God-encounter

I wanted to share something with you.  It is a poem I wrote several months ago after I had a God-encounter.  :)  I was really sad at the time - many of our friends were going through hard times including miscarriages, hard relationships ans cancer.  I wasn't questioning God's love or wisdom, but I was crying to understand a bit more of the same.  I wasn't sure why God allowed innocent people to suffer.  Anyway, the Lord so lovingly and gently replied to my cry - it was almost surreal, He was there with me, and I could feel Him so close and so tangibly.

My heart was sad and weighed down low.

I needed an answer, I had to know:

"Lord, why do the innocent suffer so?"

Gently and lovingly the Lord replied,

"My darling child, you've all denied 

Me.  That is why I came and died."

Then all of a sudden, I understood:

Not one of us is truly good

And does everday the things he should.

We all fall short - no one is innocent

Except the Messiah that God has sent

To save us from our pathway bent.

As I pondered this, my heart still cried

But the Spirit whispered, "Becuase I died,

And rose again, you're justified."

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God... (Romans 3:23)

I was stunned by what God told me - I knew we were all sinful, but I hadn't equated that to a total lack of innocence.  But that answer strengthened me because knowing that I am justified through the Blood is comfort enough for any situation.  I think God allows people to suffer so that they will learn to lean on Him more - He alone is the source of peace and comfort.  It is easy to think that God doesn't see us in our troubles, but He does, and with that, I will leave you with a scripture we read yesterday.

²⁷ Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
²⁸ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
²⁹ He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
³¹ But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

My love to you in out God of all Comfort,

Emily