I suffer fruitless anguish day by day

by William Cowper

I suffer fruitless anguish day by day,
Each moment, as it passes, marks my pain;
Scarce knowing whither, doubtfully I stray,
And see no end of all that I sustain.

The more I strive the more I am withstood;
Anxiety increasing every hour
My spirit finds no rest, performs no good,
And nought remains of all my former power.

My peace of heart is fled, I know not where;
My happy hours, like shadows, passed away;
Their sweet remembrance doubles all my care;
Night darker seems, succeeding such a day.

Dear faded joys and impotent regret,
What profit is there in incessant tears?
Oh thou, whom, once beheld, we ne'er forget,
Reveal thy love, and banish all my fears!

Alas! he flies me—treats me as his foe,
Views not my sorrows, hears not when I plead;
Woe such as mine, despised, neglected woe,
Unless it shortens life, is vain indeed.

Pierced with a thousand wounds, I yet survive;
My pangs are keen, but no complaint transpires
And, while in terrors of thy wrath I live,
Hell seems to loose it less tremendous fires.

Has hell a pain I would not gladly bear,
So thy severe displeasure might subside?
Hopeless of ease, I seem already there,
My life extinguished, and yet death denied.

Is this the joy so promised—this the love,
The unchanging love, so sworn in better days?
Ah! dangerous glories! shewn me, but to prove
How lovely thou, and I how rash to gaze.

Why did I see them? had I still remained
Untaught, still ignorant how fair thou art,
My humbler wishes I had soon obtained,
Nor known the torments of a doubting heart.

Deprived of all, yet feeling no desires,
Whence then, I cry, the pangs that I sustain
Dubious and uninformed, my soul inquires,
Ought she to cherish or shake off her pain?

Suffering, I suffer not—sincerely love,
Yet feel no touch of that enlivening flame;
As chance inclines me, unconcerned I move,
All times, and all events, to me the same.

I search my heart, and not a wish is there
But burns with zeal that hated self may fall;
Such is the sad disquietude I share,
A sea of doubts, and self the source of all.

I ask not life, nor do I wish to die;
And, if thine hand accomplish not my cure,
I would not purchase with a single sigh
A free discharge from all that I endure.

I groan in chains, yet want not a release;
Am sick, and know not the distempered part;
Am just as void of purpose as of peace;
Have neither plan, nor fear, nor hope, nor heart.

My claim to life, though sought with earnest care,
No light within me, or without me, shews;
Once I had faith, but now in self–despair
Find my chief cordial and my best repose.

My soul is a forgotten thing; she sinks,
Sinks and is lost, without a wish to rise;
Feels an indifference she abhors, and thinks
Her name erased for ever from the skies.

Language affords not my distress a name,—
Yet it is real and no sickly dream;
'Tis love inflicts it; though to feel that flame
Is all I know of happiness supreme.

When love departs, a chaos wide and vast,
And dark as hell, is opened in the soul;
When love returns, the gloomy scene is past,
No tempests shake her, and no fears control.

Then tell me why these ages of delay?
Oh love, all–excellent, once more appear;
Disperse the shades, and snatch me into day,
From this abyss of night, these floods of fear!

No—love is angry, will not now endure
A sigh of mine, or suffer a complaint;
He smites me, wounds me, and withholds the cure;

Exhausts my powers, and leaves me sick and faint.
He wounds, and hides the hand that gave the blow;
He flies, he re–appears, and wounds again—
Was ever heart that loved thee treated so?

Yet I adore thee, though it seem in vain.
And wilt thou leave me, whom, when lost and blind,
Thou didst distinguish and vouchsafe to choose,
Before thy laws were written in my mind,

While yet the world had all my thoughts and views?
Now leave me, when, enamoured of thy laws,
I make thy glory my supreme delight?
Now blot me from thy register, and cause

A faithful soul to perish from thy sight?
What can have caused the change which I deplore?
Is it to prove me, if my heart be true?
Permit me then, while prostrate I adore,

To draw, and place its picture in thy view.
'Tis thine without reserve, most simply thine;
So given to thee, that it is not my own;
A willing captive of thy grace divine;

And loves, and seeks thee, for thyself alone.
Pain cannot move it, danger cannot scare;
Pleasure and wealth, in its esteem, are dust;
It loves thee, e'en when least inclined to spare

Its tenderest feelings, and avows thee just.
'Tis all thine own; my spirit is so too,
An undivided offering at thy shrine;
It seeks thy glory with no double view,

Thy glory, with no secret bent to mine.
Love, holy love! and art thou not severe,
To slight me, thus devoted, and thus fixed?
Mine is an everlasting ardour, clear

From all self–bias, generous and unmixed.
But I am silent, seeing what I see—
And fear, with cause, that I am self–deceived,
Not e'en my faith is from suspicion free,

And that I love seems not to be believed.
Live thou, and reign for ever, glorious Lord!
My last, least offering I present thee now—
Renounce me, leave me, and be still adored!

Slay me, my God, and I applaud the blow.

The POWER of WORDS

Read: James 3:1-12

Introduction

The church has no economic, political & military power; but it can unleash words that are sanctified by God for the profit of all.

Bridle your tongue

The apostle James wrote to Jewish Christians who were facing poverty & oppression away from their home country, learning an experience the hard way. Their situation was loaded with various trials & temptations & the weight of worldliness was pressed upon them. Given the background & the spiritual issue at hand, this letter tells them that it is easier to sin in the tongue in the time of their outward deeds & religious duties. The third chapter, then, is not only for those who might want to teach, but for all Christians as well. We are inexcusable if we speak in an unguarded & hasty speech. We know that all personality-types shall be tainted with this sin. In our mundane, day-to-day dealings in our home, work & leisure, Sunday is not exempted from tongue’s sin; the Lord’s Day is not off the hook from the tongues’ destructive power. Therefore, we fight for true religion & pure service 24/7 of the time.

The impact of words

Let us remember then, that for a thousand tongues there was a force that was words, that words are still mightier than the sword. For consider God, voicing-out His speech in the beginning, Let there be light, and there was light (Gen.1:3). Let us rejoice with John Calvin who for him this creation is the theatre of God’s glory. Let us soberly exalt God’s providence, which is his almighty and everywhere present power… whereby… He upholds & governs heaven, earth, & all creatures; so that herbs & grass, rain & drought, fruitful & barren years, meat & drink, health & sickness, riches & poverty, yea and all things come, not by chance, but by His fatherly hand (Heidelberg Catechism, Q27). The reason if whenever we confess the grandeur of God with awe is because He made us for himself and our hearts find no peace until it rest in Him (Augustine). To the youth, are you Young, Restless & Reformed (Collin Hansen)? To the aged & to the widows, the words The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (John Owen) are a sure comfort – most especially in times of remorse & sadness. When guilt-feelings beat you with more strokes, Christ’s Sacrifice is All-Comprehensive (RBM). And in the lowly language that is the Gospel, we are graciously seized by words – for the foolishness of God is wiser than men & the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1Cor.1:25)

James’ vivid portraits

Our Tongue is inflammatory, inconsistent, irreversible, inconsiderate, incredible, untamable, unruly & unkind. (Explanations: the tongue is like a spark in fire & is a fire, v.5-6; with it we bless God & curse men, v.9; we can not just delete the sword-like thrust of our tongue, Prov.12:18; no ministries, no persons & no days shall be exempted from its influence; ‘words have a way of escaping our mouths before they are carefully considered’ (Douglas Moo); every animals is tamable except it, v.7; the tongue will have its own way if without bridles, v.3; it is full of deadly poison, v.8. But, however destructive the power of the tongue is, there is still two, edifying, God-given & Christ-handed gifts to the church – Teaching & Worship.

Teaching & Worship

The author deliberately identifies teaching & worship as the ordinary ministries or activities in the church. The tongue directly affects these two because they’re ministered through words & speech, vs. 1-2, 9-10 – teaching in its teaching ministry & worship in its church gathering (synagogue, 2:2). But let us first be warned (a) avoid the error of Muntzer & the Anabaptists in the 16^th century where they ignorantly & quietly waited for the influence of the H.S. to come upon them (b) avoid the status of being an evangelical church where all members assume, & appoint themselves as teachers in the church.

What does teaching & worship gives? The Reformation excels in promoting a teachable attitude. This is also one of the first signs when a person comes to faith. Teaching constructs the church & builds-up Christians as God’s temple & dwelling place. It encourages us to count it all joy when we meet various tests; to hope before our unchanging Father; to be doers of the Word & not hearers only; to visit the orphans & widows; to show no partiality with the poor; to renounce selfish ambitions, quarrellings & love of money; to pray for those who are sick; to bring back those who wanders from the Lord & cover a multitude of sins. On the other hand, worship is not about us, it’s about God. Knowing God & worshipping Him with all the saints, His perfections & promises shall be enough to satisfy our deepest longings & desires. It’s because Jesus overcame all obstacles that we may worship God with joy & trembling. The Lord gave these ministries to create & define spiritual hunger that we may not wallow in what the world has to offer, but to feast together on the Bread of Life, which came down from Heaven to feed our eager souls. Aspire to have a worship gathering that will approach the Lord humbly & hungry.

Teaching & the Tongue: A call to Prudence

C.J. Mahaney rightly categorize that we are first Christians, then Husband/Wife/Single/Father/Mother, then Employees/Entrepreneurs/Ministers. Considering the varieties of sins attached to speaking, we who regularly listens to the Holy Book have no less lenience from God in terms of doing & practicing the Word. We regularly failed on our tongue just as a teacher who prepares his/her material. Like flattery – telling people what they want to hear, Prov.29:5/A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. And cruel jokes – which falls under lies, Prov.26:18/Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows & death is the man who deceives his neighbor & says, ‘I am only joking!’. Gossip – indirect passing of stories that are not fitting to repeat, Prov.17:9/Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. Slander – direct attack on the person, Prov.11:13/Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets. Grouchy – frictional attitude is their habitual aura, Prov.26:21/As charcoal to hot embers & wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. And pride – Prov.27:2/Let another praise you, and not your own mouth. In view of this, let us be prudent quick to hear & slow to speech, Prov.18:13/If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly & shame. Rebuke in love, Prov.27:5/Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Be gentle in speech, Prov.15:1/A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Timing is gold, Prov.25:11/A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. To the wives & newly-weds, Prov. 31:26/She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Worship & the Tongue: A call to Worship

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God, 3:9. The sinful tongue is a representation of the sinful world, James 3:8, it is a restless evil. It corrupts true & unspotted religion, James 1:26. To bless, simply, is to pronounce pleasant & exalting words to a person. We praise God regularly in worship, Ps.34:1/I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth; Ps.103:1/Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name; Ps.145:2/Everyday I will bless you and praise your name forever & ever. In the OT, God righteously cursed men according to their sins. To curse is to pronounce unpleasant words to a person. It is to wish or to present him/her to the most awful state, Prov. 30:11, There are those who curse their fathers & do not bless their mothers. Worship & cursing are connected in an unlikely way. Look into this kind of family worship & bickering, Prov.17:1/Better is dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. And these things ought not to be so. Be reminded & motivated that our fellow-men are made in the likeness of God so that whatever destructive words we say to them is ultimately an affront to God – He takes the most offense in sin, Ps.51:4. How about to those sitting beside you – cold words? Prov.12:25/Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. In all the troubles that we have faced last 2008, like passing through the river of Jordan, let us be more thankful to our Lord than be critical in our various, present situations (1Thess.1:2; 2:13; 5:18).

‘To those who have unclean lips, behold your God!’

Out of the abundance of Jesus’ heart, His mouth spoke sinless words: Jn.18:19-24 = The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in the synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said. When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Is that how you answer the high priest? Jesus answered him, If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?; hear what Peter might have to say, 1Pet.2:22-23 = He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; cling to the cross of Jesus all the time, not just as a model, but as Savior, Isa.53:7,9 = He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; Lk. 23:34 = Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.