Man's Extremity is God's Opportunity

Man's extremity
Is God's opportunity
If we are humble
Searching and faithful...

For He can turn what is cruelly unfair
Into a temple experience where
The imprisoned soul is taught and freed
Unto divine companionship and peace

As such, truths were revealed in Liberty Jail
Despite the debauchery and malice of hell
Midst blasphemy, drunkenness, and hypocrisy
And the smokey fires that warmed off their misery

And as all will be called on to face trying times
To a depth of discouragement that confines
It is imperative to remember, He is there!
Ever He sees us. Loves us. Hears our prayers!

Know as we weep, He and the angels weep too
So persist in your pleading and your searching renew
For just at the moment Joseph cried, "Where art Thou?"
The wonderful ministrant of the Spirit did endow

To flood his broken heart painfully opened
And teach that trials are for but a moment
A fact, He learned- God had never been nearer
As He heard these sweet words which could be hardly dearer-

"I will go before your face, ...be on your right and your left
As the angels surround...( a promise to us that is ever kept)
To bear us up" as we follow in the trails of Jesus
There to know of Him as we pass our Gethsemane that teaches us

Lessons from Liberty Jail
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Ensign, September 2009, 26

I get too excited and don't let a poem "rest"
so in a day or two this good will be its best

D&C 84:88
D&C 121