Those Crooked, Confusing Places

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 from the TNIV

Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, you cannot discover
anything about your future.

and once again, this time from The Message.

Take a good look at God's work.
Who could simplify and reduce Creation's curves and angles
To a plain straight line?
On a good day, enjoy yourself;
On a bad day, examine your conscience.
God arranges for both kinds of days
So that we won't take anything for granted.

We may wait till He explains,
Because we know that Jesus reigns.

It puzzles me; but, Lord, you understand,
And will one day explain this crooked thing.
Meanwhile, I know that it has worked Your best--
Its very crookedness taught me to cling.

You have fenced up my ways, made my paths crooked,
To keep my wand'ring eyes fixed on you only,
To make me what I was not,

humble, patient;
To draw my heart from earthly love to You.

So I will thank and praise You for this puzzle,
And trust you where I cannot understand.
Rejoicing that you trust me in such trial,
I cling the closer to Your guiding hand.

Adapted from a poem by F.E.M.I. in "Streams in the Desert"

Someone asked me why I picked the passages I have here. It's nothing very profound. I'm using the Lectionaray most of the time, sometimes Catholic, sometimes Episcopalian, sometimes Presbyterian. It is a sort of discipline for me.