My Father, it is good for me Lord! when thy way is in the sea, I love thee in the mystery, I cannot see the secret things I may not reach with earthly wings The heights and depths of God. So, faith and patience, wait awhile ! Enough, that blessings undeserved That more and more a providence Making the springs of time and sense That death seems but a covered way No longer forward or behind But grateful take the good I find, ALL as God wills! who wisely heeds To give or to withhold, And knoweth more of all my needs Than all my prayers have told. To all thy people known; A rest where pure enjoyment reigns, And thou art loved alone; A rest, where all our soul's desire Is fixed on things above, Where doubt, and pain, and fear expire, Cast out by perfect love. O THOU, in all thy might so far, What heart can comprehend thy name, Who art within, a quickening Flame, Yet though I know thee but in part, Oh, sweeter than all else besides, That like a veil of shadow hides The works of God, above, below, Are pages in that book, to show How God himself is found. The glorious sky, embracing all, In peace and order move. Two worlds are ours: 't is only sin The mystic heaven and earth within, Thou who hast given us eyes to see And love this sight so fair, John Keble I SING the almighty power of God, I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at his command, I sing the goodness of the Lord, There's not a plant or flower below His hand is my perpetual guard, 137. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us." No mood of feeling, form of thought, Is constant for a day; But thou, O Lord! thou changest not; The same thou art alway. I grasp thy strength, make it mine own, My heart with peace is blest; I lose my hold, and then comes down Darkness and cold unrest. Let me no more my comfort draw From my frail hold of thee, — In this alone rejoice with awe; Thy mighty grasp of me. Out of that weak unquiet drift Lay hold of me with thy strong grasp, In its embrace my weakness clasp, Isaac Watts. John Campbell Shairp The smiles and tones that make our homes The stream that springs our thirst to bless, The shadow of thy love; 140. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace." Come, sacred Guest, oh, quickly come, Exert thy mighty power, Rule thou in every thought Beneath thy full control. Come, peaceful Conqueror, quickly come, Then shall my days be thine, Such as are known above; And make my heart thy lasting home. AMEN. Andrew Reed. 1842. |