To Suffer is to Gain Souls

To Suffer is to Gain Souls Offered by Doug Blair, Waterloo ON, 2020

Can't find a reason Nothing stands out Things hurt so bad I must weep, I must shout.

When will you show God? Busy elsewhere?

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Heard all my praying?

Surely You care.

Christ in the Garden Moments from shame.

Prayed for another way.

But nothing came 'Cepting the courage To drink Father's Cup. Look at you, Jesus.

Pity, look up.

Feel some arrival now Comfort so rare God in his graciousness Beyond compare.

And His strange formula: Suffering so brave Works boundless miracles Others to save.

(2 Corinthians 1: 5-7)

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Diamond You came in a way One could never forget My days were a mess My thoughts were upset.

And all that had once Mastered my path Completely ignored Conviction and wrath.

The God of all comfort Paul had once said Was tearing my heart I wished I were dead.

And death came at last To old ways of sin New waters refreshed As Jesus came in.

It wasn't a lesson Like some college course Relieved as the Spirit Made better from worse.

And Love's inclinations Took pressured poor clay And fashioned a diamond To shine like the Day.

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â—?

Darkness Comes

Still comes the darkness To the saint who yearns for God. To the one who walks in all he knows, Some times alone are trod.

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Still comes the darkness, When he must leave earthly kin, When he must through pangs of conscience come Apart from all known sin.

Still comes the darkness, When all wickedness prevails; When the saint is made the laugh of men, The target of false tales.

Still comes the darkness, And it puzzles most to think That his God who holds the answers Has fled to let him sink.

Still comes the darkness, When bereft of guiding light, He wonders, left at his wit’s end If he heard scripture right.

Still comes the darkness, When the problems seem to grow; When the saint sees no clear remedy, And so must wait to know.

Still comes the darkness, And the saint has naught to claim, But that God who loves and lifted him Will not forget his name.

Still comes the darkness,

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As with Joseph, wrongly jailed.

As with David to a cave pursued.

And Jesus, cruelly nailed.

But this is Father’s shadow O’er the saint as God goes by.

Cleft in the rock and ‘neath God’s hand, He need not wonder why.

The Father comes no closer Than in such times of pain; Then in a voice triumphant, cries: “Child, let’s be off again!”

PSALM 42: 4, 5 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. at ​June 23, 2009​ Labels: ​Perplexity​, ​Poetry​, ​Reproach

Discovery in the Den

I found it 6

And I have no claim Just fortuitous And feeling like rich treasure.

I needed a lift...

No that's too bland.

I needed a rescue And no friend at hand.

But the Old Book Was by my Uncle's chair.

Read it so much He left it there.

Not pushy, just kind Listening ears.

As I would whine Troubles common To the mortal muck.

His smile suggested I look in the Book.

He checked the oven.

I turned to John.

In the sixth and thirty-seventh.

I felt it strong.

"In No Wise cast out".

Each gifted heart from God. The Saviour held each charge With arms, compassion large.

And I was IN. Gone nagging of sin Gone handicaps of past.

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Believing at last.

The pizza tasted twice as good.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, this is another one of those times. I hurt and much of it is beyond explanation. I pray. I search your matchless Word. I talk to a few trusted friends in the Faith. But still nothing. I pause now and consider the last things of your loving-kindness ministered unto me. You have done so much. Clearly you are all about Love and Loyalty. You have an Answer coming. I will abide your timing. Please give me Grace for this. As in other cases your answers will astound. I am sure of it.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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