Better to ask the grass to grow less green,
Better to order the sky to dawn less blue,
And easier for God’s glory to be less seen,
Than for me to be to Christ less true. Continue reading “Better to ask the grass to grow less green”
Lord, I want
Father, I want to be righteous, doing what is correct and right, in order to please you in all things and be holy as you are holy, so give me the righteousness of Christ in the sanctification of the Spirit. Continue reading “Lord, I want”
A furnace of fire
If we face a furnace of fire,
Or stand before a shower of stones,
If live we’re thrown upon a pyre,
Denied a burial of flesh and bones,
Then make us strong, our tongues confess
Our Lord’s dear name, Emmanuel;
Let enemies hear us pray and bless,
May we to them the gospel tell.
Let the Way be plain
The haughty laugh of hostile man
Would hide with lies the wholesome truth,
Make whimpering cowards and weeping maids
Of devout defenders of divine justice.
Save me, Lord, from spiteful men,
Belligerent beasts who lay in wait;
Let the Way be plain, your will be done,
The incredulous fall, and the Cross increase.
Not peace upon the earth
Not peace upon the earth, but a sword,
The gospel cannot be ignored;
The Son of Man will bear his cross,
And calls his kin to wear this loss
Of friend and brother, lands and gain,
To preach in Athens, Rome, and Spain.
May I be faithful now and hence,
With God my strength, my recompense.
To Whom Shall We Go, and Where?
To whom shall we go, and where?
You have the words of life,
Our portion and our share;
Your flesh and blood, our fare.
Though all turn back and leave,
We stay to follow and serve;
It’s not that we’re naive,
But truly we believe.
—JRM