The More They Grew

 

Though you be
afflicted

you’ll grow according
to My plan

remembering that
I’m with you

as your great
I AM.

**********

I will continue growing during affliction, for You are with me.

**********

“But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.”

Exodus 1:12 NKJV

Photo credit: pixabay.com

God Has Seen

 

I have seen
your affliction

the wrong that’s been
done to you

how still you labored
faithfully

so I have
covered you.

**********

You see all that is going on for You are with me.

**********

“Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

Genesis 31:42 NKJV

Photo credit: pixabay.com

Gathered

 

I hear your cry
and regard your affliction
remembering the covenant
I have made

according to
My multitude of mercies
I gather you to Me
and save.

A laid down life triumphs in His praise

“Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry; and for their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the multitude of His mercies. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, and to triumph in Your praise.” Psalm 106:44,45,47 NKJV

Praying From the Fish’s Belly

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.”  Jonah 2:1

“And he said:
I cried out to the Lord  because of my affliction
And He answered me.
Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And you heard my voice.”  Jonah 2:2

Though in a fish’s belly, Jonah recognized he’d been saved.

Thank You, God, for hearing my voice and saving me out of the belly of Sheol.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Even if I’m downcast
and afflicted
with waves and billows
rolling over me

let me remember how great
is my Salvation
how You swallowed up sin
at Calvary.

God bless you as you cry out to Him today!

Affliction Appointments

“. . .that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.”  1 Thessalonians 3:3

We usually try to keep all our appointments.

Lord, we desire to trust You during times of appointed afflictions.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Appointed

Source: uhs.wisc.edu

What I’m going through today
You will use in my tomorrows
and though I be abased
I need not be ashamed

for this time by You
has been appointed
planned and watched over
without blame.

Affliction and Joy

“And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.”  1 Thessalonians 1:6-7

Affliction and joy wouldn’t seem to go together.

Lord, thank You for doing what doesn’t make sense and wouldn’t be possible but for the power of Your Word.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Life Skills

source: wewantedtheirwings.wordpress.com

He comes to us
in our affliction

bringing life
to what was death

giving joy
by His Spirit

 
increasing faith
with every breath.

Imploring

“Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers

and prayed to Him, and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom.  Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.”  2 Chronicles 33:12-13

Manasseh was over the top when it came to sins, yet still God listened and forgave him.

Oh Lord, let us humble ourselves greatly and pray. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Only Jesus

Mary Magdalene by Ary Scheffer 1795-1858
source – wikipedia

What kind of heart can be broken
a million times a day

over what we do
over what we say

and yet listen and forgive
when we humble ourselves and pray

only the heart of Jesus
is made that way.

Desperate Giving

“Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” 1 Samuel 1:11

Hannah kept her promise and gave back the son she so desperately wanted.

Oh Lord, I desperately want to put back into Your hand everything You have given me. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Returned

Asking for a gift
I can give to You

something of use
that has meaning and value

like Hannah gave up Samuel
and You, a Son too

let me think first of the Kingdom
and surrender all I do.

Affliction

After Joseph and his brothers passed away, a new ruler came over Egypt who didn’t know about the children of Israel.  And so he said, “Come let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply and  . . .join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”  (Exodus 1:10)  So he set taskmasters over them to afflict them.  But, still the children of Israel flourished.

Jesus, we thank You for Your wisdom today, through which affliction and oppression only serve to grow us and Your Kingdom.

Here’s a simple poem to encourage us to trust in the wisdom of Jesus during tough times.

Wisdoms

There is a wisdom
that seeks its own
wise in the eyes
of those who hold it,
unlike the wisdom
born of Christ
that we can’t find in the mind
of mortal man.

“But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.”  Exodus 1:12