in the books “Comfort When Life Hurts” and “Remember“.
Links to poems 1-7 are at the end of this post.
He Has Been There Before
Dejection and weariness rend the heart sore.
The spirit, crushed and bruised, bleeds bitter tears.
Self-pity formidably looms from the soul’s core
devouring perspective, clouding reality;
fragility, loneliness, set firmly in.
But Jesus understands all!
He has been there before.
Friends, family, foes the deepest pain caused
for His Divine claim they could not endorse.
He was forsaken, rejected
and to the fullest measure was tempted.
On the last darkest night, He was betrayed for a price.
His closest friends slept – they were tired –
while in the garden in prayer, He agonised
before wicked men took Him, accused falsely and lied.
It was too late when awakened His friends.
Filled with fear, they forsook Him and fled.
Abandoned, alone, He was left
to face history’s momentous test.
They spat on Him, mocked with great scorn,
whipped with a scourge and crowned Him with thorns.
Then to a Cross they nailed Him and hung…
the battle with darkness had truly begun!
To the end He did love
and kept His mission in focus.
With no trace of self-pity,
He remained sinless, not guilty.
The Cross He embraced without murmur, resistance.
Not for Him, but for us He persisted
till His mission was finished.
Jesus, the Friend of outcast and sinner!
Jesus, the Friend of those broken and weak!
Jesus, the Lover of souls!
Jesus, the Surgeon, who holds
not back the knife, but plunges it deep
exposing the evil,
cleansing, restoring.
Jesus, the Healer of souls!
And more, He gives grace upon grace
to meet the needs of our days;
and promises strength to endure to the end,
providing a way out when we’re tempted to bend.
He’ll not allow us to suffer above what we are able.
Jesus has been there before… and always is faithful.
So when the tears spill and the heart fills with despair,
remember He has been there before and our burdens He’ll bear.
He invites us come boldly to Him and receive
mercy and grace to keep standing
through each time of need.
(Heb.2:18, 4:15,16, 1Cor.10:13, Luke 22:44, John 1:16,
Matt.26:38-45,56,59-60,65, 27:1-3,26-31)
Poems 1 – 6 in Series “Deliverance From a Horrible Pit”
Poem 1: I Am Angry, God
Poem 2: Afraid
Poem 3: I Will Trust You
Poem 4: I Want You
Poem 5: My Deepest Need
Poem 6: But This I Know
Poem 7: Made Whole
