A poem by William Williams Pantycelyn:
My precious soul while here below,
Doth trust with ease, yet doubts still grow;
I'm dead as stone, yet much alive,
I'm far from God, yet near I thrive.
Though poor and needy, rich am I;
In health, yet sick and fit to die;
Though chained and bound, I freedom know;
I greatly joy, yet sorrow show.
I dwell in peace, yet war abounds,
I prove defeat, yet triumph sounds;
Though foes oppress and have their way
I conquerer prove and win the day.
Though dull and blind, yet I can see,
I'm full of filth, and purity;
Though black with guilt, white still my dress;
Without, within the veil I press.
My way is short, yet travel still;
I rest, but journey onward will;
Far, far from home, e'en now by grace
I dwell in my abiding place.
God's temple I, yet Satan's nest,
My very foe I make my guest;
Hell I deserve, yet heaven my right
Through grace and mercy, in God's sight.
Saturday 29 September 2007
Saturday 1 September 2007
It shouldn't be like this
“People are saying to me ‘wrong time, wrong place’. It shouldn’t be a case of wrong time, wrong place. It shouldn’t happen in this country”
This is the reaction of Stephen Jones to the death of his 11 year old son Rhys in Liverpool, and he is absolutely right. This shouldn’t happen.
It shouldn’t be the case that an 11 year old boy is shot 3 times walking home from football. It shouldn’t be the case that one child murders another. There shouldn’t be gangs of young people roaming around with weapons. Parents shouldn’t have to raise their children in fear. And when we look at all the death, war, disease, cruelty, famine, greed, corruption, lies, we know it shouldn’t be like this.
Do not be tricked into thinking this is just the way things are. All death and suffering is deeply wrong. God created the world perfect and made us in His image. It’s human rebellion against Him that has made things as they are. And the only person who can put each of us right, who can save us and change us, is Jesus.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘no’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2v11-14
This is the reaction of Stephen Jones to the death of his 11 year old son Rhys in Liverpool, and he is absolutely right. This shouldn’t happen.
It shouldn’t be the case that an 11 year old boy is shot 3 times walking home from football. It shouldn’t be the case that one child murders another. There shouldn’t be gangs of young people roaming around with weapons. Parents shouldn’t have to raise their children in fear. And when we look at all the death, war, disease, cruelty, famine, greed, corruption, lies, we know it shouldn’t be like this.
Do not be tricked into thinking this is just the way things are. All death and suffering is deeply wrong. God created the world perfect and made us in His image. It’s human rebellion against Him that has made things as they are. And the only person who can put each of us right, who can save us and change us, is Jesus.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘no’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2v11-14
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