“Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked anything.
“A guest,” I answered, “worthy to be here”;
Love said, “you shall be he.”
“I, the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee.”
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
“Who made the eyes but I?”
“Truth Lord, but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.”
“And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?”
“My dear, then I will serve.”
“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.”
So I did sit and eat.”
It’s a funny way perhaps to start a series of posts on what it might mean for us to live for Christ in this time frame, in this century, but I do think this poem by George Herbert (“Love Bade Me Welcome”) shares an encouragement for us to live differently as well as some foundational values to be worked out in our lives.
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