Leaping Over Walls

This week I would like to share two poems written during trials. The first one was written early this week; the second one was written in Aug, 2015.  In some recent troubles it felt as though I hit a metaphorical wall.  When suffering, it is good to call upon the Lord, bringing our difficulties before him, telling him our needs and petitioning him for mercy in our afflictions. However, it is not good to become discontented in our circumstances; difficulties are one of the Lord's mercies aiding in our sanctification and sometimes what we think we need is not the Lord's will for us. Horatio Spafford wrote in his hymn, It is well with my soul: "Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul."  Believers are to be content in the Lord, no matter what providences befall them. Recently, as a fever of discontent set in my heart about my circumstances, I was gently refreshed in the knowledge that my needs are met in God and all my difficulties will be sanctified to me. Some things that stood out to me in reading some Psalms this week were:

Psalm 18:29  For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.

I know that by my God, I can leap over my wall. By God's grace, believers are able to persevere in the midst of difficulties. 

Psalm 45:6-8  Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.

These verses brought to mind Psalm 23:5  “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Psalm 45: 6-8 is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, believers are also anointed with oil. He alone who is worthy to be anointed with oil, went to the cross and atoned for the sins of his brethren. God bestows his grace upon believers, giving us new life in him. In Christ, believers are justified, adopted by the Father, and indwelt with the Holy Spirit. These verses reminded me of the riches in Christ and my identity in him.

Lord Carry Me On

Day and night, my troubles follow me

Remember me God. Remember your servant

How long O Lord?

Let not bitterness engulf my heart

May I believe: All things work together

For good for those that love you.

What do I know of love?

I love you because you first loved me

For me you hung upon the tree

Drinking the wrath due me

Oh the depths of depravity in my soul

A heart plagued with sin- atoned!

Nothing can separate me from Christ

Mercy calms the disquiet within

Godliness with contentment is great gain

My needs are met, my cross I bear

My soul shall praise you all my days

Conform me to your image

Though the plight is great-

Much too heavy for me

Though waters threaten to drown me

Your grace is sufficient. In your bosom, I’m borne

For the day that faith becomes sight, I long

Glory my heart dimly knows, my eyes shall behold
I know in part, then shall I know in whole

Sin no more from my heart shall flow

I’ll worship you with purity and adoration

In light of eternity, I walk a short pilgrimage

Compared to your sufferings, how little are mine

Oh my cross I bear. Lord carry me on

The preceding poem references Scripture and paraphrases several verses including: 1 Timothy 6:6 (I have italicized this as it is almost a direct quote;)  Romans 8:28, Romans 8:39, 1 John 4:19, Psalm 146:2,  2 Corinthians 13:12.

I wrote the following poem two years ago as I went through a trial.  Sometimes in trials, God can seem distant but he never leaves us. Many of the Psalms illustrate this.

He’s Always Near

Though God seems so distant

He’s always near; he promised:

I will never leave you nor forsake you

Still it’s hard to bear when I go for days

Feeling as though he’s miles away

During a time that I need Him most

He seems so far away

Tears soak my pillow and sleep is scarce

It’s overwhelming and breaks my heart

Yet in my deep despair

He holds me in his hand; he will not let me go

He leads me gently through my trials

He is the light of my path

Though I feel forsaken, I trust His promise

That He is always near

In closing, I have included Psalm 13 for reflection:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.