As soon as I shift my gaze from the 'joy still set before', sorrow is too hard to bear.
As soon as I forget the Hope Christ came to earth to restore, Grief would drive me to despair
But as I think upon the goodness and mercy of One who suffered in all ways, as we
Sorrow, hope-stunned becomes the humble partaker of Love's Divine Sympathy
Seems without trouble, sickness and sorrow
How often would haste the day
Filled with hopes and dreams of tomorrow
With never a thought to (truly, humbly) pray
The other day my friend who also owns this book
Every Moment Holy, mentioned HERE
drew my attention to these pages...
(I could have highlighted every line!)
So many thoughtful friends send messages of sympathy and prayer,
stunning my broken heart with hope and joy
Thank-you to everyone who has helped introduce my heart
to fresh waves of inexpressible joy...
When love's fresh waves of sorrow roll
With renewed force, through heart and soul
When tug of warring thoughts compete
Between the bitter and the sweet
When worlds of retrospect replay
The words we wish we still could say
When 'missing you' becomes a prayer
Of tears that we can hardly bear
When anguish like a vortex, reels
Through rooms, one cannot see, but feels
When ragged longing dearly yearns
For that which death never returns
When we wonder what we can do
To reconcile love's 'missing you'
God, who is merciful and kind
Bids us to come to Him and find
His comfort for Want, sorrow-torn/worn
His promises bless those who mourn
When love's fresh waves of grief deploy
God's hope alone stuns grief with joy
He ministers His perfect peace
As humble, fervent prayers increase
As sorrow's searing tempests toll
He counts the teardrops of the soul
And ushers into love's embrace
Hope's hallowed glimpses of His face
Heaven on earth is undeterred
And mountains moved through a kind word
And faith, frayed, wounded is made whole
When love's fresh waves of sorrow roll
© Janet Martin
1 Pet.1:3-9 BSB
This first week of advent we meditate on hope...
Re-sharing a treasured passage of scripture
A Living Hope
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By His great mercy He has given us new birthb into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4and into an inheritance that is imperishable,
undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,
5who through faith are shielded by God’s power
for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6In this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while you may
have had to suffer grief in various trials
7so that the proven character of your faith—
more precious than gold,
which perishes even though refined by fire—
may result in praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8Though you have not seen Him, you love Him;
and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him
and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9now that you are receiving the goal of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
(for my dear, sweet sister Lucy)
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I hope you enjoyed your pause on this porch and thank-you for your visit!