Verse

The Midsts of Time

Each day of the future, time binds like a suture
that punctures the present becoming the past.
And layer by layer it forms a conveyer,
transporting me forward, unbidden, unasked.

And try as I may just to live in today,
my mind gazes out through the fog and the mist,
where worry and dread start to fill up my head,
regardlessly grinding my joys into grist.

The one sure solution when mental pollution
has darkened the sun, wiped the blue from the sky –
I blow on the ember of faith and remember:
My Lord is the Sovereign who’s reigning on high.

He’s loved me forever and holds me together,
as onward and upward and forward I trod.
He helps me to stand as I’m holding His hand,
My Jesus, I love you, my Lord and my God!

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

The Book of Isaiah the Prophet, Chapter 41, verse 10

© Craig Sabin 2021 All rights reserved

Image: Claude Monet, 1897, Branch of the Seine near Giverny (Mist), Public Domain, courtesy the Art Institute of Chicago

40 thoughts on “The Midsts of Time”

    1. Thank you, Cindy. I am doing OK, hanging in there day by day. The Lord is faithful and it is still in my heart to write and blog, but in this season my “useful” time is greatly limited. The Lord will open that door back up in His time I trust. Thank you so much for stopping by and for sharing this post!

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      1. You are a wonderful poet, Craig. The Midsts of Time was so moving and touched my heart in a personal way. I will pray that the Lord will strengthen you daily. Blessings, my friend!

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  4. I feel as if this poem perfectly captures the essence of time while still maintaining a stable structure and rhyme that worked really well with the poem. The message in the poem really spoke to me too – we truly have nothing to fear if we are holding hands with God. Even though I’m subscribed, WordPress hadn’t been sending me your posts so I accidentally was missing them. Don’t worry, I’m properly subscribed now.

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    1. Hi Simone, thanks for stopping by, and thank you for your encouragement! Yes, WordPress is a bit squirrely with the subscription feature, I have the same problems and still haven’t fully figured it out. God bless!

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    1. I’m glad you stopped by! Yes, that seems to be a regular battle for me, and so I’m guessing it is so for others too. I have been appreciating your encouraging posts as well. God bless!

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  8. Pingback: The Midsts of Time — Poetic Perspectives – Jesusluvsall's Blog

    1. Thank you, Jyothi. I need to say that I have been enjoying your photos of so many beautiful places, many lately have been near my own home in New York State. God bless!

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    1. Thank you so much for your comment, moribascorner. Yes, our Creator upholds all things and His presence and sovereignty is a great comfort to those who know Him. God bless!

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    1. Thank you, Matt! Yes, praise the Lord for the help of His presence. The imagery of hold-holding is such a blessing and suggests presence, help, and intimacy. By the way, I have been enjoying your series in the book of John. God bless!

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  12. Craig, your poem touched my heart deeply! When “mental pollution” & fear have wiped the blue from the skies of my heart, Isaiah 41:10 has been my go-to mantra. Thank you for sharing this today. May the love of Jesus strengthen our faith to never let go of His hand! ✨🙏✨

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    1. Amen, Virginia. Isaiah is such a powerful book. It at once exalts God’s righteousness and power like few other books of scripture do, and yet it also offers such personal and intimate comfort from His hand.

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  13. Craig,
    Love the pun in your title. 😀 Every word of your poem speaks volumes of your calling as a servant of Christ, tested and true, to his glory. Praying for you “in the midsts of time,” even as you trust in our Lord as a strong deliverer, a sure refuge, and an unfailing and present help.
    Grace and peace to you,
    dora

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    1. Thank you for your encouragement, Dora. Thank you for your prayers also. Our Lord is our everpresent help and He never fails us, bless His name! Grace and peace to you as well. God bless!

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  14. In difficult moments I always reach out for Jesus’s hand. I am praying that your Doctor’s visit will go well and for peace for you as you wait. 🌺

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    1. Thanks for the enouragement, Mandy! Yes, I am looking ahead into an uncertain medical appointment next week, and I have been “touring” art museums’ online collections lately, and thus the groundwork for this expression was laid. God bless!

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  16. Thanks, Craig, for sharing this profound post with the beautiful Monet.
    God, the great I Am, exists always in the present moment.
    He encourages us always to hold his hand.
    As you say, He has always loved us, and ‘holds us together’, as we move ‘upward, and onward and forward’.

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    1. Hi Sally, thank you for your sweet comment. Yes, praise the Lord for His constant presence and unending grace toward us in our frailty. God bless!

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