Inauguration day

I subscribe to the news feed on Biblegateway.com, it's the verse of the day. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”- James 1:2-3. How appropriate to get this verse on this inauguration day. I feel that we will have many trials that will test our faith but as long as we believe and stay true to "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."- John 14:6 we will be alright.

Romans and Poe’s Annabel Lee

One of my favorite poems is Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee. I don’t know a lot about about Poe, but I have read a few of his works. He definitely seems like an odd, potentially vulgar character, but his appeal and talent is recognizable and his works offer several redeeming qualities. One of the reasons I like this poem so much is that it reminds me of a favorite Bible passage.

The highlight of the poem is found in the 5th stanza:
And neither the angels in heaven above,

Nor the demons down under the sea,

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

Poe stresses that death and the supernatural cannot separate him from the love of his Annabel Lee. This section of the poem closely parallels Romans 8:38-39:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Apostle Paul writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ. It’s interesting to note that Poe was baptized in the Episcopal Church as a 3 year old by his foster father, John Allan. This Romans scripture is often cited in Episcopalian funeral services. It’s likely that Poe was familiar with this passage and allowed it to have some level of influence on his writing.

The poem concludes in the 6th and final stanza as follows:
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea-
In her tomb by the side of the sea.

Annabel Lee’s tomb by the sea was her final resting place. Conversely, death could not contain Jesus and he was resurrected, defeating death and the power of sin. Our love for our wives can be so incredibly strong and fill us with great force. However, the love of woman can never equal the love of God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever and as devoted followers of Christ, who have submitted to Him and allow Him to both define and direct us, we cannot be separated from His love.

(special thanks to Dr. Thomas W. Buchanan for sharing his library of resources…)