Seems I have little time to write these days - adjusting to a new kind of normal, trying to figure out a routine/schedule that will make the most of the time available each day. So, today, instead of Camille's Thoughts on Life (which are scrambled and incoherent at present), here is a poem by George Herbert. Reuben read this aloud to me while I was cooking breakfast this morning...I think this Herbert dude has stolen my heart.
The Elixir
-George Herbert
Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see,
And what I do in any thing,
To do it as for thee:
Not rudely, as a beast,
To run into an action;
But still to make thee prepossest,
And give it his perfection.
A man that looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye;
Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heav'n espy.
All may of thee partake:
Nothing can be so mean,
Which with his tincture (for thy sake)
Will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine:
Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.
This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold:
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.
blues in july
3 months ago
1 comment:
Love this poem! Joe and I were just talking about this same thing last night, and Luther's doctrine of vocation. I am working on a blog post about it, too. I am so weary (!!) of New Year's sermons and sermonettes encouraging Christian's to DO SOMETHING, to MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Yes, God wants us to do and go and serve, but not in a way that says, "God, I want to do this really cool thing, will you help me do it?" But, "God, in what ways are you moving in my community, and how can I get involved?" And, as this poem reminds us, everything we do as Christians, even the most mundane and ordinary chores, can be acts of service and worship, flowing out our gratitude for His grace. Thanks for sharing Camille.
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