Questions & Answers
Dear Love divine, teach me to hear Thy voice, And having heard Thee, let me then rejoice That understanding guides, and I may know Thy wisdom leads the way where'er I go. Then quicken Thou my steps; yea, let me walk So close to Thee that I may ever talk As consciously with Thee as speaketh man With man; for thus in Truth Thy perfect plan Hath been revealed.
Look up! Look up! The fields are white! The dawn appears—far spent the night! Upon our vision streams the light! The stricken hearts to life return, The words of Christ within them burn; Their health, their hope in God, they learn. The radiance of Life, Truth, Love Dispels our sadness; from above Comes peace on earth, God's white-winged dove.
When some brave heart, undaunted by the cloud Of matter witnesses, steps out ahead And holds the light of vision, so endowed, For others who, less foot-sure, fearing, dread To loose their chains, the world cries, "Dreamer!" Vain To earth-bound sense the glorious freedom seems. But vision, humble born, is not of dreams: True substance, proving every step is gain.
We cannot walk alone; oh, help us Lord To see and know the true things in thy realm; To see and know the true, and know we know, And feel our Father's hand is at the helm. "Closer than breathing" Thou art said to be; And we do need Thy guidance in the heart, We get so tired of thoughts that lead from Thee; And we would know and choose the better part.
Be with me, Lord, when morning beams Blot out the dreams of night; Within the chambers of my thought Diffuse Thy holy light, And with Thy guiding hand lead Thou My faltering feet aright. In noontide's heat, amid the throng, Let me Thy presence feel; And in the sanctuary of my thought In deepest reverence kneel; And lift my voice in praise to Thee With overflowing zeal.
O God , whose precious love Awaits the heart yet unredeemed, What wooing tenderness Of infinite unfoldment sweet Arrests and heals my sense, Unburdened of its dross! Strengthen my hold on Thee, Till free and unbeguiled, And like a child, I place my trusting hand in Thine! Dear God, how idly unresponsive lies my lyre, My heart bereft of Thee grows cold and cheerless as the morn Without the happy sunshine and the song of birds. In falt'ring, feeble accents, all unwedded to my heart, In vain I try Thy beauteous love and glory to adore.
"I love your promise. "—Miscellaneous Writings, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 87.
No seed is lost that drops in earth's brown bosom, But gently rising seeks the sun's warm ray; Growing, it bursts the old, dried shell that holds it, And rising upward, strives to loose the clay; Till through the mold we see each green tip peep And know once more our hearts with joy will sing; For as we watch the buds awake from sleep, We see God's lesson, in His gift, the spring. No thought is lost in all God's holy kingdom, But gently rising seeks the perfect day, Breaks ev'ry mortal chain that fain would hold it, Illumed by Life and Truth, unfolds its way.
OH , "still small voice," to me the truth confiding, If I but listen for Thy words divine, Oh, sacred presence, with me abiding, While trustingly I place my hand in Thine, In happiness so gently Thou dost guide me Mid paths of pleasantness and peace so blest, In time of trouble Thou art e'er beside me, Truth, Life, and Love made manifest. Or when I flee away from worldly chiding Unto that holy secret place most high, There, "hid with Christ," in faithfulness abiding Where never sickness, sin, nor death come nigh: No sense of ill, injustice, or oppression Doth enter that sweet place of perfect rest, For All-in-all, is good in Thy possession, Truth, Life, and Love made manifest.
Do clouds hang over you, dear troubled one? The days seem dark and drear? Ah, many times they do;for do we not Give way to doubt and fear, Forgetting God is with us all the time, To guide us safely home? We grow much stronger for these tests of faith, If we but overcome. Our loving Father knows our every need; He leads us, as of old He led His people through the wilderness, Wherein He did unfold A knowledge of unchanging love and care; And we, who seek to-day His help to break the chains of sin and death, Must trust Him all the way.