“Session Dos” (Psalm 65:9; Luke 12:22-34; Romans 5:1-5; 1 Timothy 4:8; 2 Peter 1:3)

We met, the three of us, once more,
The format much as week before;
I’d emailed focus of concern,
’Bout business aspect, so I’d learn.

I called it roughly “Hope within
Tight places”, so we could begin
To pick his brain’s ’bout hope he felt
The gospel brings to hand we’re dealt.

His first response, to kick things off,
Was sheet quite excellent – his thought –
Had been informed by Scripture’s words,
Which in hard times he’d really heard.

When looking back on life once more,
Of church – and business as a door
In eastern context (locked down firm
Far more than here, we soon would learn).

He said it’s “Open” here, compared
To cold suspicion over there,
Where he had lived and worked for years –
“You can make small talk here, no fears”.

Five aspects he laid out last night,
Where he saw hope in business night –
“God works to bring all things to good,
When we believe” – he understood –

That he had grown into that verse
In church and business – then rehearsed
His journey – accident with truck,
And vagaries of business luck.

He noted how God pulled him on,
From routine’s road, so that his song
Of victory o’er self and life
In Christ would shed life-giving light.

“It’s when we see God’s in control,
That hope emerges in our soul;
‘Coincidence which follows prayer
To eyes of faith calls us to dare –

“It to be conformed to Christ in life –
Not to just in church, when things go right,
But in our deepest bit of hell –
For hope floods in; fills driest well.”

He noted cycles of despair –
“First, some new challenge (not despair);
Some downturn local, bigger scene,
Which asks, ‘What will these changes mean?‘

“Then nose dive happens – we spin out,
Just like a plane – without a doubt,
This is not good – here comes the ground!
We fly the stick – no hope is found.

“For then we try to flight correct,
Instead of letting go, so get
It worse; just like when we’re in-flight –
Planes self-correct – things come out right.

“It but it takes faith in rules of flight,
Those ‘principles’ – when things are tight
Is not the time to fly alone,
Hold ‘guilt or ‘punishment’ as tone –

“Of what is going on, big pix –
God’s promises are nixed
If we go off our separate ways –
‘Live principles’, as Scripture says.

“Both ‘Cause’ and ‘Guarantee’ are seen
In power of God when we have been
To hell and back –‘Oh wow! It’s true!’
We sing with praise in life renewed.

“Survival’s like the cake in life –
Hope is it’s icing – covers blight
With bigger picture for our eyes;
But “cake” has base as we survive.

“In martyr’s lives I’ve found a key
To how to do such life – I see
They started out with point of view –
‘God’s in control’– there’s nothing new –

“That crisis brings (both great and small);
God’s in control, not stressed at all;
Not nice, but key – God can remove
Us from some scene – so let him prove –

“His love, protection – we have died
In Christ, in Him we can reside;
In life or death, it matters not –
Faith is the key – that’s what they taught –

“Me as I read accounts of life
On razor-edge – Saint’s bitter night;
Sometimes they lived; sometimes they died –
But larger view informed their ride.”

We spoke of local business scene –
Of hope snuffed out in youth who’ve been
Denied the chance to do their lives –
In global village we reside.

“Hope is particular as well”,
He said, “Not to just of heaven and hell –
Hope’s never failed me in that sense –
Hope in my life when things are tense.

“The bigger scene is true enough,
But feeding family now is tough;
That’s where hope plays it’s vital role,
And bids me venture forth as bold.”

We’ll gather there once more next week –
“Samana Santa”, as we seek
Good news applied in “Ag” today –
Reflect on part that Scripture plays.

Thanks Lord for this.’

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