When I first was saved on a Friday night in August of 1972, my joy was abounding. In fact after I left the church camp where I had just been saved, I went home with my cousin to his home in Muskegon, Michigan. We were at a friend's house outside at night. As I was thinking about what had happened, at camp;I began to yell very loudly, "I am going to Heaven, I am going to Heaven." A man who was in a car driving by the house heard me and thought I was yelling at him. He stopped and told me that he would beat the ## out of me. I tried to explain to him that I was thanking God for the assurance that I had that when I died, I would go to heaven. I was sixteen years old and this initial joy went on for days.
And then at some point, I began to experience trials, a certain heaviness of heart. At this juncture in my Christian life, I was unaware that I would be called to the ministry.
Some years later, I came across this poem.
When God wants to drill a man and thrill a man and skill a man...
When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part
When He yearns with all His heart to create so great
and bold a man that all the world shall praise...
Watch His methods; Watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects whom He royally elects...
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into frail shapes of clay that only God understands.
How his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands...
How he bends but never breaks when His good he undertakes.
How He uses whom He chooses...with every purpose fuses him;
By every art induces him to try His splendor out...
God knows what He's about!
When God wants to take a man and shake a man and wake a man...
When God wants to make a man to do the future's will;
He tries with all His skill...
When He yearns with all His soul to create him large and whole...
With what cunning He prepares him...
How He goads and never spares him! How He whets him
and He frets him and in poverty begets him...
How often He disappoints whom He sacredly anoints!
With what wisdom He will hide him;
Never minding what betide him...
Though his genius sob with slighting and his pride may not forget;
Bids him struggle harder yet!
Makes him lonely so that only God's high messages shall reach him...
So that He may surely teach him what the hierarchy planned;
And though he may not understand...
Gives him passions to command.
How remorselessly He spurs him...
With terrific ardor stirs him
When He poignantly prefers him.
When God wants to name a man and fame a man and tame a man...
When God wants to shame a man to do His Heavenly best;
When He tries the highest test that His reckoning may bring...
When He wants a [god] or king;
How He reins him and restrains him so
his body scarce contains him...
While He fires him and inspires him…
Keeps him yearning, ever burning for that tantalizing goal.
Lures and lacerates his soul...
Sets a challenge for his spirit;
Draws it highest then he's near it!
Makes a jungle that he clear it;
Makes a desert that he fear it..
.and subdue it, if he can -
So doth God make a man!
Then when he tests his spirit's wrath
Throw a mountain in his path;
Puts a bitter choice before him
and relentlessly stands o'er him...
Climb or perish, so He says...
But, watch His purpose, watch His ways.
God's plan is wondrous kind -
could we understand His mind?
Fools are they who call His blind!
When his feet are torn and bleeding;
Yet his spirit mounts unheeding...
Blazing newer paths and finds;
When the Force that is Divine
leaps to challenge every failure,
And His ardour still is sweet -
And love and hope are
burning in the presence of defeat!
Lo the crisis, Lo the shouts that would call the leader out...
When the people need salvation doth he rise to lead the nation;
Then doth God show His plan...
And the world has found a man!
For a fuller biographical account of the many trials that my wife
Robyn and I endured please follow this link:
hhttp://www.amazon.com/Broken-Minds-Healing-Youre-Losing-ebook/dp/B004EPYNLE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
When I first was saved on a Friday night in August of 1972, my joy was abounding. In fact after I left the church camp where I had just been saved, I went home with my cousin to his home in Muskegon, Michigan. We were at a friend's house outside at night. As I was thinking about what had happened, at camp;I began to yell very loudly, "I am going to Heaven, I am going to Heaven." A man who was in a car driving by the house heard me and thought I was yelling at him. He stopped and told me that he would beat the ## out of me. I tried to explain to him that I was thanking God for the assurance that I had that when I died, I would go to heaven. I was sixteen years old and this initial joy went on for days.
And then at some point, I began to experience trials, a certain heaviness of heart. At this juncture in my Christian life, I was unaware that I would be called to the ministry.
Some years later, I came across this poem.
When God wants to drill a man and thrill a man and skill a man...
When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part
When He yearns with all His heart to create so great
and bold a man that all the world shall praise...
and bold a man that all the world shall praise...
Watch His methods; Watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects whom He royally elects...
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into frail shapes of clay that only God understands.
How his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands...
How his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands...
How he bends but never breaks when His good he undertakes.
How He uses whom He chooses...with every purpose fuses him;
By every art induces him to try His splendor out...
God knows what He's about!
When God wants to take a man and shake a man and wake a man...
When God wants to make a man to do the future's will;
He tries with all His skill...
When He yearns with all His soul to create him large and whole...
With what cunning He prepares him...
How He goads and never spares him! How He whets him
and He frets him and in poverty begets him...
and He frets him and in poverty begets him...
How often He disappoints whom He sacredly anoints!
With what wisdom He will hide him;
Never minding what betide him...
Though his genius sob with slighting and his pride may not forget;
Bids him struggle harder yet!
Makes him lonely so that only God's high messages shall reach him...
So that He may surely teach him what the hierarchy planned;
And though he may not understand...
Gives him passions to command.
How remorselessly He spurs him...
With terrific ardor stirs him
When He poignantly prefers him.
When God wants to name a man and fame a man and tame a man...
When God wants to shame a man to do His Heavenly best;
When He tries the highest test that His reckoning may bring...
When He wants a [god] or king;
How He reins him and restrains him so
his body scarce contains him...
his body scarce contains him...
While He fires him and inspires him…
Keeps him yearning, ever burning for that tantalizing goal.
Lures and lacerates his soul...
Sets a challenge for his spirit;
Draws it highest then he's near it!
Makes a jungle that he clear it;
Makes a desert that he fear it..
.and subdue it, if he can -
.and subdue it, if he can -
So doth God make a man!
Then when he tests his spirit's wrath
Throw a mountain in his path;
Puts a bitter choice before him
and relentlessly stands o'er him...
and relentlessly stands o'er him...
Climb or perish, so He says...
But, watch His purpose, watch His ways.
God's plan is wondrous kind -
could we understand His mind?
could we understand His mind?
Fools are they who call His blind!
When his feet are torn and bleeding;
Yet his spirit mounts unheeding...
Blazing newer paths and finds;
When the Force that is Divine
leaps to challenge every failure,
leaps to challenge every failure,
And His ardour still is sweet -
And love and hope are
burning in the presence of defeat!
burning in the presence of defeat!
Lo the crisis, Lo the shouts that would call the leader out...
When the people need salvation doth he rise to lead the nation;
Then doth God show His plan...
And the world has found a man!
For a fuller biographical account of the many trials that my wife
Robyn and I endured please follow this link:
hhttp://www.amazon.com/Broken-Minds-Healing-Youre-Losing-ebook/dp/B004EPYNLE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
Robyn and I endured please follow this link:
hhttp://www.amazon.com/Broken-Minds-Healing-Youre-Losing-ebook/dp/B004EPYNLE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
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