Joshua had a heart of gold, the best that could be found,
He’d take his daddy supper on the other side of town.
His pa was a widower; Josh’s wife was a great chef,
And she’d fix extra vittles for Josh, his dad to bless.
One day while Josh was toting food up to his daddy’s door,
A car careening down the street, it’s pedal to the floor.
To the left, to the right, into the ditch it went,
The doors they wouldn’t open up for they were broke and bent.
Josh he dropped that plate of food and raced across the street,
And jumped upon the hood and stomped the windshield with his feet.
He pulled a drunken driver out and rescued him from harm,
The drunk woke up and spoke to Josh and gave him new alarm.
“Look the car is burning with my family trapped within,”
So Josh he ran back cross the street and in the hole jumped in.
Poor Josh he didn’t know it, but mom and son were gone,
They’d followed him through broken glass, it didn’t take them long.
But things were hot and heavy as smoke obscured his eyes,
He would not leave that car alone till he saved that family’s lives.
His daddy came out the house and on the ground, he saw spilled plate,
He saw Josh’s car, smoke and fire and realized his fate.
Just then a big explosion as the fire reached the sky,
And Joshua cried out to his dad before that hero died.
“Help me daddy, help me,” he screamed out in great pain,
But his daddy stood there helplessly, his tears were as the rain.
The funeral was a sad time for Josh’s wife, his kids and dad;
But he lived and died like Jesus and for that they were so glad.
Now several days had come and gone since they put his body in the grave,
When Josh’s grieving dad did run into that drunk that Josh did save.
Dad thought he would say, “thank you ,” for his son did save his life,
Thought he’d say he’s sorry for his sin caused so much strife.
But he didn’t say a single word; he appeared he didn’t care,
He looked the old man in the eye with a hateful evil glare.
Now you may be surprised as me by the cold heart of this man,
But by this heartless evil act I hope you’ll understand.
That Jesus died to save our souls in great torment and such pain,
He shouted to His Father while He died, He called His Name.
Now have you ever thanked Him, acknowledged what He’s done,
Told Him that you’re sorry, for your sin helped kill His Son?
If not, you’d better think about the anger in God’s Heart,
And beg for His forgiveness and let thanksgiving start.
The day will come when you stand before God’s judgement, final and true,
And fiery wrath or grace and mercy the choice is now up to you.
Tertius
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven
against all the godlessness and wickedness of people,
who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
For although they knew God,
they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.
Romans 1:18/21
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.
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,
but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:8-9
Today if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts.
Hebrews 3:15
A note about “Joshua”: This comes from a parable I’ve been sharing with inmates for a while. I’ve been wanting to put it to rhyme and got my chance when I had a few spare hours recently. As I’ve said before sometimes we assume God is bulletproof and think little of how He feels. Yet, we can identify with a human father that loses his son and the disgust and rage we feel knowing that the cause (person) of this tragic event has neither gratitude nor remorse. My prayer is that people everywhere will see themselves in the shoes of this man who by his sin (drinking and driving) stood guilty and if Jesus died to save sinners anyone who does sin is partly to blame for His death. Secondly, may we all examine our level of gratitude and remorse. That measurement will be found in our walk and in our talk. Please treat this poem as a chain letter and pray for its wide circulation.