Suffering

Sovereign in Suffering (I Samuel 4:1-11)

~ amoswilson ~ 2 Comments

Why has God brought suffering,
And beaten us in our distress?
Is this how He is punishing,
Vindictive in capriciousness?

He humbles those opposed to Him:
The posers and the hypocrites,
Then are you worshiping your sin,
And therefore are not truly His?

But God always expands His grace,
And shows Himself to everyone,
And though we do not see His ways,
He’s turning rebels into sons.

He calls His people to repent,
And therefore sends calamity,
That we may quickly turn to Him,
He shocks us out of apathy.

Chastening (Hebrews 12:8-11)

~ amoswilson ~ Leave a comment

O sons of God, rejoice!
And heed your Father’s voice,
For He is perfect when He trains.
And when He bares His rod,
It brings us close to God,
And molds us after Jesus’ name.

O sons of God, rejoice!
Though chastening will sting,
For so our earthly fathers see,
To profit us through pain,
Maturity to gain,
Yet Jesus chastens perfectly.

O sons of God, rejoice!
When you feel God’s reproach,
For wounds of love are meant to heal.
Bur Jesus paid the price,
With blood poured from his stripes,
True judgment we will never feel.

Perseverance of the Faith (Hebrews 10:32-36)

~ amoswilson ~ Leave a comment

Let not faith grow frailer in growing more old,
But fervent – fermenting like finely-aged wine.
Let pressure of prison and pain make us bold.
The fire of trials makes gold more refined.

Remember the saints who have suffered before,
Those slaughtered and sawed through and set on by beasts.
Courageously they kept the call of the Lord,
And God turned to glory each one of their griefs.

Pursue then the promise of God certainly;
Your faith is the substance of what we received.
And Christ will come quickly, crowned with victory,
To bring back His bride who through all still believes.