Streams of Comfort

There are two phrases from Psalm 103 that inspired my poem this week. “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;” (Psalm 103:9) and “for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). Both of these lines, remind me of God’s mercy. Of how He is slow to anger. The question that always pops up in my mind is why? Why is God that way when He can just strike us with lightning after every mistake. I admit that when other’s make mistakes that cost me, I wish I had that power. Yet, the God of creation doesn’t do that. He remembers that we are dust. He knows us and that’s why he continually lets go of His anger towards us. He doesn’t need to prove His rightness by punishing us to the fullest extent. Instead He is slow to anger to give us the chance to be better. To be more like Jesus. I think the world sometimes laughs at how “weak” that makes our God. That, like anger, is our default. But we know better. Being slow to anger is where God true strength lies.

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Take a page from God’s book
Let anger wash away in the face of rebellion.
For a higher purpose awaits those beings.
Awaits you.
He came to me with a head held high,
Shoulders stiff and upright.
Looked me squarely in the eyes.
I wept.
A little in awe, a little in fear.
He had justice blazing on His lips
Like a tattoo.
Undeniable.
To roast me, quite literally, with His truth.
I wept once more.
And I was simply kneeling there,
Barely a wisp of a human.
Shrouded in guilt so strong
It was my armor.
You laughed.
For my shield had holes
To allow your weapons to strike
My weakest parts.
Bare and alone.
You laughed once more.
I thought I would meet death.
That fool that thought he too could do no wrong.
Yet, in thinking so, he did everything wrong.
Like me.
As I lowered my meager defenses,
Waiting for the end,
You laughed one final time.
His hand came down,
To wipe my tears.
His sword struck,
The chains of my rusted suit.
His words pierced me,
With righteous mercy.
How does this happen, you say?
Take a page from God’s book
Let anger wash away in the face of rebellion.
For a higher purpose awaits beings like me.
Awaits you.

Alice R.