God's Trombones...

I've recently been meditating on a book by James Weldon Johnson, titled “God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse.” There is one sermon, The Crucifixion, which has touched me deeply. I love the way that it transitions from darkness & despair to victory and great joy. To show you what I mean I've pulled a couple of verses from different parts of the sermon:

Jesus, my gentle Jesus,
Walking in the dark of the Garden—
The Garden of Gethsemane,
Saying to the three disciples;
Sorrow is in my soul—
Even unto death;
Tarry ye here a little while,
And watch with me.

Jesus, my lamb-like Jesus,
Shivering as the nails go through his hands;
Jesus, my lamb-like Jesus,
Shivering as the nails go through his feet.
Jesus, my darling Jesus,
Groaning as the Roman spear plunged in his side;
Jesus, my darling Jesus,
Groaning as the blood came spurting from his wound.
Oh, look how they done my Jesus.

And the veil of the temple was split in two,
The midday sun refused to shine,
The thunder rumbled and the lightning wrote
An unknown language in the sky.
What a day! Lord, what a day!
When my blessed Jesus died