Through Disappointments

Michael E. Wood

January 28, 2014

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

What a wonderful thing it is to see God at work in the midst of our circumstances as He carries us to heights perhaps never dreamed of in this life. And yet it is perhaps in the midst of some of our greatest disappointments in which we are not given to see in our own time continuum what it is that He is doing, that His most gracious and wonderful work is taking place. He is not bound by time and all of His purposes for us as His children may not always be apparent. Therefore, let us trust in the LORD with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding, acknowledging Him in all our ways knowing that He will direct our paths for our good and His infinite glory!

Through disappointments God doth reach

Into the soul that He may teach

That He in faithfulness will share

Our every burden and every care.

Though transcendent beyond all thought

His immanence through Christ Jesus brought

The knowledge of His presence to

Our hearts as children; not a few.

While in Him as a new creation

Each in our own generation

Are given to see beyond our time

He was before and yet behind

Each circumstance to bring about

His glory which we sing and shout

To praise Him as our strength and song

With joy that to Him we belong.

And naught of earth shall ever compare

With Him whose glory we will share.

Hear my cry, O God (Additional Verses)

Michael E. Wood

January 18, 2014

 On October 12, 2011 I was given the grace to write a new song in the midst of undergoing a time of testing entitled, “Hear My Cry, O God”. The song begins with the words coming from Psalm 61:1-3. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

After having sung the song on numerous occasions during various services I have been entrusted with, I was contemplating singing it again. As I came to the end of the third verse, new words came to mind that I did not write immediately and were therefore lost in those moments. While thinking of these things at a later time and singing afresh to the Lord, I was given two additional verses which can be used together with the original or may be used as alternatives for a fourth verse.

Alternative #1

Till that day does come

With one voice as one

We praise You God and Father of the Son.

Our Lord Jesus Christ

Who is Holy thrice,

We wait upon You, counting the great price.

That was paid in full

On the cross that day.

Showing all the world

Your great love displayed.

Him, You did condemn,

Rod of Jesse’s stem,

To save all those who put their trust in Him.

Alternative #2

Till that day does come

May our sentence from

Your presence, conveyed by Thine own Holy One

Give to us as meek

Waiting at Your feet

Thine own words to fill the soul indeed with meat;

Which gives strength to all

Who before You fall

As we hear Your call

And worship You in awe.

Knowing You are here

Counting every tear

That flows from hearts as broken by Your fear.

Words from the Original Song:

Hear my cry, O God,

Listen to my prayer;

From the end of the earth I call to Thee.

When my heart is faint

To the rock lead me,

A strong tower from the enemy.

For when arrows fly

I will run to You

And I’ll stand by faith

For Your glory too.

You alone are God

And my refuge been

And through Christ You covered all my sin.

You have given me

The heritage

Of all those who fear Your Name.

For the blood of Christ

Removes my shame

That Your glory may be all my aim.

For the King enthroned

Now before Your face

Has redeemed me by

Such amazing grace

That my heart cannot

Help but sing to You

And forever give all the praises due.

All Your promises

Are fulfilled O God,

In Christ. We now can freely worship Thee.

He, the curse for us

When upon the tree

As He paid sins debt to set the captives free

That were written in

Your eternal book

As the Lamb was slain;

You forever look

With a smile upon

All in Him as one

Who will reign forever in the kingdom come.

Brought Afresh to See the Wounds

Michael E. Wood

January 7, 2014

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 

Ephesians 2:1-3

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:11-13

It is good to be reminded from time to time of the condition we were in by nature; separated from Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world. This truth, by the Spirit, gives us a far greater appreciation for the abundance of grace that has been lavished upon us in Christ Jesus.

There are occasions that I am brought to tears by the remembrance of consequences of past sins, but I am so thankful that we have a God and Father who has not left us to ourselves and has given us great and precious promises that He will indeed work all things together for our good and His infinite glory. In Christ, we have become a new creation. We have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Therefore we can find encouragement to forget those things which are behind and reach forth to those things which are before us; pressing toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

About the time I have in mind

I've made some progress here

I’m brought to see afresh the wounds

I caused through veil of tears.

And though my great offenses

Were indeed against some men,

It’s You, Oh God, my Father

Who alone I did offend.

Psalm 51:3-4

I thank You for forgiveness which

You wrought through Your own Son

And ask that You enable me

To magnify the One

To whom I owe allegiance

For the mercy You have shown

As through Him I am pardoned

And released to be Your own.

So help me to obey You

By forgetting what is past

And focus on eternal things

You give which ever last.

And now with time redeemed

Oh help me use it for Your glory

To show and tell the greatness

Of my Savior’s wondrous story.

Ephesians 5:8-10, 15

That Which Toucheth You

Michael E. Wood

December 30, 2013

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Ephesians 5:29-31

For the holidays the city had given Dianna six days off, so she decided to take an additional four days which would give her two full weeks before returning to work. This would allow her to come with me to the various facilities of which the Lord has opened opportunities for ministering the Word and allow her to help finish a number of projects that have been on the back burner for some time.

Shortly into this time she developed severe back pains. By doing a little research she determined that it was sciatica. Providentially she had also decided to go on a new diet, of which during her research found to be helpful for treatment for the sciatic condition. Her pain subsided over the course of the two weeks, but she felt discouraged over not being able to do all the things she had planned.

In many ways I felt helpless to be much comfort and sometimes selfish for my own perceived loses during this time and yet these are the thoughts which came to mind to bring some level of comfort to my beloved wife.

Upon reading this to her, I said, “You can always tell when I have been hanging out with the Puritans by the way I write can’t you?”

Perhaps thy God will come

And take the burden from thy breast

Or stoke the fires, refining faith

Like gold to stand the test

To prove by His own presence

He indeed knew what was best

To make thee like Himself in

Thine own heart’s true treasure chest.

For that which trills the soul

Amidst a bitter providence

Is the sweetness God brings forth

To show His love and faithfulness

In all He has appointed

To produce the fruit remaining

When the winter turns to spring

And we with Him rejoice in gleaning

From the benefits received

Which He alone could e’er produce

Through this trial He brought us through

To make us meet for His own use.

For you see now that which toucheth you

Now also toucheth me.

So together let us bold approach

God’s only mercy tree.

Which provideth all the healing

For the nations from its leaves

And has given us true shelter

By His righteousness which cleaves

To each soul of which He’s humbled

By His grace to thus proclaim

He alone is God eternal

And His glory is our aim!

This Time of Year

Michael E. Wood

December 31, 2013

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32

Dianna and I began a tradition of audibly reading the Bible through together which actually started before we were married.  Today will mark the third year we have chosen to use “The Discipleship Journal Plan”.  It is designed for consecutive reading in four different parts of the Bible for each day and allows for one day of rest per week.  We have found that it is an easy way to be disciplined in reading through without necessarily following the plan punctiliously.  We have likewise found that since we do not know what a day may bring forth we can skip some days, make up for them on other days, and still accomplish the desired goal of reading the Bible through in a year in addition to personal readings individually.  Using this particular method has thus far allowed us to complete the desired goal and finish out the year reading our own selection of additional passages.

With several good motivations our desire was to close out the year reading through the Gospel of Luke once again. Though we did not finish together by December 31, enough progress was made to bring forth additional thanksgiving to Jesus our Lord, the Son of Man.

Thank You for this time of year

To ponder now anew

Things You did while You were here

To show that which is true

Of which we as Your children

Celebrate rejoicing,

Looking to that one day when

All creation voicing

Praise and honor and glory

As God’s sons are revealed

Consummating the story

How by Your stripes we’re healed.