I thought it was faithfulness,
To be so prepared to die...
I see it was actually a lack of faith,
To say too early to this life goodbye...
I saw the deaths of the martyred saints,
And that clinched for me the quiet debate -
Even my Jesus had a painful demise,
Why should I hope for a better goodbye?
Surely He cares for my spirit alone,
My flesh only there for which to atone,
My flesh alone a passing mirage...
A target for the unending barrage...
But I see now, that was terribly wrong,
A trick of the Devil, to sing that old song, of
"Nobody loves you, you are alone don't you see?
Here, have more disappointment and lack of belief!"
"He says he loves you but he leaves you to cry,
Thousands of years of injustice,
Of miserable lives…"
But lo, that type of thinking makes,
Many a theological bad mistake...
That turns Gods promises into a lie...
That says He doesn't care if I live or die...
Though this life is not our final port,
He did not make us for terror and to give us no support…
Though we do live in an age of despair,
Our Lord is loving, and seeks our care...
We have us each an angel,
We have each all the saints,
We have His own beloved word
To comfort our desperate straits...
We have the Holy Spirit,
Our comfort and our Hope,
From the deepest pits, a solid climbing rope....
But more than these persons who are invisible to see,
God gave me to you, and God gave you to me.
If we don't care for each other, beloved, who will?
It is what we've been sent to learn, the lesson to instill...
Do not turn your back on all people,
Just because some are wicked and bad,
This is why we congregate under the steeple,
For the best earthly support, we've ever had.
Friendship is real, and love is true,
It is meant for others,
And for me, and for you.
If we are not there for each other,
Yes, all that is left is just a sad life and death...
But if we have friends for to live for,
We can bravely say "No not yet!"
He wants us alive, healthy and strong,
To have the courage to love,
To strengthen these bonds.
For these bonds of friendship,
Of familial care,
Are the very net that will pull us,
From the black waters of despair.
Pity the one who falls down alone,
Who in the wild winds is battered and blown…
Pity the one who has no friend to help them,
By this very isolation they are condemned…
A companion is a treasure,
and can lift you when you fall,
You can progress through any weather,
Together, you can face it all.
