Of Seeming and Certain

Yesterday our youngest grandson turned four!

A little over a month ago our granddaughter turned 7!

in Jan. our oldest grandson turned 9!! Wh-a-at?!

Our children/grandchildren cannot begin to grasp how much they are loved;

by God, their parents and grandparents!

Just as we, all God's children cannot grasp how much we are loved by Him!

As my utmost prayer for my children continues, that they would choose God; 

to love, trust and obey Him, to treasure His Word and his people,

so too is my prayer for my grandchildren! 

I pray that in the twists and turns of life's pathway, 

in the fumbles and stumbles of learning, 

in the crushing blows that fell pride 

and in the disappointment of Things,

they discover over and over again, 

just like (hopefully) us oldies, Rom.11:33

'the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!'

3 John 4

 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children (and grandchildren)

are walking in the truth.

We need not fear; God sends the test, our allegiance to try

His is the hand that tips the nest and teaches faith to fly

His seeming cruelty is love; He takes to give again

His purpose works in us to prove His faithfulness. Amen

We need not doubt the baffling blade that breaks desolate land

When disappointment's shares invade, behold, there is God's Hand

He ploughs to plant an Eden-clime in plots of pain and grief  

To loosen grips on Things of Time that are, at best but brief 

We need not dread the Hand that tries the ties of mortal whim 

To see if perchance we may prize this old world more than Him

God's seeming cruelty is love; His higher thoughts and ways

If we believe, will prove enough to burst our hearts with praise 

We need not know the holy why of Time-framed seeming loss

The cocoon veils a butterfly! before the crown, the cross! 

Before the flower garden, oh, the breaking of the sod

The sacred trust of letting go to lean wholly on God

To lean on Him in grateful prayer, to worship truthfully 

*Praise rends the chains of dark despair and sets our spirits free

To trust in God, heart, soul and mind, when we don't understand

He tips the nest so that we find the cradle of His Hand

God's seeming cruelty is love; look at the cross and see

Beyond the 'seeming hour of defeat', the victory 

Beyond the fallen tear, bowed head, when death the champion seems

Behold, where once the seed seemed dead, a glorious harvest gleams

Janet Martin

Oh, how painful God's ploughshares in our 'hard acres of the heart'!

Oh, how worth the harvest to let Him sow His seeds! 

But oh, how lifelong is our learning to let go;

and how lifelong is our wonder/worship when we do!