I AM ANDREW

‘I am Andrew.’

I enjoy adventure.

I have travelled much of Israel,

Judah, Jordan and Sinai.

I spent many days, weeks even,

Following and listening to John.

He was wild, unpredictable.

He covered many miles,

Up and down the Jordan valley.

His words were provocative;

They spoke of divine retribution,

And called for the repentance of the majority.

My Brother would question me!

‘How could I expect to be,

A fisherman, if I never went on the sea?’

Was John the Messiah? No he was not.

For he, himself said, there was one greater than he!

Yes, it was at Bethany,

The Baptist gave reverence,

To a man, who baptized came to be.

It was a wondrous thing;

I questioned if I heard the voice,

Or saw that angel descend from the sky.

I was not sure of what I saw,

For the stranger bathed was soon gone.

I recalled John’s declaration,

‘This is the “Lamb of God.”

My brother, Simon, and I came eagerly,

When on that day we were called.

We learned of a better life,

Also of death and sacrifice.

Who would guess that I would witness,

The message delivered by John,

Fulfilled by a new ministry;

The life of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

My brother could not understand my hastiness,

to quit our work and leave the sea.

He did not relate to my observation,

When the Lord was invested for all to see.

My description was inadequate,

But it was not long before it was acquitted equitably.

Who would have thought we would put aside,

That which had been our sibling rivalry.

We supported each other,

Grew together, in our own way,

Stood shoulder to shoulder,

Gave due regard to those steps we followed every day.

Have you ever sat around a table,

A group of friends your company,

Laughing and joking with some festivity?

We sat and we sang from the psalms,

Encouraged each other and enjoyed generally,

The time put aside from our destiny.

Rome was a magnificent place.

Steeped in colour, full of opportunity.

There was, of course, moral decay,

The end of which came unfortunately.

No nation can remain a law unto itself.

Human deprivation leads to spirtual castration.

I could not run away from the sea!

I worked passage many times as I fulfilled Christ’s ministry.

There were many who were searching

For a means of being released from misery.

Small acts of faith and hope produced charity.

Few were Jews, many had other forms of apostasy.

The worship of idols was rampant.

Figureheads were symbolic heroes;

Emperors, kings and others who had long gone,

Who had been no other than false deity.

Those who grasped the Word given

Appreciated fullness in its simplicity.

I am Andrew.

My journey has been refreshing.

The growth has been uplifting.

Many came who were weary;

Accepted the gift of Holy Spirit;

Praised God’s name and a friend of Christ came to be!

May 8th. 1996 © Will George.