Endure
To endure what life may bring...
Endurance is a tenacious thing."
Ever it must be renewed,
to strengthen you to carry thru.
To accomplish what they say cannot,
strengthen soul, and strengthen thought.
To hang on when the going's tough,
and hang in when the seas are rough.
There are many blows that come
before our life on earth is done.
And to take them one by one,
and never to succumb.
"The race is not to the swift or sure,
but he who endures to the end."
Bible
Our life is of little consequence in the universe.
Even the earth would not be missed.
But we pursue our varied lives,
bustling with enterprise,
and never give a second thought
that all of it is really lost
among the stars of outer space,
which may not know we're any place.
And yet our Maker says to us
no sparrow ever turned to dust
but that he knows and cares for us.
When the going's hard,
and rough and steep,
then doest our God
his vigil keep.
Tho to him
our trial is small,
his mercy's given to us all.
Daniel in the lion's den
was something possible to Him.
He quelled their rage and stilled their jaw,
much to everybody's awe.
David in a cave did hide,
and sent to heaven a constant cry
of anger in a rising tide
that weakness of his soul tried.
And in the storm our life does hold,
God charts our course both clear and bold,
and holds us all responsible
to fully carry out his will.
The night belongs to God, as does the day;
when people work or rest, or stop their play.
When mountains, rivers, forests, too,
in awed respect, their homage due.
When creation stops to pray.
and asks his blessing every way--
for calm and strength and fortitude,
and lasting effort to be good.
And all his creatures great and small
attune themselves to God of all.
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Rain
They say that rain
is God's tears.
I guess he has a lot to cry
about for us.
I guess he would be pretty sad
at the way we are--
disappointed, depressed, regretful.
If they never ceased to flow,
it would be too soon
to stop to weep
for what we are—
so far from what he planned--
and maybe he had dreams, too.
Have you seen God?
Has he come your way?
Have you seen God?
Have you seen God today?
Footprints on the sand,
footprints on the sea,
but the power of God
is too strong for you and me.
White clouds drifting aimlessly,
along an unknown path,
seemingly where'er they will,
in a space so vast.
But God knows where they wander
underneath his sun,
and he can trace their path
before they're e'er begun.
All things vast and strange to us
are only in his will,
and while we cannot understand,
they obey him still.
For he has known since ancient time
just how the sea will run-
overflow, or be quite dry,
when the end of time's begun.
For our Creator knoweth all things,
whereof we only guess-
where celestial heavens turn,
or a sparrow laid to rest.
Oh my flame,
oh do not die,
but gather strength to reach on high,
and in the lucid, cool air
light the way to make it fair.
And in the sun and wind and rain
grant that Thy small spark remain
to light our hearts as you the sky
and take us to our home on high.
Amen
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A Reservoir of Prayer
To help us in uncertain hour,
weak and tired, worn;
vascillating from the right,
and strength is almost gone.
Help us in a weakened state
when we might slip away.
Call upon our prayers.
For this we pray.
Oh God, in thy great universe
is there room for a boy like me?
I love to see thy windswept skies,
and dream about the sea.
I've thought about a lot of things,
and prayed about some too,
but Lord, of everything I know...
I'll choose you.
I can't say I'm worthwhile,
I haven't done too much,
but I love thy universe,
and thy magic touch.
When we think of God, our imagination soars,
of what might be the qualities he has forevermore.
Of what consists his grace, sufficient for us all, or his heavenly mercy, respondant to our call?
Of what consists his might and power, that angels tremble at,
or his fearful countenance that none can see at last.
We on earth are far removed from power of spiritual ways,
nor can comprehend the spirit putting stars in place,
nor comprehend eternity, or eternal grace.
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Prayer
Secluded in a special spot
I set aside for thee,
forgotten by the others,
but cherished just by me.
I come to feel thy presence,
and for this I long,'
to be a little closer,
my soul just more strong.
I pray to thee to help me
to be close to thee,
and find the strength for daily life
as it has come to me.
I pray thee to be better,
and do not leave me now—
to thee I pray.
Answered Prayer
I thought I had a problem,
I answered it in prayer.
For when I called on God,
I found that he was there.
And all the days of suffering,
doubt and worry, care;
left me when I asked him,
and talked to him in prayer.
And I listened as he taught me,
and felt his presence there,
and felt encouraged to go on,
for it was answered prayer.
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The Final Judge
When your judgment comes at last,
and your reckoning time is due,
do not be surprised
if the elements are few.
There will be no jury
(the Judge is only one),
and you will have no lawyer
to defend the ill you've done.
Not a word on your behalf
no pleas or argument.
But in the silence of the spheres
the verdict will be read,
and there will be no answer:
not a word is said.
You may have an argument
in this world of sand,
but you cannot gainsay your God,
whose final judgment stands.
I Wouldn't Know What To Pray
I wouldn't know what to pray. Lord
if I were asking you.
Everything has an opposite
and I get all confused.
Is it better to live, or better to die,
and leave this world behind.
Or is it only selfish
to go before our time.
Is it only happiness
that we ask of you,
or fortitude to bear
the things we get into.
Should we keep a child's heart,
with all our child's toys,
or sail into the deep,
where storms and trials anoint.
How can we know the consequence
of things for which we pray.
It may be quite different
than we thought it may.
It's hard to tell what's bad and good
of things we wish that were.
We may regret our choice
as later things occur.
Perhaps some day we'll leave to God
our lives just in his hands,
and let them follow quiet and still
in just the way he planned.
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Wishes
If one desire is fulfilled
we start upon another.
Wishes follow upon wish,
each succeeds the other.
Have you ever promised God
never to complain
if just one wish was granted,
you'd never ask again?
And then unleashed desire
sneaks up on you again,
and you make the same request,
and ask him to befriend.
And so our needs are endless,
tho we think we're satisfied,
and always there's a longing,
even tho we've tried.
Would God touch earth to help a weakened man,
like the good Samaritan?
Would he bend low and touch a wounded heart?
For very time we pray we may reach high,
but God bends low to hear our sigh,
and like a deer runs in the wild,
hastens to assure his child.
Oh God in thy great wisdom,
please pray for all of us,
for we are worn and tattered,
and some of us are lost.
We cannot follow faithfully
nor see the road to go.
Grant us in thy wisdom
thy gracious love to know.
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Tears
My tears are within,
and I can trace their flow
down a well-worn path
that no one else does know.
And hidden from the casual eye,
there a well of teardrops lies.
And ever do they trace their flow
well within my heart, below.
And tears are meant for us to grow,
tho no one else may ever know.
Commentary
When she died, she had a faded dress,
and here and there a tear.
Her garments were not of the best,
tho there was effort there.
The neighbors said it was too bad
that she had gone so poor,
and wasn't dressed her very best
when death came to her door.
But God looked down upon this soul
and saw a kindness there,
and took her up to heaven
where all the angels were.
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At the Coffin
Bitter were my thoughts
as my son lay there"
a useless death,
a life beyond repair.
No one could convince me
that there was aught but tragedy.
My heart lay bleak and low,
for I had loved him so.
Could God change what I felt-
even he himself?
I let it stay at that,
dwelling in the past.
A man whose life had just begun,
full of hope, and masculine.
Full of zest and energy,
confident of things to be.
It suddenly occurred to me
that God did give command—
'Thank him for everything,'
but I withdrew my hand.
This thought remained with me for years,
and bitter were my words,
but when I had grown very old
it suddenly occurred
why God did take my son away
from us here on earth.
And then I came again to pray
and ask him to forgive,
for I saw the reason
why he did not live.
And I saw too my bitter ways
had led me to go far away,
and keep myself from God those years
that I needed healing near.
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Cathedral
A cathedral must be a place of God,
with its stones and masonry;
and statues lining all the sides
in quiet dignity.
And high above the peaks and spires
remind us of what's real,
and overhead the bells or chimes
their awesome message peal.
Centuries in the making,
with care and patience done:
the workmen undertook
a monument in stone.
I tremble as I enter,
for this world is no more,
and all the force of ages past
is just beyond the door.
The altar and the window
are more than I can bear,
and in the window's color,
a deep-felt message there.
The music must be close to God,
as the chapel choir sings,
and centuries of praise and prayer
to us it brings.
It is in awe and reverence,
to a cathedral I repair,
for in its sacred bosom
I know that God is there.
What a joy to see God's sunrise,
and thoughtful, see it go.
Is your life as bold and beautiful
as this early morning show?
Does it steal your heart away,
as fresh as early dawn?
Does it span a lifetime,
from youth, till we are gone?
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God Bless You
When we say God bless you,
it is the final touch
of all we think and feel,
to one who means so much.
It is the deepest meaning
of all that we can say,
and holds our every hope,
that He will come your way.
What could someone give to God,
creator of all myriad-
ruler of all living things,
and everything that life can bring.
There is one thing you can do—
you can show your gratitude.
How do you know God loves you?
Is it just a quiet life,
free from every strain,
and every kind of strife?
Is it just in ease
we find our laurels won,
depending on God's mercy
that all our work is done?
But it is said that God
chastiseth whom he loves,
to strengthen and to purify
the dedication in us.
Thus humble we accept
the verdict of thy word,
endeavor to grow better,
with every pain endured.
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Worried Son
He lay with a fever, and restless,
a child of only nine.
And he worried his mother constantly
with what was on his mind.
"Mother, is there a God up there?"
"God is everywhere."
"Mother, don't let me go"
those angels I don't want to know.
They probably don't hike, play ball"
I don't want to go at all.
Even if his loving care
surrounds me in the land up there,
I want to stay the place I know,
right here in my home below.
I don't know a soul up there,
and I'd get lost and know not where
that ever would that good land be."
"He would lead thee."
"Oh Mother, please oh deeply pray
that I may now get well this day.
I promise worship from afar,
but leave me where my heart's joys are.
This is all I ever knew.
I can't believe my life is thru.
"Child, trust thy Maker now.
He will comfort thee somehow,
and lead thee to that land afar,
where the saints and angels are.
All his blessings you receive,
and enter heaven joyfully."
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Take Me Home, Lord
Take me home, Lord, take me home,
for I have weary grown—
tired of this travel
in dark monotone.
Have we served our time?
Is there more to do?
Is there something left?
Is our journey thru?
In the peace of thy haven
let our journey end.
Ever resting near you,
evermore.
Amen.
Carry Me on Thy Wings
Lord, carry me on thy wings
thru many space-
over hill and dale,
and every place.
When I oft must tire,
see me thru;
Carry o'er the heavy place,
as thou do.
Carry me in a far place
to be with you,
where all effort dissipates,
and cares are thru.
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