Poems

Poetry, for me, is a way to become attentive to what's going on. (Eugene Peterson)
 I have written a few myself....They can be accessed by clicking on the "poetry" label in my main blog.

Lyrics: Tom M. Jones

Music: Traditional

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,

All His wonderful passion and purity;

O Thou Spirit divine, May I truly be Thine

Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

Let my wonderful Saviour be seen in me,

His amazing compassion and constancy;

His great love is my goal, By His Spirit’s control

Till my wonderful Saviour be seen in me.

Let the fruit of the Spirit be seen in me,

Grant me grace all sufficient that I may be

True and faithful each day, Ev’ry step of the way.

Pointing souls to the Saviour on Calvary.

 

 

A poem quoted by Elisabeth Elliot
Do The Next Thing

"At an old English parsonage down by the sea,
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven
that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring,
like a low inspiration, 'Do the next thing.'

Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.

Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing."

Sing praise to God who reigns above, the God of all creation, The God of power, the God of love, the God of our salvation; With healing balm my soul he fills, And every faithless murmur stills: To God all praise and glory. What God’s almighty power has made, his gracious mercy keeps; By morning glow or evening shade his watchful eye ne’er sleeps; Within the kingdom of his might, Lo! All is just and all is right: To God all praise and glory. Then all my gladsome way along, I sing aloud your praises, That men may hear the grateful song my voice unwearied raises; Be joyful in the Lord, my heart, both soul and body, bear your part: To God all praise and glory. O you who name Christ’s holy name, give God all praise and glory; All you who own his power, proclaim aloud the wondrous story! Cast each false idol from his throne. The Lord is God and he alone: To God all praise and glory. Johann Schultz

Oh the Spirit filled life; is it thine, is it thine?

Is your soul wholly filled with the Spirit Divine?

As a child of the King, has He fallen on thee?

Does He reign in your soul, so that all men may see

The dear Savior's blest image reflected on thee?

Has He swept through your soul like the waves of the sea?

Does the Spirit of God Daily rest upon thee?

Does He sweeten your life, does He keep you in care?

Does He guide you and bless you in answer to prayer?

Is your joy to be led of the Lord ev'rywhere?

Is He near you each hour, does He stand at your side?

Does He clothe you with strength, has He come to abide?

Does He teach you to know that all things may be done?

Through the grace and the power of the Crucified One?

Does He witness to you of the Glorified Son?

Has He purified you with the fire from above?

Is He first in your thoughts does He have all your love?

Is His service your choice and your sacrifice sweet?

Is your doing His will both your drink and your meat?

Do you run at His calling with glad eager feet?

Has He freed you from self and from all of your greed?

Do you hasten to comfort your brother in need?

As a soldier of Christ does your power endure?

Is your hope in the Lord everlasting and sure?

Are you patient and meek are you tender and pure?

Oh the Spirit filled life may be thine, may be thine

Ever in your soul Shechinah glory may shine

It is yours to live with the tempests all stilled,

It is yours with God's blest Holy Spirit to be filled

It is yours, even yours for your Lord has so willed.

(unknown)

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly......With great power the apostles continued to testify to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus." Acts 4:31,33

 

Thus Would I Live

I would crave wealth, not riches as I live:
The wealth of learning with a quiet heart.
An open mind with leisure time to give
To poetry, to music, and to art;
The time for children's laughter, time to learn
The wisdom of the sages of the past;
The time to watch the stars--a candle burn
In sacrificial fire to the last.
...
I would speak gently though the din be loud,
I would move softly without hurried haste,
I would be inconspicuous in a crowd,
I would conserve the energies we waste;
I would see beauty in each common task,
Each bird, each tree, the clouds that light shines through.
This is my heart's desire--the thing I ask:
To daily grow as God would have me do.
...
~Grace Noll Crowell

The Little Home

The little house is not too small
To shelter friends who come to call.
Though low the roof and small its space
It holds the Lord's abounding grace,
And every simple room may be
Endowed with happy memory.

The little house, severely plain,
A wealth of beauty may contain.
Within it those who dwell may find
High faith which makes for peace of mind,
And that sweet understanding which
Can make the poorest cottage rich.

The little house can hold all things
From which the soul's contentment springs.
'Tis not too small for love to grow,
For all the joys that mortals know,
For mirth and song and that delight
Which make the humblest dwelling bright.

 --Edgar A. Guest