Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul Part 110

Forever, from the hand that takes One blessing from us, others fall; And soon or late our Father makes His perfect recompense to all.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

Nothing pays but G.o.d, Served--in work obscure done honestly, Or vote for truth unpopular, or faith maintained To ruinous convictions.

--James Russell Lowell.

He did G.o.d's will, to him all one, If on the earth or in the sun.

--Robert Browning.

I am Part of that Power, not understood, Which always wills the bad And always works the good.

(Mephistopheles, in Faust.)

--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

I have no answer, for myself or thee, Save that I learned beside my mother's knee: "All is of G.o.d that is, and is to be; And G.o.d is good." Let this suffice us still, Resting in childlike trust upon his will Who moves to his great ends unthwarted by the ill.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

He knows, he loves, he cares, Nothing his truth can dim; He gives his very best to those Who leave the choice to him.

No help! nay, it is not so!

Though human help be far, thy G.o.d is nigh.

Who feeds the ravens hears his children's cry; He's near thee wheresoe'er thy footsteps roam, And he will guide thee, light thee, help thee home.

G.o.d sees me though I see him not; I know I shall not be forgot; For though I be the smallest dot, It is his mercy shapes my lot.

--From the Scandinavian, tr. by Frederic Rowland Marvin.

Teach me to answer still, Whate'er my lot may be, To all thou sendest me, of good or ill, "All goeth as G.o.d will."

Dance, O my soul! 'tis G.o.d doth play; His will makes music all the day; That song which rings the world around This heart of mine shall ever sound.

--James Mudge.

Let one more attest: I have seen G.o.d's hand through a life time, And all was for best.

--Robert Browning.

G.o.d'S WILL

OBEDIENCE, DIVINE UNION

THE WILL OF G.o.d

I worship thee, sweet will of G.o.d!

And all thy ways adore.

And every day I live I seem To love thee more and more.

Thou wert the end, the blessed rule Of our Saviour's toils and tears; Thou wert the pa.s.sion of his heart Those three and thirty years.

And he hath breathed into my soul A special love of thee, A love to lose my will in his, And by that loss be free.

I love to kiss each print where thou Hast set thine unseen feet; I cannot fear thee, blessed will!

Thine empire is so sweet.

When obstacles and trials seem Like prison walls to be, I do the little I can do, And leave the rest to thee.

I know not what it is to doubt; My heart is ever gay; I run no risk, for come what will Thou always hast thy way.

I have no cares, O blessed will!

For all my cares are thine; I live in triumph, Lord, for thou Hast made thy triumphs mine.

And when it seems no chance or change From grief can set me free, Hope finds its strength in helplessness, And gayly waits on thee.

Man's weakness waiting upon G.o.d Its end can never miss, For man on earth no work can do More angel-like than this.

Ride on, ride on triumphantly, Thou glorious Will! ride on; Faith's pilgrim sons behind thee take The road that thou hast gone.

He always wins who sides with G.o.d, To him no chance is lost; G.o.d's will is sweetest to him when It triumphs at his cost.

Ill that he blesses is our good, And unblest good is ill; And all is right that seems most wrong If it be his sweet will!

--Frederick William Faber.

THE WILL DIVINE

Thy will, O G.o.d, is joy to me, A gladsome thing; For in it naught but love I see, Whate'er it bring.

No bed of pain, no rack of woe-- Thy will is good; A glory wheresoe'er I go, My daily food.

Within the circle of thy will All things abide; So I, exulting, find no ill Where thou dost guide.