Wound of Love

Today, alone, and near despair, my heart nigh crushed by this world's cares, I stumbled, blinded by hot tears, through bitter valleys, dark with fear, my tortured mind the while was wrung by memories of this I'd done. or said, or thought in careless haste, of days and years all gone to waste. An arrow, sharp, burned in my breast; I strove to thrust it from my chest. to stone it clung like Arthur's sword relinquished only to its lord, I thought not how my life to spare: if God would only hear my prayer and grant me absolution, free. If He would simply hear my plea. I sought and found the empty room I had shared with Christ; faint perfume still lingered. Strange it seemed, and yet, through all the years, did I forget the Presence and the peace found here? Earth has no equal anywhere. The room was dark with curtains drawn; there was no fire to keep it warm. My weary vision came to rest upon a heap of metal pressed into a corner, dark and dank; when comprehended, my heart sank. The terror of the truth revealed! A holy horror round me pealed; Each tone tolled forth a truth sublime to prove me guilty of my crime. Beneath the dust of days gone by in rags and rust I'd let it lie, my Christian armor. Now I faced the verdict at the judgment place. The burning in my heart increased; the yearning would not find release till as I looked into the eyes of Him my soul so long defied, awaiting sentence, just reward, I met the mercy of my Lord. The arrow burning in my heart-- from God's own quiver came its art; it was evidence most dear, divine, that I am His and He is mine. Not earth , not hell, nor Heaven above could separate me from such love. I had never known a wound so kind, and love like His I could not find along the byways I had trod: it is in the Kingdom of our God. There all are warriors, bold and brave; there all must give just as He gave. I knelt, His knight, with armor on, the tears were mended, rust was gone. "I ask one favor as I go to serve Thee, Lord; Thy love to show: ah, never from my breast, I pray, take this Thy would of love away. Based on Ephesians 6:10-18 © 1987, Faye Lanham Gibson