The Lord God Gives and Takes Away
Read Pat Dys's poem on God's sovereignty, hardship, and comfort.
Pat Dys writes here about receiving both hardship and comfort from the hand of God. The question in the second stanza is worth sitting with as you read.
The Lord God gives and takes away In His own sovereign plan; He brings both good and evil things Into the life of man.
The pattern of His sovereign ways Is hard to understand, But shall we not receive them both From His own loving hand?
He is the Lord, there is none else, He rules by His own right He brings calamity and peace He forms both dark and light.
Why would the creature ask his God What is this thing you’ve done? As if His hands could not create From ash His glorious ones.
He comforts those who mourn their loss, Gives rainbows from the rains, For mourning’s night, gives oil of joy, For heaviness, gives praise.
The Lord makes all things work for good His purpose will prevail; For those who love His holy name His love can never fail.
Text © Patricia Dys, 2020. Scripture references: Job 1:21; Job 2:10; Isaiah 45:5-9; Isaiah 61:3; Romans 8:28. Suggested tune: St. Peter, C.M.
Read the second stanza again, then turn to one of these passages. Give the words time before moving to the next verse.