For years I’ve wrestled with this question: “why does a good and loving God allow bad things to happen to his kids?” At every street corner here and back at home, I witness poor and destitute souls in search of something greater than themselves and their circumstances. Sometimes they find it, but most of the time they die with the same hopelessness in which they lived. What is their purpose? What is the meaning of this, their existence? But in simply saying this, am I not showing partiality against the poor and towards the “more fortunate”, myself included? And showing partiality is not something Jesus would do. But I just can’t help but ask myself this question when I see people living in such conditions: why, God?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
A couple of days ago the Lord convicted me to write a poem to express my heart towards the poor, as well as ask my questions concerning the poor. I had no idea where to start or what to say, but as I began to write, the words just came like a flood. I had no intentions of making a blog out of my poem, but I decided to share it because I felt the Lord pressing it on my heart to do so!
As you read my poem, keep these things in mind for clarification’s sake:
The first man I mention (third stanza) refers to the man in my cotton ball vision back in Thailand (check out my “Cotton Ball Vision” blog), and the second man (stanzas 4, 5, & 6) refer to a homeless man who sleeps right outside our hostel and interacts with us on a daily basis. Underneath his kindness and smiles, you can sense the pain and utter hopelessness he sits in every day (please do me a favor and check out my squamate Katie Thompson’s blog to find out more about this man–it’s too good to miss!).
After you read my poem, please comment/ask anything in the comment box below! (or just let me know how much you miss me;P)
Inquiries
Show me, Oh Ancient of Days*
Your heart in all things you allow;
And how I may walk in your ways
So to you I will always bow.
Your ways are too great to comprehend;
But oh God of the great unknown,
Whisper to me that my thoughts might bend
And understand the things thou hast shown.
For me, this adage comes to pass:
That everything happens for a reason;
But what about the man digging in the trash –
The trash that keeps him alive this season?
With a grateful heart the man receives alms;
The compassionate strangers, from their palms.
But even so, if this man stays alive,
Does he not lay there, still, failing to thrive?
Then again, I don’t know his story,
The man who God’s using to show His glory.
Who am I to question his ways,
The God to whom all men will sing their praise?
But what glory is He trying to show?
Through this man who suffers so?
I suppose he does have a choice to make…
He is capable of picking up his mat for goodness sake!
And there! I might have answered my own questions,
With the help of my God who gives me suggestions…
He might be inquiring this of my doubtful mind:
“Is my grace not sufficient for ALL mankind?”
*this is a name for God found in Daniel 7:9
In Christ,
-Sam
