Job’s Sacrifice of Praise

Amid the ashes God’s servant sat,
Dejected and alone;
His family dead, his body suffering,
And all his riches gone.

“Curse God,” the devil said to him,
smiting Job with boils,
“Curse God and die,” came from his wife,
“be done with earthly toils.”

“What more could a servant suffer?”
asked his three best friends,
“Even God has turned His back,
and left you in the end.”

But Job gave no thought for his self pity,
As he stirred there in the dust,
But praise came from within his heart,
Where God, the King, reigned, just.

“Curse God,”  you say, you foolish ones,
“and just lie down and die?”
Deny my God His right as King;
Believe the devil’s lie?

And who am I to defy my God,
who owns this lump of clay?
But praise comes forth, my thanks to Him
That I have seen this day.

For He is God and I am not…
To chose how I shall live;
I gladly offer up to Him
All He would have me give.

No, I’ll not curse His name,
But praise His name instead;
Acknowledge Him who has the right
To be my Lord, my head.

For life has no other meaning
Than that I should shun my every whim;
Lay down my life, offer up my praise,
Submit myself to Him.

For He plans only good for me.
Throughout my whole life through;
If I but bow and praise His name
For all He resolves to do.


~ Joyce Guy ~

[ by: Joyce Guy (Joy Of Art Shop) -- Copyright © 2005 (jguy453@bellsouth.net) -- submitted by: Joyce Guy ]