10 / 18 05 MODERN PSALM # 69
“ WHY DO I SUFFER? ”
A MODERN PSALM BY THOMAS EDWARD HOWELL
PRODUCED IN THE SPIRIT DURING A TIME OF A UNCERTAINTY
Where is God when I am hurting?
When I’m three years old,
And I’m dying mentally because a witch is taking away my innocence?
I was molested at three years old.
Where was God?
God was before me,
Suffering on a tree.
He felt my agony,
He knew my shame,
He felt my pain,
He knew my name.
God was before me
Suffering at Calvary
But how does that help me?
What is the whole point of all of it?
God could have ended my sorrow!
God could have stopped my suffering!
God could have set me free!
But why was Jesus on that tree?
Why did He suffer at Calvary?
I wonder if my father would have been a murderer?
I wonder if my mother would have been the child molester?
I wonder if God would have stepped in and judged them?
Would I ever be?!
My father is a good man.
My mother is a good woman.
But what of my ancestors?
If God would have wiped out my family,
He would wipe out me!
Now I see,
That sometimes we all hang on Christ’s tree.
Sometimes we all have to suffer,
Because while at Calvary,
Jesus was thinking on eternity.
His Father could have set Him free,
His Father could have brought judgment upon all who abused Him,
But in His great patience and Love,
Jesus Christ suffered on,
For you and for me,
So that we might live forever happy and free!
So maybe God allowed me to suffer,
Because a child would come forth,
A very important person,
From the witch who molested me?
So maybe I suffered and died mentally,
So that someone else might live?
Maybe instead of judging the witch,
God has redeemed her and set her free?!
Where is God when I am suffering?
He’s hanging right beside me!
He knows the pain,
He knows the agony,
He knows the Master’s plan!
Sometimes we have to suffer,
And Sometimes we have to die,
So that others might live!
God turned away from Jesus’ suffering,
And looked forward to the riches of Salvation and eternal life!
Jesus looked around,
In the middle of His suffering,
But He could not find His Father!
Jesus might have felt forsaken in the midst of His great suffering and agony,
But the Father had already moved away,
Forward to the riches of the end,
And there He was waiting to welcome His beloved Son,
To the great joys of everlasting mortal life!
To the abundant riches of children and heirs!
I suffered at three years old,
But why was God’s hand of judgment not stretched out,
Because He was patiently extending His arms of Mercy and Grace?
Did I suffer,
That someone else might live?
Has God given me the great blessing,
Of being in Jesus’ place, on His cross?!
God knows why I suffer!
Everything has a reason and a purpose.
God is just!
And I trust God to bring good out of every bad thing!
Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t step in,
Take over a situation and bring judgment on bad people?
Why doesn’t God immediately judge the people who do us wrong?
It is better to ask:
Why did Jesus suffer on the cross?
Why didn’t Jesus judge the evil people around Him?
He had the power to
Why not?
Because Jesus was patient in His suffering and offered forgiveness and Love:
A criminal was Saved!
A soldier became a Believer!
A rabbi found his Lord!
A disciple was tested and made able to see his own weakness!
And God demonstrated His radical, awesome Love for the whole world!
Jesus suffered,
So that others might live!
I suffer,
So that others may receive Mercy and Grace!
God knows why I suffer!
Like Jesus,
I should be trusting,
And always looking forward to eternal life!
If I trust God,
And always extend Grace and Love,
My greatest enemies can become my best friends!
Selah. |
