As we approach the most glorious time in the Christian’s calendar, I’ll post some poems I have written on the subject. The first is in response to the Word that tells us Jesus still bears the wounds in His body (He showed them to the disciples when He appeared to them). The second is because we are told He is constantly interceding for us. I hope you enjoy it.
HOLY WOUNDS
Oh, to think that I, with all my stains of darkness
Could stand before a God of white-hot holiness
And not be burned.
What holy wounds that gain for me
An entrance to the King!
For Christ in all his glory, stays injured still for me
His hands and feet, though brilliant bright
Stay pierced and raw through all my sin
And plead each day my cause.
For as I sin, and blot my soul, and then repentant come
His Father from His awesome throne
Looks down and sees his Son.
He sees His Son take on my guilt and then it’s penalty
“With a numb sense of unreality, we caught the flight to Cape Town the following morning. I identified my dead brother and then, with Erica (his pregnant wife of just three months), my grieving parents and my sister, we buried him.
For three weeks I thought that I would tear apart from grief as waves of agonising sadness gripped my heart. Then that was replaced by a cold anger against God. I had always regarded Him as loving and caring. He could have stopped this happening. Didn’t He hold the whole world in His hands? Is that how He treated His creation?”
———— o ————
” Psalm 22:1 “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?”
The question of reconciling suffering with a good God is one that has occupied the minds and words of philosophers for aeons.
My reaction to the death of my brother was merely the echo of a cry that has reverberated through the ages. I did not doubt the existence of God, as many who suffer have done, but I questioned His nature.
Have you done the same? It’s a natural response. After all, from a human perspective, what would we think of someone who had the chance to rescue us from a tragedy, yet stood by and watched it unfold?
Yet, think back to your childhood. Were there times when you thought your parent was unfeeling, harsh, and unfair? But now, through the wisdom of the intervening years, does that parent still seem so cruel? Gauged against the rest of their track record with you, is it consistent with the way they treated you? I remember bawling uncontrollably when my parents would not let me go to a boxing tournament (I loved my boxing as a ten-year-old) because I had been invited to an outing with family. Today, I look with amusement on that incident and realise I learned a valuable lesson. Family comes first. It’s a trivial example, but I can tell you, at the time, my feelings towards my mother were about as vehement as they were towards God when my brother was killed.
One of the problems is that we live with a world view that says all suffering is bad and should be avoided at all costs. In fact, think of the technical advances that have been made through the ages. Aren’t they nearly all designed to make our lives more comfortable?
There is no doubt that God’s ultimate purpose is for us to live in a world where there is no suffering. In Isaiah 51:11 God says, “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.” Jesus demonstrated the heart of God when He walked this earth and relieved suffering wherever He went.
However, the time for that has not yet come. Jesus suffered at the hands of evil men, and we also might suffer because of the evil that lurks in a fallen world.
We are living in a war zone. We are on a collision course with the world and those under the control of the “ruler of the kingdom of the air”. (Eph. 2:2) In 1 Peter 4:12,13 we read,
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.”
Therefore, we will suffer, as Jesus, our Commander in Chief suffered.
Yet, if we let Him, God will walk beside us through the storm, and will often use our suffering.
Looking back, I can see God used the death of my brother to shake me out of my complacency about God. I no longer took Him for granted, living a prayerless life and just assuming He would always be there for me in my independence.
There are two reactions we can take to tragedy. We can walk away from God, or we can hurry towards Him. I chose to walk away — into years in a wilderness of disillusionment.
Further scripture readings:
Isaiah 50:10
John 16:20
Psalm 27:13,14
For discussion:
Have you suffered a tragedy in your life? If so, how did you respond? How did that make you feel?
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Have you experienced that?
When others are broken-hearted, can you come alongside them as Jesus does with you?
As 2020 draws to a close, there’s hardly cause to welcome 2021 with any sort of joyful anticipation.
Many, suffering ‘lockdown fatigue’ are being more lax about the precautions set in place to stop the spread of Covid 19, and infections are soaring. In a malevolent twist, the virus has taken advantage of this and mutated to a more virulent form. Death, suffering, bereavement and fear are trampling our planet.
Until this year, Christmas, for many, has merely been a prelude to welcoming the New Year. Perhaps God is urging us, now, to focus on the real reason we celebrate, for if we do that, we can look to the future with optimism.
If God can be compassionate enough to come to earth and identify with us to the extent that He feels our pain, shares our joys, demonstrates the true heart of God and then represents us before the Father to take our punishment, He will surely see us through this turbulent time if we will entrust ourselves into His loving, capable hands.
So, let’s celebrate the real Christmas story, and let the Prince of Peace speak into our hearts.
Real Christmas
God gave His Son that all the world Would have the chance to be with Him. His glorious presence now was curled Within the confines of a womb.
His gift to Man took history And pulled its course away from Hell Unfathomable mystery A love that has no parallel.
And now to celebrate His gift Throughout the world we also give, With presents for our families With parties, food and talk of love.
Yet often in this crazy world We give our gifts, not knowing why We break the bank to buy the best We worry it won’t satisfy.
We party with our families We eat and drink and stay up late But if in this we exclude Him There’s nothing left to celebrate.
It all becomes an empty show That merely gets us deep in debt And all the feasting and the hype Can’t heal our pain, nor our regrets.
For though we share our human love Forget our woes with food and wine Our loneliness requires a heart That’s grateful for a love divine.
We need to know a God who cares Who wants us all to worship Him To celebrate the way He’s made To rescue us from all our sin.
If we party, give our gifts Ignoring Him who’s paid the way Then ‘Happy Christmas’ is just words Whose meaning fades with Boxing Day
For always when we celebrate A God who came to be with us The next act hovers in the wings A Saviour hanging from a Cross.
It’s He who rolled away the stone Conquered death and rose again Ascended to His heavenly throne And lives within the hearts of men
It’s not His birth that gives us joy But why He came — what it was for That’s why we’re grateful, celebrate The Baby on a bed of straw
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.”
And Daniel 4:25 and 4:32 both say:
“… the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
For the sake of establishing the integrity and transparency of the election, I do think the allegations of fraud should be investigated. However, irrespective of the result of the investigation, as Christians, we must believe that God is in control. If Biden is president, the Word of God says that He placed him there. If the courts validate Trump’s claims and it puts him back in, we’ll know God put him back!
Either way, we must believe He gives the kingdoms of the earth to whom He chooses for His purposes. The Word of God says so.
God’s purposes are for His Church
God’s primary interest is His Church. We do not know what He is doing, but I suspect He is purifying His church for His soon coming. We know His Bride must be pure and spotless. Perhaps He will do that by creating a situation whereby we have to trust Him implicitly and be “blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which we shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the Word of Life.” (Phil. 2:15,16)
Let’s trust God’s wisdom
Let’s not behave like the world, in anger, bitterness and suspicion, but trust God’s purposes. Jesus did not create a fuss against the plotting and treachery that put Him on the Cross. He entrusted Himself to His Father, and those religious hypocrites and Judas were the agents for the greatest act of mercy and redemption the world will ever know. God is in control. Jesus is described as full of grace and truth. Let’s display those same characteristics .
The darker it gets — and it’s looking pretty dark — the brighter we can shine.
At this time of the year we are used to seeing the Babe in the manger. It is always a time when we can be thrilled with the wonder of it all.
Yet, think of it beforehand. Think of the Holy Foetus attached to Mary’s womb, gaining succour from a placenta that was to become the afterbirth. This is God? That tiny, budding life? How amazing is that?
Then, think of the wonder beyond the stable and the Babe to the Man, the very Word of God, who spoke all He walked amongst into being. Now he debates with sceptics and arrogant men of learning, allowing them to deride Him, mock Him and scorn His words that came from the same mouth that created them.
And the wonder goes on through Calvary, the empty tomb and the free gift of eternal life offered, incredibly without any obligation to accept it.
We do, indeed have an amazing God.
Amazing
The body of God Forming slowly A clump of cells A tiny brain Eyes Fingers Mouth Cord, placenta God, two inches long Drawing nourishment from Mary Amazing.
The Word of God Speaking light Speaking earth Speaking sea And stars The moon Lilies of the field And man Speaking all of creation into being Now debating with sceptics Contradicted Ignored Vilified Amazing
The love of God Selfless Giving Healing Joyous love Exploited Doubted Denied Nailed to a Cross And there, fully expressed Amazing
The blood of God Falling to the ground Earth-shattering Veil-splitting Blood A scarlet ribbon Rippling through eternity Buying freedom For you For me Changing history Letting the eyes of God Meet mine And yours, if you will Amazing
The power of God Life-giving Stone-moving Heaven-opening Glorifying Power Available to all who believe Amazing
Free choice for man A gift from God Setting his destiny Light Or darkness Loneliness Or comfort Life Or death God’s favour Or wrath God lets us choose Respects our choice
Choose light Comfort Life Choose God And stand amazed
