Poems (Kimball)/The Divine Love
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
THE DIVINE LOVE.
O PATIENT God, whom men forsake,
All-kind, all-gracious as Thou art,
How soon our faithlessness would break
A human heart!
All-kind, all-gracious as Thou art,
How soon our faithlessness would break
A human heart!
How vast must be the Love so strong,
Its yearning, oh, how fathomless,
That sin prolonged should yet prolong
Thy tenderness!
Its yearning, oh, how fathomless,
That sin prolonged should yet prolong
Thy tenderness!
Though we may slight that Love with doubt,
Thy paths of sweet commandment spurn,
Thou wilt in no wise cast him out
Who would return!
Thy paths of sweet commandment spurn,
Thou wilt in no wise cast him out
Who would return!
The uttermost Thy Love doth reach
And oh the pathos of its cry
All humbled to our human speech,—
"Why will ye die?"
And oh the pathos of its cry
All humbled to our human speech,—
"Why will ye die?"
Were not Thy wide compassion more
Than even all the powers of sin
These feet would never find Thy Door,
And enter in.
Than even all the powers of sin
These feet would never find Thy Door,
And enter in.
We see Thee as the suffering Christ
With Cross and Passion bowèd down;
Earth's meanest things for Thee sufficed,
And Sorrow's crown,
With Cross and Passion bowèd down;
Earth's meanest things for Thee sufficed,
And Sorrow's crown,
If only famished souls might flee
Life's husks for Love's Eternal Feast,
And all might dwell in bliss with Thee—
The very least!
Life's husks for Love's Eternal Feast,
And all might dwell in bliss with Thee—
The very least!
"Lord, we repent! Lord, we believe!"
And Thou acceptest even this?
And faithless wanderers wilt receive
With heavenly kiss?
And Thou acceptest even this?
And faithless wanderers wilt receive
With heavenly kiss?
O Love! we sink from Thine embrace
Thy feet to kiss forevermore!
The humblest is the fittest place
When souls adore!
Thy feet to kiss forevermore!
The humblest is the fittest place
When souls adore!