THE TEACHER

He brings us down so we might stand
He let’s us sink then lends His hand
He drags us through the miry clay
Then washes all the dirt away

He lays on us a heavy cross
Sometimes to get His point across
And when we’re nearing to despair
He reaches down this load to share

Then there are times He’ll hide away
And not acknowledge when we pray
To leave us till we reach the end
And then a band of angels send

He sends us loss… He sends us grief
He sends us pain beyond relief
In doubt we think we’ll not endure
And then He sends His Comforter

He draws us to the doors of death
And lets us struggle for each breath
But when He sees we can’t abide
He runs to us arms open wide

He is our Teacher and our Friend
His seminars will never end
Until the time we all await
When from this life we graduate

For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire
and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
Psalm 66:10-12

This poem won first place for the February 2018 poetry contest