Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come,
I do not fear to see;
But I ask Thee for a present mind,
Intent on pleasing Thee.
I ask Thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And to wipe the weeping eyes;
And a heart at leisure from itself
To soothe and sympathise.
I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do,
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.
Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoe’er estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate,
And a work of lowly love to do
For the Lord on whom I wait.
So I ask Thee for the daily strength,
To none that ask denied,
And a mind to blend with outward life
While keeping at Thy side;
Content to fill a little space,
If Thou be glorified.
And if some things I do not ask,
In my cup of blessing be,
I would have my Spirit filled the more
With grateful love to Thee—
More careful—not to serve Thee much,
But to please Thee perfectly.
There are briers besetting every path,
That call for patient care;
There is a cross in every lot,
And an earnest need for prayer;
But a lowly heart that leans on Thee,
Is happy anywhere.
In a service which Thy will appoints,
There are no bonds for me,
For my inmost heart is taught “the truth”
That makes Thy children “free;”
And a life of self-renouncing love
Is a life of liberty.
While toil and warfare urge us on our way,
And heart is answering heart in signs of pain,
Have we no words of strengthening joy to say—
No songs for those who suffer but to reign?
Oh for the faithful mind, the steadfast eye,
To keep our Leader’s glory full in sight,
And make our converse, even while we die,
An interchange of triumph and delight!
Behold, the paths of life are ours—we see
Our blest inheritance where’er we tread;
Sorrow and danger our security,
And disappointment lifting up our head.
Kings unto God, we may not doubt our power,
We may not languish when he says, “Be strong”—
We must move on through every adverse hour,
And take possession as we pass along.
Yes, all is for us—nothing shall withstand
Our faithful, valiant, persevering claim;
The rod of God’s Anointed in our hand,
And our assurance His unchanging name.
We need no haste where He has said, “Be still”—
No peace where He has charged us to contend;
Only the fearless love to do His will,
And to shew forth His honour to the end.
O ye that faint and die, arise and live!
Sing, ye that all things have a charge to bless!
If He is faithful who hath sworn to give,
Then be ye also faithful, and possess.
Take thy whole portion with thy Master’s mind—
Toil, hindrance, hardness, with His virtue take—
And think how short a time thy heart may find
To labour or to suffer for His sake.
Count all the pains that speed thee to thy rest
Among the riches of thy purchased right;
Yea, bind them in His name upon thy breast,
As jewels for the Bride, the Lamb’s delight.
And love shall teach us while on Him we lean,
That, in the certainty of coming bliss,
We may be yearning for a world unseen,
Yet wear our beautiful array in this.
Ours be a loyal love, for service tried,
To shew, by deeds, and words, and looks that cheer,
How He can bless the scene on which He died,
And fill His house with glory even here.