Sometimes

Sometimes pain is given
And we are reminded
That there is more than this life
Broken and splintered

Sometimes sacrifice is our calling
And we are offered a chance to die
That we might live

Sometimes tears pour down
And we are granted the joy
Of sharing in His suffering

Sometimes gifts come in ugly wrapping
And we know that only in eternity
Will their true beauty be seen

Sometimes the pain, tears and sacrifice
Are burdens we carry
So we don't hold onto this world too tightly

Sometimes we groan with wordless longing
Because we've held eternity in our hands
But we know we cannot keep it

We watch it slip away and weep-
Yet we know that even this is a gift
Because we want to love the Giver
More than His gifts

Sometimes beauty is other
Than we imagined it to be-
And we are given a glimpse
Of the shattering perfection called Love
That came in brokenness to save us

Sometimes He is all we have to hold on to
When suddenly we realize
That we are the ones being held

The severe beauty of our "sometimes"
Will one day meld into the glory
Of a timeless eternity

And so, in our "sometimes"
All we can do is believe
And let ourselves be held