Act of God

When everywhere I look

there is

nothing but defeat,

and when the scorch is blazing

from the desert’s dying heat…

when skies withhold

the quench of rain

from thirsting plants so tender,

when hope is like a barren field

held captive to its lender…

when every time

my eyes

descry

the mountains

I can’t move,

when even faith is faint and weak

and, God, I cannot prove…

the darkness closes in, but

I will

fear not

the night—

with dreams, deferred,

and pain, incurred:

I’ll walk by faith, not sight.

For what’s a desert without heat?

What are storms without the wind?

And what growth’s sustained

or plants remain

without the rain

they send?

Truly, it was in a desert

where our LORD did pine for bread…

but chose to last

throughout His fast

on God’s Sweet Word, instead.

Yes, it was in the storms

where our Savior chose to rest,

knowing He could wake

for glory’s sake

to calm a sea’s dark, savage breast.

And it was on a bludgeoned cross—

a scandal, shame, disgrace;

that Christ took up

and drank the cup

of wrath

against our race…

of a people and our fallen state,

the thrall of broken laws:

this yoke,

He broke,

like light – He spoke

from darkness just because…

He saw that it was good

to let Himself be known-

part night from day

and make a Way

for our inward, wordless groans.

Let them cry out,

let earth give shout!

Through famine, quake, and fire…

that seasons bring

for death’s no sting

or souls it can acquire…

when even in our suffering,

we will have rejoiced and reveled…

knowing in the flood

of God’s Own blood–

our debt of sin’s been leveled.

References from the Holy Bible:

Line 20 – Isaiah 41:10

Line 24 – 2^nd Corinthians 5:7

Line 35 – Matthew 4:1-4

Line 40 – Mark 4:35-41

Line 42 – Hebrews 12:1-4

Line 43 – Luke 9:23

Line 44 – Matthew 26:39

Line 48 – Isaiah 24:5

Line 49 – Deuteronomy 28:48, Lamentations 1:14

Line 51 – Genesis 1:3

Line 53 – Genesis 1:4

Line 54 – Ezekiel 38:23

Line 55 – Genesis 1:5

Line 56 – John 14:6

Line 57 – Romans 8:26-27

Line 59 – Psalm 66:4

Line 62 – 1^st Corinthians 15:55

Line 65 – Romans 5:1-5

Line 68 – Colossians 2:13-14