Why A Lifetime Of Suffering? Poem by Terence George Craddock (Spectral Images and Images Of Light)

If you ask me why
good people must

endure a life of suffering
now I could make reply

after so many decades living
with many answers differing

I could truthfully say
in life to all eventually

comes a time of testing
causes for stumbling

Jesus said to his disciples
“It is unavoidable that causes:
for stumbling should come.

Nevertheless, woe to the one
through whom they come!
It would be of more advantage
to him if a millstone were

suspended from his neck
and he were thrown into the sea
than for him to stumble one
of these little ones.” Luke 17: 1-2.

Now hear a parable on suffering
be warned learn the moral lesson

for it seems to me all famed worlds
wealthy; are rich for but brief seasons

listen to these wise words told by Jesus
the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

“Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man
who was splendidly clothed in purple and
fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.

At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus
who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay
there longing for scraps from the rich man’s

table, the dogs would come and lick his open
sores. “Finally, the poor man died and was
carried by the angels to be with Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried, and
his soul went to the place of the dead. There,
in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance

with Lazarus at his side. “The rich man shouted,
‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus
over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and

cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’
(Now I do not know why angels were sent carried
Lazarus to be with Abraham surely a great reward.)

“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that
during your lifetime you had everything you wanted,
and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being

comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides,
there is a great chasm separating us. No one can
cross over to you from here, and no one can cross

over to us from there.’ (A great chasm is wages sin.)
“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham,
at least send him to my father’s home. For I have

five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they
don’t end up in this place of torment.’ (A warning.)
“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have

warned them. Your brothers can read what
they wrote.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father
Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from

the dead, then they will repent of their sins and
turn to God.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t
listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen

even if someone rises from the dead.’” This is truth,
the rich, the arrogant, are their own gods in life, to
none will they listen, deaf to the pleas of the poor.

“I have seen everything during my lifetime
of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes
in his righteousness and there is a wicked man

who prolongs his life in his wickedness.” Ecclesiastes 7: 15.
A verse proven ever more true in an age of scientific
triumph; life prolonging medical marvels.

But truth never changed, man chose to defy God
and embrace sin. If God simply wanted 'puppets'
to control, God would have made us all puppets.

Instead God created us with free choice, laugh, insult
God; call all religion myth, fairy tales; but remember,
life choices made will seal your fate for all eternity.


Quotation from the New Living Translation (NLT) Luke 16: 19-31.
The quotation from Ecclesiastes 7: 15 is from the New American Standard Bible (©1995) .
Copyright © Terence George Craddock