangely the next paragraph
Became invisible to see.
* * *
The book was getting fuller,
The angel's records true,
But most of it was blank, with
Just a few words coming through.
* * *
I knew there was some reason,
But as hard as I could think,
I couldn't grasp the significance
Of that eternal ink.
* * *
The mystery burned within me,
And I finally dared to ask
The angel to explain to me
Of his amazing task.
* * *
And what I heard was frightful
As the angel turned his head.
He looked directly at me,
And this is what he said...
* * *
I know you stand and wonder
At what my writing's worth
But God has told me to record
The lives of those on earth.
* * *
The book that I am filling
Is an accurate account
Of every word and action
And to what they do amount.
* * *
And since you have been watching
I must tell you what is true;
The details of my journal
Are the strict accounts of YOU.
* * *
The Lord asked me to watch you
As each day you worked and played.
I saw you as you went to church,
I saw you as you prayed.
* * *
But I was told to document
Your life through all the week.
I wrote when you were proud and bold,
I wrote when you were meek.
* * *
I recorded all your attitudes
Whether they were good or bad.
I was sorry that I had to write
The things that make God sad.
* * *
So now I'll tell the wonder
Of this eternal ink,
For the reason for its mystery
Should make you stop and think.
* * *
This ink that God created
To help me keep my journal
Will only keep a record of
Things that are eternal.
* * *
So much of life is wasted
On things that matter not
So instead of my erasing,
Smudging ink and ugly blot...
* * *
I just keep writing faithfully and
Let the ink do all the rest
For it is able to decide
What's useless and what's best.
* * *
And God ordained that as I write
Of all you do and say
Your deeds that count for nothing
Will just disappear away.
* * *
When books are opened someday,
As sure as heaven is true;
The Lord's eternal ink will tell
What mattered most to you.
* * *
If you just lived to please yourself
The pages will be bare,
And God will issue no reward
For you when you get there.
* * *
In fact, you'll be embarrassed,
You will hang your head in shame
Because you did not give yourself
In love to Jesus' Name.
* * *
Yet maybe there will be a few
Recorded lines that stayed
That showed the times you truly cared,
Sincerely loved and prayed.
* * *
But you will always wonder
As you enter heaven's door
How much more glad you would have been
If only you'd done more.
* * *
For I record as God sees,
I don't stop to even think
Because the truth is written
With God's eternal ink.
* * *
When I heard the angel's story
I fell down and wept and cried
For as yet I still was dreaming
I hadn't really died.
* * *
And I said: O angel tell the Lord
That soon as I awake
I'll live my life for Jesus-
I'll do all for His dear sake.
* * *
I'll give in full surrender;
I'll do all He wants me to;
I'll turn my back on self and sin
And whatever isn't true.
* * *
And though the way seems long and rough
I promise to endure.
I'm determined to pursue the things
That are holy, clean and pure.
* * *
With Jesus as my helper,
I will win lost souls to Thee,
For I know that they will live
With Christ For all eternity.
* * *
And that's what really matters
When my life on earth is gone
That I will stand before the Lord
And hear Him say, well done.
* * *Forward this to as many people as you can, and let them now of the eternal ink. . .
