4.13.2017 POEMS ON LOVE

473  THE SPIRIT - Lon Woodrum

here must I be forever intimate,
nor ever be a stranger to your mind;
so bar me not from secret door or gate,
nor close to me the corridors that wind
into the chambers of your treasured themes.
for I must look through closets and must peer
in crypts that keep the tracings of old dreams.
so, with abandonment, make all things clear.
surrender all the keys into My hand,
nor seek to stay me in this urgent quest.
here in this house I cannot be both Friend
and Foe, both Resident and transient Guest.
i cannot with each mood remain or move.
HERE MUST I BE AT HOME; FOR I AN LOVE.

474  THE CALL OF THE CHRISTIAN

not always as the whirlwind's rush
on Horeb's mount of fear,
not always as the burning bush
to Midian's shepherd seer,
nor as the awful voice which came
to israel's prophet bards,
nor as the tongues of cloven flame,
nor gift of fearful words, -

not always thus, with outward sign
of fire or voice from Heave,
the message of a truth divine,
the call of god is given!
awaking in the human heart
love for the true and right,-
zeal for the christian's better part,
strength for the christian's fight.

nor unto manhood's heart alone
the holy influence steals:
warm with a rapture not its own, 
the heart of woman feels!
as she who by Samaia's wall
the Saviour's errand sought, -
as those who with the fervent Paul
and meek Aquila wrought:

Or those meek ones whose martyrdom
Rome's gathered grandeur saw:
or those who in their Alpine home
braved the Crusader's war,
when the green Vaudois, trembling ,
          heard,
through all its vales of death,
the martyr's song of triumph poured
from woman's failing breath.

and gently, by a thousand things
which o'er our spirits pass,
like breezes o'er the harp's fine strings,
or vapors o'er a glass,
leaving their token strange and new
of music or of shade,
the summons to the right and true
and merciful is made.

Oh, then, if gleams of truth and light
flash o'er thy waiting mind,
unfolding to thy mental sight
that wants of human-kind;
if, brooding over human grief,
the earnest wish is known
to soothe and gladden with relief
an anguish not thine own;

though heralded with nought of fear,
or outward sign or show;
though only to the inward ear
it whispers soft and low
though dropping, as the manna fell,
unseen, yet from above,
noiseless as dew-fall, heed it well,-
Thy Father's call of love!
John Greenleaf Whittier

THE PRODIGAL - Lon Woodrum

he came back from the gray dust
of alien streets and the smell
of the swinecote, back to love.
tow things he would nevr understand:
why he had fled love for the dark
           streets
and the black wine, or why,
when he quit the swinecote, love
ran to meet him on the road.

but he did not need to understand.
it was enough that music from the
      house
washed over him and that he was
       kissed,
and that the words fell on his spirit;
THIS, MY SON, WAS DEAD,
AND IS ALIVE AGAIN:
HE WAS LOST,
AND IS FOUND.

475  HYMN - St. Francis Xavier

My God, I love Thee, not because
i hope for heaven thereby;
nor because they who love Thee not
must burn eternally.

thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me
upon the cross embrace;
for me didst bear the nails and spear,
and manifold disgrace;

and griefs and torments numberless;
and sweat of agony;
E'en death itself, - and all for me
who was thine enemy.

then why, O blessed Jesu Christ!
should I not love Thee well;
not for the sake of winning heaven,
or of escaping hell:

not with the hope of gaining aught;
not seeking a reward;
but as Thyself hast loved me,
Oh, ever-loving Lord!

E'en so I love Thee and will love
and in Thy praise will sing;
solely because Thou art my god,
and my eternal King.

THE CHOICE OF LOVE

'Love seeketh not her own', and so
He did not stay as god above,
but chose a manger and a cross
to show that He was Love.
marion wilmshurst

DIVINE LOVE - Charles Wesley

Love divine, all love excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down;
fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
all Thy mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving spirit
into every troubled breast;
let us all in Thee inherit,
let us find the promised rest;
take away the love of sinning,
Alpha and Omega be,
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hears at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all Thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing;
serve Thee as Thy hosts above;
pray and praise Thee without ceasing;
glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish, then, Thy new creation,
pure and spotless may we be;
let us see Thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heave we take our place:
till we cast our crowns before Thee,
lost in wonder, love and praise!

480  O LOVE THAT WILT NOT LET ME GO

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
i give Thee back the life I woe,
that in Thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
my heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain
that morn shall tearless be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
i trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain
that morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms
         red
Life that shall endless be.

O Hope that lightens all my way,
I cannot choose by cleave to Thee;
and wrestle till the break of day,
disclose the wisdom of the way
in blessings yet to be.
George Matheson

482  HIS LOVE - Author unknown

The love of Christ doth me constrain
to seek the wandering souls of men;
with cries, entreaties, tears, to save,
to snatch them from the gaping grave.

for this let men revile my name;
no cross I shun, I fear no shame:
All hail, reproach! and welcome, pain!
only Thy terrors, Lord, restrain.

my life, my blood, I here present,
if for Thy truth they may be spent:
Thy faithful witness will I be:
'Tis fix'd! I can do all through Thee.

483  MEDITATION - Toyohiko Kagawa

holding a beggar's child
against my heart,
through blinding tears I see
that as I love the tiny, piteous thing,
So Tod loves me!

484  LOVE'S AIM - Author unknown

Love ever gives,
Forgives, outlives,
and ever stands with open hands,
and while it lives it gives.
for this is Love's prerogative
to give - and give - and give.

THE LOVE OF GOD -Isaac Watts

My God, how endless is thy love:
Thy gifts are every evening new;
and morning mercies from above
gently distill like early dew.

Thou spread'st the curtains of the
            night,
Great Guardian of my sleeping
        hours;
the sovereign word restores the light,
and quickens all my drowsy powers.

I yield my powers to Thy command;
to Thee I consecrate my days;
perpetual blessings from thy hand
demand perpetual songs of praise.