Beautiful Verbs
“But may the God of all grace, Who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” I Peter 5:10-11
What a tapestry of beauty
Peter’s verses show to me,
From the Giver of favor
(Yes, this is my Father!).
His glory will last, past the eons to shine
In contrast to suffering’s small, little time.
Suffering’s heavy emotions
Can’t shake His dominion;
See now then His glory
As four verbs tell the story…
Katartizo (Perfect)
For those who’ve been wounded while serving their Lord.
Translated “mending” in Matthew 4,
When James and John fixed broken nets on the shore,
It reminds me that God is not through with me yet;
His children He’ll never set aside to forget.
Sterizo (Establish)
His unflinching resolve would not be cut short.
This establishing of securing support -
He steadies my toppling, like sapling stabled with cord.
Winds may be against me, but His face is toward,
So that I can stand as I gaze at my Lord.
Sthenoo (Strengthen)
Restored, established, now strengthened to move;
Effective mobility achieved in His groove.
I can walk through each day enjoying His strength,
And continue this way through all my life’s length.
I acknowledge my weakness before heaven’s Coach;
He gives me His strength without reproach.
Themelioo
(Settle)
“Grounded in love”, “in the faith” later written.
These things won’t change, no matter my feeling;
That bedrock is stable, though all the world’s reeling.
I don’t have to know the “why’s” and the reasons;
He settles my heart in all of life’s seasons.
My God is the One Who does these good things!
Even over hard times, He is King of Kings.
I can always find shelter under His wings;
He enacts these good verbs, and my soul to Him sings.
Peter’s verses show to me,
From the Giver of favor
(Yes, this is my Father!).
His glory will last, past the eons to shine
In contrast to suffering’s small, little time.
Suffering’s heavy emotions
Can’t shake His dominion;
See now then His glory
As four verbs tell the story…
For those who’ve been wounded while serving their Lord.
Translated “mending” in Matthew 4,
When James and John fixed broken nets on the shore,
It reminds me that God is not through with me yet;
His children He’ll never set aside to forget.
His unflinching resolve would not be cut short.
This establishing of securing support -
He steadies my toppling, like sapling stabled with cord.
Winds may be against me, but His face is toward,
So that I can stand as I gaze at my Lord.
Sthenoo (Strengthen)
Restored, established, now strengthened to move;
Effective mobility achieved in His groove.
I can walk through each day enjoying His strength,
And continue this way through all my life’s length.
I acknowledge my weakness before heaven’s Coach;
He gives me His strength without reproach.
“Grounded in love”, “in the faith” later written.
These things won’t change, no matter my feeling;
That bedrock is stable, though all the world’s reeling.
I don’t have to know the “why’s” and the reasons;
He settles my heart in all of life’s seasons.
Even over hard times, He is King of Kings.
I can always find shelter under His wings;
He enacts these good verbs, and my soul to Him sings.
A sermon by Alistair Begg (https://youtu.be/To5RfCezfOE) first drew my attention to these verbs, and prompted personal study of the verses.