You talk about disappointment! Mary and Martha had sent word to Jesus
that their brother, Lazarus, His friend whom He loved, was deathly ill.
Their hope was that upon receiving this word Jesus would have come at
once and healed their brother. They certainly knew that He could and
hoped that He would, but Jesus stayed put two more days where He was.
In the meantime, Lazarus died. But we know the rest of the story!
Jesus did eventually come to Bethany and gave a greater miracle than
that of healing a sick man–He raised a dead man back to life! As has
been said, “Disappointment is His appointment.” I hope you will be as
blessed as I have been by this poem.
“Disappointment — His Appointment”
Change one letter, then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God’s better choice for me.
His appointment must be blessing,
Tho’ it may come in disguise,
For the end from the beginning
Open to His wisdom lies.
“Disappointment — His Appointment”
Whose? The Lord, who loves me best,
Understands and knows me fully,
Who my faith and love would test;
For, like loving earthly parent,
He rejoices when He knows
That His child accepts, UNQUESTIONED,
All that from His wisdom flows.
“Disappointment — His Appointment”
“No good thing will He withhold,”
From denials oft we gather
Treasures of His love untold,
Well He knows each broken purpose
Leads to fuller, deeper trust,
And the end of all His dealings
Proves our God is wise and just.
“Disappointment — His Appointment”
Lord, I take it, then, as such.
Like the clay in hands of potter,
Yielding wholly to Thy touch.
All my life’s plan in Thy moulding,
Not one single choice be mine;
Let me answer, unrepining —
“Father, not my will, but Thine.”
Edith Lillian Young