First Fruits

The planter burned the seed bed to purify its yield

Then turned it under with His plow and so prepared the field

And all the time He was aware the serpent did await

To strike him down with the poison of sin and death and hate

The planter sank himself into the earth and so was bound

By death while sowing eternal seed into this ground

He ate the dust the serpent ate and made the curse His own

He became the sin that He himself had never known

But after He was broken in new life He then arose!

He lifted up his head to break the power of His foes

And as He broke the seal of death, this firstborn of the dead

His wounded heel came down to earth to crush the serpent's head!

So did the TRUE VINE raise His holy head in victory

O'er the hardened soil of hearts of all humanity

To implant that broken ground with power and peace divine

By grafting us into the lfe of the living Vine!

We are dressed and we are lifted up and we are pruned

And readied for the harvest Oh Lord may it be soon!

Firstfruits of the Kingdom now on the vine sustained

Abiding in the vine's life blood-forever to remain!

4-11-90

Anthony Foster