I know I've posted this before, but again it's been on my mind and in my ears... the words to the song by Jars of Clay, Oh my God. Particularly this part:
Sometimes I cannot forgive
And these days, mercy cuts so deep
If the world was how it should be, maybe I could get some sleep
While I lay, I dream we're better,
Scales were gone and faces light
When we wake, we hate our brother
We still move to hurt each other
Sometimes I can close my eyes,
And all the fear that keeps me silent falls below my heavy breathing,
What makes me so badly bent?
We all have a chance to murder
We all feel the need for wonder
We still want to be reminded that the pain is worth the thunder
Sometimes when I lose my grip, I wonder what to make of heaven
All the times I thought to reach up
All the times I had to give
Babies underneath their beds
Hospitals that cannot treat all the wounds that money causes,
All the comforts of cathedrals
All the cries of thirsty children - this is our inheritance
All the rage of watching mothers - this is our greatest offense
I've often thought how in the midst of the deepest joy, life even at the best times has a tinge of sadness to it. Like a shadow, our lives are marked always with the reminder of memories of a different time, the brevity of life, how change is constant and how love is the only thing that can endure all things. The brighter the life, at times, the more pronounced this shadow becomes.
One thing I want to ask of my Maker, is for Him to give me the courage and strength needed to weather these changes, allowing them to change me into someone He's more pleased with, then enduring the crashing waves and icy cold storms are worthwhile - because then my joy is found in Him, and I know I'm not alone, no matter how I feel.
2 comments:
These are some of the real life lessons I learned from Brian, someone I admire and hope this will encourage and challenge you as it did me, nothing that is beautiful or useful can be made without preperation ...I pray that you may find JOY in the storms of life!
Raw clay must have impurities removed before it can be worked easily. This process involves various stages. Dug out, dried out,broken up. Mixed with water to form thik slurry. Poured through a sieve to remove stones,leaves and sticks. Some potters prepare and store clay for the next generation leaving it in a cave so that the clay is of the highest quality. All this preperation is not a mark of criticism, but of commitment to enhancing the quality of the clay. Words we dread such as 'waiting' certainly have positive significance in this light. Kneading is the process of mixing the clay by hand such that the platelets all line up in the same direction. Only then is it able to form a pot, this process often involves pain. Sometimes when a clay pot is being fired in the kiln it cracks and breaks or it is warped. Often the reason for the failure is that it has not been processed thoroughly. Unwanted impurities or air bubbles expand and shatter the pot when it is subjected to the firing process. Other pots may be damaged. Once you open the kiln and the many pots around the traumatized pot had been ruined. Our attitude is probably one of the biggest measures of how well we adjust. Attitudes such as pride, inflexibility, independance and so on can make us unteachable. We like clay, need to be broken down, mixed with water and sieved to make us ready for shaping. Are you ready to be responsive to the hands of the Potter ?
In Christ
tash
Wow, Tash - thank you! Do you mind if I post this as a main article in my blog? I think more people need to also be blessed by this.. This has been such an encouragement!!
Bless you..
B
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