Good men are thrown into the sea of fate
Drowning in ocean’s fury, towards demise
Praying that deeds sufficient will abate
Tempestuous abyss preventing rise
But man entangled in his own good works
Sinks heavier than man unencumbered
For good men seeking favor from the earth
Find it only when, the god sought, inters
Daily men die and languish in the sea
Daily you must avoid their same mistake
Eternally you live and set men free
Eternities, the costs that are at stake
Be burdened not as you unburden men
Live in grace, and with it grace all’s presence
While I believe that “good men” could be replaced by “all men,” I think it works best as it is. I think this is particularly the case because all men think they’re good men – at least for a time. Even most who believe they’re lower than others (e.g. certain classes in class systems), they think they’re good for sticking to that class. Others who may accept that they’re “bad” are no longer men who are alive, but have been interred in the earth, as shall be seen later. Their embracing of earthly pleasures and fulfillment indicates their death and embracing of it, at least in their soul. This fury of the sea batters us and ultimately attempts to pull all of us down – some sooner than others.
Most men fight the seas of life with good works – karma. Your good deeds will come back around to you, or your good deeds will negate or abate the fury of life. Maybe – if one happens to be good enough, they can rise above the turmoil of the sea and live in peace and comfort.
Those who attempt to rise via good works miss the point. To truly live free, we cannot add to ourselves. Attempting to avoid sinking by encumbering ourselves more simply makes things worse. It entangles us and weighs us down as we fight each incoming wave. We must throw off our burdens and the weight of sin which entangles us – stripping ourselves naked – looking only unto Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, stripped and striped himself for us.
Men who are attempting to receive favor from the earth (earthly pleasures, earthly comfort, earthly possessions, peace on earth, etc) are worshiping the earth. That doesn’t necessarily mean the nature people, but people who are fully invested and focused on this temporary, earthly, mortal life. All men who worship this eventually find it, as the earth obliges them and makes them permanent fixtures when it inters them in herself (i.e. the earth becomes their grave). Ironically, the abyss of the earth is pulling at men, and to escape her, they worship her. While the earth sets out with fury against man, men tend to worship this wicked tormenter rather than seek one who is greater and more benevolent than she.
All men are struggling to stay afloat in the sea, and many will be pulled down to their death every day. But my desire for my children is that they will not be weighed down by the same encumbrances of putting stock in their good works, or temporary, earthly relenting of the tumult.
But I hope more for my children than they just escape the wrath of life themselves. I desire for them to seek and save the lost. I want them to reach out with grace to others, empowered by the grace that saved them from the sea, and continues to shelter them from the tempests daily. It is not merely self that is at stake, but the eternities of multitudes.
Grace is a double edged virtue. It is first a virtue that we must receive. It unburdens those who are burdened. It is the extension of mercy and favor to those who are not necessarily worthy of mercy or favorable. Because everyone is lesser than another – and all are lesser than God – we must be freed of our burden if we are to be able to help others (like oxygen masks on airplanes). But for those who have received true grace, it is impossible and damnable to horde that grace for oneself. It frees us and compels us to move out into the world, extending grace to all whom we meet, as all are in need just as we.
Drowning in ocean’s fury, towards demise
Praying that deeds sufficient will abate
Tempestuous abyss preventing rise
But man entangled in his own good works
Sinks heavier than man unencumbered
For good men seeking favor from the earth
Find it only when, the god sought, inters
Daily men die and languish in the sea
Daily you must avoid their same mistake
Eternally you live and set men free
Eternities, the costs that are at stake
Be burdened not as you unburden men
Live in grace, and with it grace all’s presence
While I believe that “good men” could be replaced by “all men,” I think it works best as it is. I think this is particularly the case because all men think they’re good men – at least for a time. Even most who believe they’re lower than others (e.g. certain classes in class systems), they think they’re good for sticking to that class. Others who may accept that they’re “bad” are no longer men who are alive, but have been interred in the earth, as shall be seen later. Their embracing of earthly pleasures and fulfillment indicates their death and embracing of it, at least in their soul. This fury of the sea batters us and ultimately attempts to pull all of us down – some sooner than others.
Most men fight the seas of life with good works – karma. Your good deeds will come back around to you, or your good deeds will negate or abate the fury of life. Maybe – if one happens to be good enough, they can rise above the turmoil of the sea and live in peace and comfort.
Those who attempt to rise via good works miss the point. To truly live free, we cannot add to ourselves. Attempting to avoid sinking by encumbering ourselves more simply makes things worse. It entangles us and weighs us down as we fight each incoming wave. We must throw off our burdens and the weight of sin which entangles us – stripping ourselves naked – looking only unto Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, stripped and striped himself for us.
Men who are attempting to receive favor from the earth (earthly pleasures, earthly comfort, earthly possessions, peace on earth, etc) are worshiping the earth. That doesn’t necessarily mean the nature people, but people who are fully invested and focused on this temporary, earthly, mortal life. All men who worship this eventually find it, as the earth obliges them and makes them permanent fixtures when it inters them in herself (i.e. the earth becomes their grave). Ironically, the abyss of the earth is pulling at men, and to escape her, they worship her. While the earth sets out with fury against man, men tend to worship this wicked tormenter rather than seek one who is greater and more benevolent than she.
All men are struggling to stay afloat in the sea, and many will be pulled down to their death every day. But my desire for my children is that they will not be weighed down by the same encumbrances of putting stock in their good works, or temporary, earthly relenting of the tumult.
But I hope more for my children than they just escape the wrath of life themselves. I desire for them to seek and save the lost. I want them to reach out with grace to others, empowered by the grace that saved them from the sea, and continues to shelter them from the tempests daily. It is not merely self that is at stake, but the eternities of multitudes.
Grace is a double edged virtue. It is first a virtue that we must receive. It unburdens those who are burdened. It is the extension of mercy and favor to those who are not necessarily worthy of mercy or favorable. Because everyone is lesser than another – and all are lesser than God – we must be freed of our burden if we are to be able to help others (like oxygen masks on airplanes). But for those who have received true grace, it is impossible and damnable to horde that grace for oneself. It frees us and compels us to move out into the world, extending grace to all whom we meet, as all are in need just as we.
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