Fore Street Devonport by Rev’d Paul Collings
Fore Street Devonport was once one of the most prestigious shopping thoroughfares of the three towns that constituted the City of Plymouth. Due to the proximity to the Royal Naval Dockyard, the majority of the shops and business premises were destroyed by enemy bombs during the 2nd World War. During the post war years, whilst some effort was made to once more reestablish a shopping street in temporary buildings, the needs of the Naval base required additional land and the street disappeared to public view behind a boundary wall. Today, Fore Street is once more part of the developing Devonport community.
1 Kings 19:12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
There shadows cast upon the road
Of former times where stories told
Of grandeur of a bygone year
As memories unfold with tears.
The very soul of this broad street,
That catered for incoming fleet,
Had all but gone as wartime fell
Beneath each bomb and falling shell.
I do recall the post war scene,
How Nissan Huts became the scheme
Where shoppers with their ration cards
Bought what they could while times where hard.
As the long years of Cold War spanned
The need for land, the base expand,
Were ships of war where built to sail
Enclosed the road, obscured the trail.
Now times have changed, no more the wall
As once again the road restored
Where people of this day and age
Can live, enjoy, and there engage.
This cycle of such passing times
From bible times has held a line
Of rise and fall, of triumph, shame,
Of bounty’s prize or fall in flames.
Yet, through this passage of the years
You, Lord, have banished hidden fears,
As fortunes come or riches go,
Your constant presence we can know.
Lord, through each tempest and each storm
Help me to recognise the form,
Your comfort and your goodness trace
That you’re alive in everyplace.
"Our God is a master at turning devastation into restoration." - Chuck Swindoll
No comments:
Post a Comment