Reaffirmation
Reaffirmation
I’ve been questioning my faith a lot lately.
And to go back and read Job, and how God
let satan give his best shot at swaying Job
away from the Him. I felt a small rejuvenation of faith
and it felt good.
Reaffirmation
Deep from the cockles of a shriveled heart
Can you hear the rumble goading from inside
Sins of the archetype, as they impart,
rebuked from paradise, as worlds collide.
Betwixt the burdens of god faring men
Were patent ghosts, relics, buried so deep
Life implants of a now begotten span
A parlor game where souls were reaped
And my atelier, clasped in His hands
Engulfed in His warmth, basking in His light
I thought I was safe. But was that a lie,
a plan, to see if stalwart was our plight?
Sundry, his designations worn before,
Accuser, adversary, prosecutor,
Sent by our Lord to assess, to accuse,
to challenge faith, to find the gross misuse.
And so unbounded, appears his right hand,
Then with solid feet, his knight chastens man
Chiding his family, expelling their presence,
the servile body as obeisance.
Yet when it bowed, the mind was in humble praise,
With venerated Love, the eyes towards the blaze,
Then spoken to the Lord, with pristine fraught,
“I came in with naught and shall leave with naught.”
But we view pious matters in isolation
Stuck on old words and their implications
Was God inciting satan, or testing Job?
Was God’s will resolute, or a fitting shop?
The impetus of faith, bathed in convenience
But unto Job his only path of credence.
As satan asked that God rid his bone and touch
to test his masses without their loving crutch.
Would Job still pay homage to God’s mouthful,
Knowing that Omnipresence meant willful?
And without pause before the accuser,
Job affirms as a religious consumer,
The trust of God and the Love he has felt,
Even in the shadow of death, as he knelt,
His sanctuary still in God’s clasping clutch
In reaffirmation and loving touch.
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Job was unshakable and stood strong in his faith. His story has been an inspiration to so many people who needed hope and strength. I know the story by heart, for I was a Job’s Daughter in the Masonic Order when I was a young teen. I am not Christian now, but still see Job’s story as inspiration for all who are struggling in life. I believe God, our Creator, does things in mysterious ways to help us stay true to our Self. Your poem is very well written, Paul – a message to keep on one’s intended path. Well done, dear friend.
Do tell what religious path you chose instead? If you don’t want to i understand as well. I truly love the tale of Job. It alao serves in irony as to satan being not the evil wicked serpent that many christians see him as, but as an asset for God in this story, a being used to test God’s will. I always found that part strange because it is contradictory to what Catholics are taught. Anyway thank you so much Phyllis.
I mean he did kill all his family and took away all that Job held close to his heart. But God said save his life and satan did as so.
That is true. And all that Job lost was restored to him by God. Now, tell me how you interpret that restoration, Paul? Does it mean that in his next life Job had all and even more than he did when in the life God tested him? Or do you believe it was in the same life that God performed a miracle and restored to Job all that satan took from him?
I find your interpretation of satan very interesting, being God’s tool for testing the faith of people.
I m pretty sure in the end God restored the animals and material possessions doubly for Job, but did not restore the children, as to leave so form of sorrow in Job’s mind.
If you read the bible as a whole, satan’s persona differs greatly between the two. Granted the new testament was written a good 500 years after the old, but in the old testament satan is a term used to refer as adversary or accuser, and in many aspects, chiefly under Job’s detail, he is raised under that guise. It is not until the new testament books that his name is capitalized and he becomes the popular Satan that is depicted nowadays. So I always found it curious how we made the jump from “the Satan” to Satan
I do not mind answering your question, Paul. I believe in God. I do not live by the Bible, but do like to read it. I believe Jesus was a strong, dedicated spiritual leader and teacher. I have for most my life been drawn to the Pagan faith and am learning more about it each day. It is a Nature faith and I am very comfortable with it. That does not mean I have turned away from God. I believe in God, our Creator, I do not follow or believe in any religion. Thank you, Paul, for asking.
I’ll be honest I’m a non practicing Catholic. I don’t really like the bible as being law, its a great story book with a lot of really good morals. I do believe in God and pray at home. I feel most religions are corrupted beyond measure so I choose to do my own thing and am content by it. Thank you for sharing Phyllis.
You are most welcome, Paul. I enjoyed our conversation. It seems we are similar as far as the bible and not attending a church. My “church” is nature. Thank you, Paul, for sharing. Take care.
PS: You might want to add the category ‘Poetry’ to your post, so it will have more exposure in the feed and in archives. 🙂
Paul,
This is beautiful, and so inspirational. It is a powerful testimony to our Dear Lord, and Savior. Ecclesiastes, Job, Corinthians, John, and many other Books included in The Holy Bible are my most favorite…actually, all of them.
Thank you for sharing this powerful and amazing poem!
I am one who really enjoys the angelic world. The stories are top notch, the grandeur is amazing, and the messages are usually very good. That being said, I am glad you enjoyed this piece, much appreciation.
This is a wonderful piece Paul, and reading it for me personally could not have come at a better time. I know sometimes that there is a higher power at work, reading this today proved it to me once again.. Thank you
I am glad that I was able to help. Also her appreciative of your kind words my friend. Thank you Kurt.
Nicely penned and heartfelt expression in regard to personal faith. To me faith is within the self as we are created and within us that spark of the omniscient and omnipotent, thus internal rather than external as in religion. But no matter what people believe, faith is a positive expression and if it helps accept the flow of live then that is of great value. Cheers!
I’m with Tony on faith. I won’t go into detail about my religious experiences over the years, suffice it to say that my house of worship is in my own privacy speaking with our creator. Like Robert Duval in the movie, “The Apostle” we have great yelling matches together. My creator knows me, like my Muse they may both be the same spirit? Yet I truly respect all religions of the world, hope is important for so many, if religion gives them that comfort then it is important. Unfortunately religion has become the Opium of the masses, as quoted by Marx. It has killed, maimed, destroyed, lied and yet through all the negatives, there are many positives too for people. I respect the positives. One doesn’t have to attend a church to find God, in the quiet of one’s heart, whispers come to it and if we listen closely and follow our heart, we can live a very loving, peaceful and thankful life. Paul you penned a heart felt poem, I respect your belief and many times we are tested as was Job, coming through a testing like that any man would be cleansed. Beautiful work sir.
Far be it from me to preach religion. I believe as you and Tony do as well. I do not go to church unless forced and by forced I mean someone’s communion,baptism,etc. I do believe in God, and I pray to Him not as often as I should. The bible to me is a great storybook, pissibly one of the best ever. Religion is insane nowadays. Priests raping little boys, radical Islam taking a front seat, so many bad things are tied into religion. In previous generations we had Holy wars, people paying for the sins to be expunged, its pure insanity. But what I take out of religion, is Love. Love unconditional, love with all your heart, and for the most part you will be at peace, with the world, with your family, with your Creator. Everything else from the communion, to barmitzva, to other endless stories and morals are all common sense filler. Be kind to others should always be a priority in life. Thank you so much for your kind words my friend.