Bringing Abuse's Aftermath to Jesus

While God and I were addressing the life-long lie that “I am ‘too bad’ to be loved, helped or understood,” Jesus brought an answer to my cry which set so much of it straight, despite the need to look at some deeper things further….

“I planned you before the world began, and have loved you with an everlasting love. I have understood you since the time I was forming you in the womb; and it is because of My Presence, sustenance and divine aid that you survived everything adversely painful throughout your life. Though man has not always understood, or known how to love and help you, yet I the Lord can never fail you!”

 “Lord, why in all these years did Your people not love, help or understand my shatters and agony, but rather judged and condemned me?”

His reply… “Because My people are human they have often misrepresented Me and My love, relying on their own understanding instead of Mine. Only I, the Lord, have seen your bruised and bleeding heart so ripped and torn by the experiences of abuse and rejection, and only I have understood. I have walked the road before you, but none of these others have come close.”

 “Lord, I choose to renounce the lie that ‘I am too bad to be helped, loved or understood, and I acknowledge that You have done all these things for me. Lord, will You break this lie by the blood of Jesus and take back all the ground given to Satan through it; and Jesus, will You break all the effects this may have had on my children and husband, and retrieve that ground also? Please will You forgive me, Jesus?”

“My child, I will forgive, receive you and reclaim all the ground that the enemy stole. I will also exchange the lie for My divine truth which is: I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with the cords of love, and I will keep thee as the apple of My eye. Though weeping has endured many nights and years, My joy comes in the morning."

My Jesus Was Always There

Sometimes it is hard to at all understand,

Just what in dark trial my Lord may have planned:

How could He allow all the suff’ring and pain?

Why did He not stop all the anguish that rained?

So often I’ve stared within death’s darkest face,

Not knowing if morning my breath would still trace;

And one could well wonder, “Was God really there?

Did He even help in the midst of despair?”

My friend let me tell you in tones full of trust,

That “Jesus was there despite rubble and dust-

When dark death was lurking midst pain none can rate,

The power of God I cannot estimate!”

For it was my Jesus Who always was there-

He salvaged my life from the depth of despair;

Had He not have been there all hope would have fled:

For I would have perished - been found only dead!

He tenderly held me within His embrace-

Though crushed, bruised and bleeding, He offered His grace;

Although when in anguish one can’t understand-

Assured we can be that God has each life planned.

Christ picked up the ruins of agony, dark-

In love’s tender care He preserved my torn bark;

The tatters of agony, mixed He with gold,

Producing a vessel to use and to hold.

I praise my dear Savior that He understands-

For using torn pieces in His divine plans-

For salvaging life midst the ruins of pain-

For using the anguish for infinite gain!

For pain I do thank Him, and praise Him anew

For each darkened trial that He’s called me through;

I thank Him for using abuse so untold

To teach me His love as His purpose unfolds!

-Keturah

God Cannot Be Boxed-Up

How can man attempt to put God in a box?

Restricting His work with some human-made locks,

Expect that He operate as they dictate,

But His thoughts and ways are beyond what they rate!

His almighty power cannot be suppressed,

And He disdains boxes that limit His best:

For He can work broader and deeper by far

Than all the expanse of the galaxy’s stars.

God’s thoughts, ways and plans are outside of the box

That mortal man makes with their primitive locks,

To limit His power – which no boundary knows

Reduces one’s faith to a pile of vain shows.

Our Lord has no limits and never does He

Stay inside a box as a mere man doth see,

His power is boundless, His foresight untold,

His Everywhere Presence no box can e’er hold!

For even His finger a box can’t contain:

One touch from the Master turns rubble to gain,

A word, and the crippled can run, walk and play –

His Presence alone bring the broken new day.

For each shattered life He can find every piece,

To deepest distress He can bring full relief,

For every abuse He is there to uphold

And turns bloody tatters to strands of pure gold.

God cannot be programmed as software, galore,

For that stuff is nothing where God opens doors;

His infinite plans have no limits or bounds

When He is restoring a life’s broken grounds!

Despite what man thinks it just never can be

That God can be boxed or receive dictates free;

He can’t be confined into man’s finite space,

But works beyond limits in measureless grace!

Riches Untold

I have an account in heavenly bank,

And for this I only have Jesus to thank:

For He paid the price for an open account,

And now I can cash in for any amount!

When I must repeatedly choose to forgive

The one who destroyed all the life that we live,

I go to God’s bank where there’s riches untold –

Withdraw on Christ’s love, that’s worth much more than gold!

And then a deposit I place in His hand

Of every attempt from the evil one’s band,

To sow seeds of bitterness, anger or fear:

For I before Jesus must have a path clear.

So often it seems that I withdraw on grace,

But yet there is always some more in its place;

The heavenly revenue never depletes,

But needs great or small it repeatedly meets!

And when there’s a load that’s too heavy to bear,

I go to the teller at windows of prayer;

Where Christ the Lord gives me a full cash advance

Of strength that’s sufficient my load to enhance.

He takes a deposit of pain so untold

By grace turns it all into nuggets of gold;

No pain’s ever wasted when placed in His hand:

For He makes investments to use as He’s planned.

Of all that I have Lord, I give You control,

And ask that You work for the best of my soul;

Invest in my life, Lord, as You best can see,

And fit me for life in Your eternity!

-Keturah