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Poems

Inspirational verse submitted by readers.

Prayer for vision

I am grateful to see for miles beyond my window, but I long to see even farther. I am thankful for the spiritual understanding I have gained, but help me, dear God, to see beyond the earthly scene — beyond weakness to strength beyond sorrow to joy beyond tumult to calm beyond belief to understanding beyond resentment to love beyond pride to humility beyond mortality to immortality beyond earth to heaven.

Gone fishin'?

I'd gone fishing for healing, Took great bait along, Armed myself with books and references, And threw out the nets. Nothing.

". . . bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord"

What do I sacrifice when I praise? When, with joy-packed voice, I raise my thoughts, my love, my life? Why, the sacrifice is this: give up gloom for bliss give up wrong for right give up dark for light. (Oh, give up , mortality! You can give me nothing, so turn yourself in— sickness, sorrow, sin.

Breaking the cycle

Repetition has not (somehow I think you'll agree) the variety of Soul, the uplift of Spirit's buoyancy— is not a spiral of continuous ascending, but only a (vicious) circle. It is the recurrent resort of the hypnotist, like the catchy phrase from a commercial echoing in thought till any association with the original content is lost.

Mother tongue

I hear a language of infinite caring. Words that are acts— small deeds shaped softly out of the heart of Love.

Who goes there?

"Who goes there?" Subtle suggestion, Mortal complaint Demand admission. Enlightened thought (the sentry) Watching/waiting Bars the way.

Hearing the call

Open your ears—that you may hear His Word. Open your eyes—that you may see His creation.

There is no unrequited love

A young man fell in love, But he was only dreaming. And, in his dream, love unreturned Produced a deeper dreaming: An old man all alone, In solitary sadness, Dreamed no one there to fill his hunger With the wheat of gladness.

An endeavor of the heart

I see progress in so many little ways, The chastened motive, the quiet Godward gaze. A slower pace my footsteps find— A redemptive life, a regenerated mind.

Fellowship

Dear member, You and I look across from opposite sides of the fence. We see things from different places.