The Suffering of God

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God spoke Himself into the dark,
Formed part of Him from Him apart.
While in His work His love made known,
What wasn’t God’s would soon be shown.

The suff’ring fields began to grow,
For Evil came at night to sow.
Among the grains of love and care
Now grew a pois’nous plant, a tare.

As suffering filled all of man
All-loving God all man became.
He walked the earthen, saddened sod
Loved, so we would know a suff’ring God.

He climbed a cross – our pain to own –
Up there felt hearts and nature groan.
Made sin (which lured man’s heart to stray)
His own – so man would choose His Way.

Isaiah 53:2-11
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot,

    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.”

(poetry and pictures by Heidi Viars, 2019 … Scriptures taken from the ESV)

8 responses to “The Suffering of God”

  1. Anna Waldherr Avatar

    Beautiful, Heidi. ❤

    Like

    1. Heidi Viars Avatar

      Beautiful God, Anna ❤️

      Like

  2. Brenda Lynn Avatar

    I love this part of the scripture: “After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;”
    I think it speaks to all of His children. Even us. Your words paint pictures of that Hope.

    Like

    1. Heidi Viars Avatar

      Yes, because of His suffering, we can “see the light of life and be satisfied”. What a promise … we might have to wait a short while, but we WILL see!!
      Thanks for your faithful witness in the waiting, sweet friend!

      Like

  3. jeffwegandhotmailcom Avatar
    jeffwegandhotmailcom

    Isaiah 53 is one of my favorite because my friends Elward & Carol used as a prayer. This served as his testimony and ministry.
    I am so thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ.
    Cheers to a new year Heidi!

    Like

    1. Heidi Viars Avatar

      Thank you, Jeff … miss you guys already!!! Here is to a to a New Year and all that the Lord has in store for you and your family!

      Like

  4. Mary Sweeney Avatar
    Mary Sweeney

    Your poem sums up that chapter in Isaiah so beautifully.
    I love all your “path” pictures you take. I’ve never seen this path before so you must have gone off the beaten path. 🙂
    Happy New Year to you and your sweet family!

    Like

    1. Heidi Viars Avatar

      I did indeed go off the beaten path, dear friend! I suppose you knew because we’ve been walking together for a while 🙂 Happy New Year to you and Bill!!!! 🙏

      Like

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