“Why We Need The Kingdom” (Job 2:3a) [Spanish Jerusalem Bible Series - Job sub-series - # Job 2:3a] [Pandemic series]
God notes in dialogue, that earth
Is where Job lives, his mom gave birth
One day long years before all this;
But life for Job was far from bliss.We see, as well, in times like these,
Pandemic’s toll if it should seize
Some victim old or compromised –
Life ends not well beneath the skies.There’s lots as well who are quite ill
(For whom there is no magic pill),
Apart from virus floating ’round
Which shut our global village down.But listen to Christ’s words at first,
When in training twelve, before they burst
The bonds of culture’s massive walls
To bring good news to one and all.They are to preach, “The Kingdom’s close”,
Good news indeed that is for folks
Like Job whose life’s imploded here,
Or victims of disease and fear.I was like Job, for all folks are
From birth to death, both near and far,
Until good news arrives at last
That Kingdom-layer is here – and lasts!For satan steals, destroys, and kills
On earth, where Adam used his will
To “Do life his way” (satan’s trick
Persuading him to leave real, quick).God knew we needed place to grow
Above the fray we’d come to know,
So over time brought Kingdom-layer
To one and all – safe place for care.So Job, the book, recounts one man
With three acquaintances who can
Debate, yet find there’s no relief
On earth for Job – head to his feet.Lord, thanks for news of Kingdom-layer,
Where we can live in space of prayer;
Thanks for Apostles of our past
Who opened this to us at last.For now, with distance from the foe
Whose antics we’ve all come to know,
We find there’s peace, like ice on pond,
To skate across the lake we’re on.No longer stopped by obstacles
Like rocks beneath the ice we know
Stopped us, gave us a Job-like time
Before our shift to layer sublime.It’s not that all our troubles cease,
It’s more at last we’ve found a peace
That passes understanding, here,
On Kingdom-layer like ice that’s clear.We see what’s going on below;
We get to choose the way we’d go
In life, no longer shut down here
By obstacles ’neath ice so clear.It frees us up to pray for folks,
Bring them relief with timely jokes,
Unhindered as lives lived down there;
Freed up in You to be Your care.Lord, this does shift all “Wisdom-lit” –
Gives us a place to try a bit
Of how it might play out today
In You, through all our work and play.Lord, I find in Good News, relief –
I need not understand the thief,
Destroyer, killer of good folks,
But leave behind the chains you broke.For I got jammed up, couldn’t see –
I’m no perceiver – goodness me!
I see the many shades of gray,
Not black and white – though I must say –I know those two extremes exist;
The part I play, as You insist,
Is in the mid-tones some folks live –
Good news of Kingdom to them give.Thanks Lord for this.
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