He Strikes Me

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. Hebrews 12:5-6

Though the pains that I now know are from the works of man And as well are the result of well-intentioned plans Above it all I do affirm that The Sovereign stands
The counsel of acquaintances sounds much like Job's three friends
And from appearances it would seem my road is at an end
Although I traveled in such haste to what I thought was Him
Long my eyes do gaze and search for some new open door
But it is only with my ears I hear them close and close and close some more
My means are nothing and now I feel I'm at my very end

And He strikes me, and He strikes me, and He strikes me again.

It is in this darkness when flickering faith becomes our surest hope
Behind this cloud of suffering stands His will to make me whole
What is this rod that strikes my back - of this I do not know
Could it be the rod of discipline because He loves me so
Would he withhold a chastening blow if flesh becomes my friend
A loving father spares not this rod - a repentant heart to win
When self and pride and greed and lust do surely lurk within
If that the case - my sins to chase - and drive them to the sea
Then every blow, I must embrace - for they are saving me
I dare not think that my own heart is not so black with sin

So He strikes me, and He strikes me, and he strikes me again.

There are more reasons than just one - the Father does know best
Which rod that he should choose to use, perfecting righteousness
Though affliction sometimes hides His care, He does intend to bless
For to endure unto the end, our faith the Lord will test
This could be the rod of purification for my holiness
Growth comes in the valley - these trials strengthen me
For if we stayed upon the mountain, how little we would be
It is right now I must remember that pruning grows the tree
In His design this present suffering has greater glory for its end

And so with care He strikes me, and He strikes me, and He strikes me again.

Or could it be that I have veered far from the bleeding path
And so He grips the rod of correction to save my soul at last
I am so prone to wander, to lose sight along the way
While traveling through this fallen world, my heart so often strays
And I begin to live as if this world could satisfy
Enticed by trappings just as fleeting as the days gone by
And so this trouble purges me - and it's no wonder why
God in Christ for us is what we have in store
So He shakes me, to break me, to make me love Him more
To loosen my grasp upon this life and long for heaven's shore
And so to pull me from the miry clay and on the Rock to stand

He strikes me, and He strikes me, and he strikes me again.

I might look to another promise I trust I've understood
That when man seeks to do me harm, God works it for my good
This suffering compared with what's to come, one simply cannot measure
How great a loss we do ensure if here we seek our pleasure
So freeing us from this world, these pains make Christ our Treasure
There is a fellowship that's dear when suffering's our sanctification
It just may be to look like Christ, it's God's rod of identification
For Christ our Savior bore a cross, the world He means to bless
Is it for us to live this life and suffer any less
When is the Gospel more Christ-like than when we all are pressed
And so my trial may one day cause another one to stand

So He strikes me, and He strikes me, and He strikes me again.

These are just rumblings, scattered mumblings, of one now suffering
Please do excuse such random muse if these are words of wind
Though this haze may cloud the things I seek to understand
I know that now I must press on to have my joy in Him
And as I feel Your crushing weight lash down on me again Lord give me grace that I might turn and kiss Your blowing, loving hand

All glory, praise, and honor be to He who strikes, and strikes, and strikes again.

(Gen 50:20, Job 5:17, Ps 94:12, Prov 3:11-12, 12:1, 13:14, 22:15, 23:14, 2 Cor 1:8-9, 4:17, Matt 5:11-12, Phil 2:5-11, 3:10, Mark 10:45, Heb 12:6, 10-11, 1 Thess 5:23-24, Rom 5:3-4, 8:28)

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