pity your foolish child by Newman
Hall he went on a little further and
fell face down on the ground praying my father if it is possible
let this cup of suffering be taken away from me yet I want
your will not mine Matthew 26 39 Throughout his life, Jesus was
the man of sorrows, and many of his disciples go mourning
all their days by reason of continued illness, unkindness, loneliness,
anxiety, successful sorrows, stripes repeated before the former
wounds are healed, one woe treading on the heels of another, as with
Job. Some thorn is always rankling. When one rocky crag has been
surmounted, another has to be scaled. When one troubleless
torrent has been waded, another and yet another roars across
our path. You may plead that your Heavenly
Father would relieve the pain, heal the sickness, spare the
life, remove the danger, calm the anxiety, restore the love,
restrain the sin, abate the anger, disperse the cloud, calm the
storm, send the sunshine. My father, pity your foolish
child, but bear with me while I confess that this bitter cup
depresses my spirit, raises doubts, disturbs my faith, irritates
my temper, drives me to frivolity, hinders prayer, and tempts me
to seek relief wrongfully. I am taught that affliction should
make me humble and patient, gentle to others, weaned from earth,
submissive to you. But this cup seems to produce
opposite results. Oh, let this cup pass from me. My soul is bowed down to the
dust. My tears have been my food day
and night. Oh my God, my soul is cast down
within me. All your waves and your billows
are gone over me. Abba, Father, let this cup pass
from me. Behold me, even me. Listen to
my complaint. Behold this cup, how bitter it
is. How full, how long, I have had
to drink it. In my ignorance, it seems unsuited
to my temperament. How wearied and faint I am. how earnestly I desire to be
spared the further drinking of it. O my Father, witness these
tears, hear these cries, consider my soul's agony. Abba, Father,
if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from
me. Yet, I want your will, not mine.