Haikus

Haikus

“For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’”
Isaiah 30:15
 
God, I think, is like a Haiku. Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry: 17 syllables in four lines usually involving an unexpected twist at the end. For instance:
 
Spring has come
The snow melts
The village is flooded
With children.
 
We expected damage from water and end up with happy kids! So it is with God; except that instead of twisting, He untwists things. For instance, to make a Haiku out of my experience,
 
Unjustly jailed
Put on trial
Prosecutor stood firm
To defend me!
 
God is the great Transformer, the great Surpriser. He can and does take the most painful and difficult happenings and tenderly turns them into our good and His glory. Think of the death of Lazarus; of the blindness of men Christ healed; and of His own suffering.
 
Old age is an example of God’s transforming powers. Aging is the process of losing things, going from competent, self-sufficient, productive people to helpless, dependent, and in the eyes of some, useless people. However, those who walk with God may be helpless physically or mentally but can still be mighty warriors in prayer and example.
 
 
Old age may be the process of losing things, but maturity is the willingness to let them go. In knowing God, we can have the bigger, longer range picture of what He is doing, as well as what He has in store for us in the new heaven and earth. So we can know that it’s ok to let go of what we cannot keep anyway and reach out to what more He has for us!
 
Here’s an old age Haiku:
 
Weak and old
memory gone
body powerless
more time to pray
 
So, as we face difficulties, let us look to our Haiku, the Lord God Almighty, the Creator, Sustainer and Ender of all.
 
society collapses
downward spiral
darkness closes in
God shines on!
 
He will carry us through as we come to Him in our weakness and needs, submitting to Him. He always has a sequel, and it will be good.
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