{"id":10733,"date":"2021-01-28T23:15:48","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T22:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/?p=10733"},"modified":"2021-01-29T12:22:49","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T11:22:49","slug":"the-first-and-last","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2021\/01\/28\/the-first-and-last\/","title":{"rendered":"The First and Last"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I wrote this song in 1999, but it really came into its own last year, more than 20 years later – sung in church as an encouragement to my congregation during lockdown, and accompanied on the ukelele at the bedside of someone who was dying. Now it’s my privilege to share a recording of this song with you, with my friend, Margriet, singing harmony.<\/p>\n

 
\n

THESE ARE THE WORDS<\/strong>
\nby Irene Bom<\/em><\/p>\n

These are the words of the First and Last
\nThe one who came, who died, who rose again
\nThese are the words and the words are true
\nThese are the words of Jesus to you.<\/p>\n

I know, I know what you’re going through
\nI know, I know ’cause I’ve been there too
\nAnd be sure my love will carry you
\nall the way, all the way through.<\/em><\/p>\n

These are the words of the First and Last
\nThe one who came, who died, who rose again
\nThese are the words and the words are true
\nThese are the words of Jesus to you.<\/p>\n

Fear not, fear not, there’s no need to fear
\nFear not, fear not because I am here
\nAnd be sure My love will keep you strong
\nevery day, all the day long.<\/em>
\n 
\n—<\/p>\n

Vocals: Irene Bom and Margriet van Overbeeke<\/div>\n\n

Inspiration<\/h3>\n

This song is inspired by Jesus’ words to the church in Smyrna, as recorded in Revelation 2:8-10<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know … Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. … Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor\u2019s crown.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  I wrote this song in 1999, but it really came into its own last year, more than 20 years later – sung in church as an encouragement to my congregation during lockdown, and accompanied on the ukelele at the bedside of someone who was dying. Now it’s my privilege to share a recording of … Continue reading “The First and Last”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13,5],"tags":[195],"class_list":["post-10733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible","category-song","tag-first"],"yoast_head":"\nThe First and Last - Prayer matters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A song 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Here is a psalm featuring the majesty of the ocean waves, reminding us that their power is nothing compared with the power that God has to sustain all life and to bring about change. The Lord\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bible"","block_context":{"text":"bible","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ocean north of Belfast, en route to Giant's Causeway","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/northern_ireland.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/northern_ireland.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/northern_ireland.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/northern_ireland.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9342,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2020\/03\/28\/turn-to-the-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":10733,"position":3},"title":"Turn to the light","author":"Irene Bom","date":"March 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Rotterdam at twilight \u00a0(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 Here is a prayer inspired by Phos Hilaron \u2014 the earliest Christian hymn (outside of the Bible), dating from the 3rd or 4th century. Known as the \u201cLamp-lighting hymn,\u201d it was traditionally sung as the evening lamps were lit. \u00a0 May this prayer,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "prayer"","block_context":{"text":"prayer","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/setting_sun.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13825,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2023\/01\/25\/god-is-our-help-psalm-46\/","url_meta":{"origin":10733,"position":4},"title":"God is our help (Psalm 46)","author":"Irene Bom","date":"January 25, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 For some years now I've taken part in various editions of the 12-song challenge, a songwriting initiative hosted by resoundworship.org. The challenges and the supportive songwriting community have kept me writing at least one song a month. even during busy and trying times like vacancies and the pandemic. This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bible"","block_context":{"text":"bible","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12_song_challenge_with_guitar.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12_song_challenge_with_guitar.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12_song_challenge_with_guitar.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12_song_challenge_with_guitar.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":604,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2017\/04\/15\/2017-windows-on-holy-week-8\/","url_meta":{"origin":10733,"position":5},"title":"2017 windows on Holy Week #8","author":"Irene Bom","date":"April 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Nazareth (photo: Kate McDonald) He is risen! He is risen indeed! 1 Peter 4:3-9 (NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "meditation"","block_context":{"text":"meditation","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/meditation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/2017_whw_8_nazareth_sun.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/2017_whw_8_nazareth_sun.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/2017_whw_8_nazareth_sun.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/2017_whw_8_nazareth_sun.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/2017_whw_8_nazareth_sun.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Irene Bom","author_link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/author\/irenebom-com\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/\" rel=\"category tag\">bible<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/song\/\" rel=\"category tag\">song<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"  I wrote this song in 1999, but it really came into its own last year, more than 20 years later – sung in church as an encouragement to my congregation during lockdown, and accompanied on the ukelele at the bedside of someone who was dying. Now it’s my privilege to share a recording of…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10733\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}