Gems of Faith
Written by Administrator Saturday, 29 July 2006 19:00
As a pastor, I am called on to bring comfort and encouragement to families when they lose a loved one. But many times I find my own heart encouraged as I sift through things with the family or look through the Bible of the one who has gone home to be with the Lord and discover gems of faith.
Earlier this month one of our members, Patsy Lucas, died. In going through stacks of papers and files, I came across poems that she had written. For instance, at the age of 14, she wrote these words:
Some day we shall come to the end of our road,
Where the shadows are deep in twilight.
The sky will be faintly streaked with gold
And to life we whisper “goodnight.”It’s a long hard way to the end of our road,
Because it’s lonesome and narrow in places;
But we’ll get there no matter how long it takes
And not alone – there’ll be other faces.Too often there’s a fork in the road,
And we stop and debate which one to take
Some go right and some go left,
But you – which do you take?
That was before she became a Christian at the age of 22. In 1965, while in her thirties, she wrote with a different perspective.
Oh Christ, hold the canvas of my life firm and tight
Within the frame and border of yourself.
Express the sweetness of your nature
On my waiting canvas, yet incomplete.
Arrange, eliminate and choose, until your only theme,
The cross and empty tomb is seen.Oh Christ, my perfect counselor, my frame of reference ever,
Compose yourself upon the canvas of my life,
And let the choice be yours.
Yours to choose each line of thought, each shadow.
No wasted strokes, for perfect patience holds the brush, and paints on ...
Till Love’s design is finished and complete.
What a challenge for each of us to choose the right road … and to choose that Christ compose Himself upon the canvas of our hearts and lives.
-- Sparky