Rays of Hope ~ Tim Stockton

Writing poetry has been something that I have enjoyed doing since the early 90s.  I sat down tonight to write a column and was not sure at all what to write about.  I typically keep a notebook next to my bed so that when I have an idea I will jot it down or most of the time will continue to keep writing until it is finished. I picked up the notebook and flipped through some pages and came to a poem dated November 16, 2024 entitled, “Come What May.”  

This then made me think of what my family had just read in our nightly devotions from the book of Job.  If you know anything about the Bible or not most may have heard of the suffering of Job who the Bible declares was a righteous man, yet he had great troubles, trials, and tribulations to the point that his wife basically told him to “curse God and die.” Then his best friends came to support him and console him but ended up basically telling him that he must have done something really bad in order to have all of this “bad stuff” keep happening to him.   In a quick snapshot basically Job had been so blessed with riches, family, respect, wisdom, and integrity that Satan challenges God stating if God removed all of the blessings Job would curse God and not follow Him. 

My kids used to watch a show where the brother was presented with an obstacle of sorts, but his motto would always be, “Challenge accepted!”  I am not saying this is what God said to the devil; but in essence He did.  He gave the devil permission to cause all of the bad, traumatic, grief-causing events to take place in his life.  The way it reads basically all in a matter of very short time he lost his wealth, all his children died at one time in a storm that destroyed the house they were in. Then eventually Job’s own body was impacted with what is described like boils and sores, that covered his entire body, causing immense pain and discomfort.  He also was under great emotional and mental health distress with the death of all his children and possessions. Job did get discouraged and at times seemed to wonder where God was in all of this. 

However, “come what may” Job would never curse or blame God for what had happened, but he did get to a place he did not understand why he was having to go through all that he had. Nevertheless, he never turned to the point he lost his faith in God.  Back to the poem some of the verses say, “Even when times get rough, believing I am never enough. Walking through valleys, eyes blinded to truly never see, yet…Come what may, being filled with doubt. I know His light will lead me out. Come what may.  I will trust in the Lord. Come what may. I will seek out His way. Come what may.”

~TRS 2-3-25