Christian live to serve, in quiet trust,
As humble stewards, because, in Christ, we must;
Our common, simple tasks, at every hour,
As best we can, contain redemptive power.
Maybe the Lord will approve of this simplest of verses:
God listens to the smallest fear,
He notes the single falling tear,
He answers every needy call,
And loves the lowest man of all.
From loneliness, fear, and pain we flee,
We seek a stronger wine;
Our weakness hides in the deepest sea,
Where never the sun will shine.
Keep your word. Don’t make promises lightly.
The broken word will also break a friendship
Or marriage, that long-time vow. The tongue is mighty
To bind or loose, to build or fully destroy.
Incautious lips remove the one most precious;
The flippant phrase is the thief of peace and joy.
Our limits may force us to tough decisions,
That in the end bring greater blessing;
God finds a wider field for provisions,
As circumstance becomes more pressing.
Your best may not be noticed, but you will know,
And God will bring forth fruit from what you sow.
Our private life is in the street,
Beyond our walls and doors;
In public we uncover our feet —
Man upon all fours.
The aside spoken twixt thee and me in whispers,
Or else is muttered only to my whiskers —
The worldly need not hear at first our struggles,
But see the Spirit of God in human troubles.
The world has little use for the old and infirm:
“What can the powerless do for me?” they ask.
To them the low and helpless hold little charm,
But God — to welcome them is his loving task.
The difficult day we deem a total waste
The sovereign Lord still blessed and used and graced.