CLEANSED IN HIS BLOOD (UPDATED)

AS I LIE HERE ALONE
BACK IN MY BEDROOM
(WELL, NOT REALLY ALONE
CUZ I HAVE PANDA AND ELVIS
TO CUDDLE WITH ME
AND KEEP ME COMPANY),
I REFLECT ON THE PAST MONTH,
AND WONDER WHY
YOU ALLOWED ALL OF IT TO HAPPEN.
I KNOW ABOUT FREE WILL AND ALL
AND OF THE VERY MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY
THAT HAVE THROWN OUT YOUR HOLY WORD,
BELIEVING IF THEY ARE GOOD ENOUGH
THEY WILL MAKE IT INTO YOUR HEAVENLY REALM.
BUT I KNOW AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS
THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT YOUR HOLY WORD SAYS.
WE CAN HAVE THE BLACKEST OF PASTS
AND INVITE YOU INTO OUR HEART,
AND, SUDDENLY, EVERYTHING CHANGES
AND WE KNOW WE WILL SOME DAY
HAVE THE BLISS OF MEETING YOU
FACE-TO-FACE.
I LONG FOR THAT DAY.

ALL OF THESE YEARS
I HAVE BEEN MALIGNED AND PHYSICALLY HURT,
AND HAVE HAD TO WORK HARD ON FORGIVENESS.
AND HERE IT IS AGAIN - THE SIN OF OTHERS
ATTACKING MY SMALL FAMILY AND ME.
ARE YOU ALLOWING THIS
TO MAKE ME STRONGER,
OR TO JUST SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD?

NO MATTER, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
SOMETHING AWESOME PLANNED
THAT IS MORE THAN I COULD EVER DREAM
OR EVEN DESIRE.
YOU GIVE US MORE.

SO IF I MUST SUFFER
IN ORDER
TO WRITE
AND SHARE MY DEEPEST HURTS,
MY INNERMOST THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS
SO THAT OTHERS OUT THERE,
ANYWHERE,
CAN BE HELPED,
KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR SUFFERINGS
AND WRONGS,
THEN NOTHING SHALL STOP ME
FROM PROCLAIMING YOUR NAME
AND YOUR AMAZING GRACE.
NOTHING.
AND ABOVE ALL ELSE
HOW YOU SACRIFICED YOUR ONE AND ONLY SON,
AND WASHED ME CLEAN IN HIS BLOOD.

HEBREWS 5:16-18 - REJOICE ALWAYS, PRAY CONTINUALLY, GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS.