Feb

17

You must not serve God!

Posted by Champ Thornton at 4:59 pm
Filed Under blogdom

George Herbert (1593-1632), in his poem, Love, reminds us that ultimately Christians do not serve God. We are people served by God, especially at the cross. As someone has said, “All the world’s religions are about doing. Christianity is about done.” “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

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 lack’d anything.

‘A guest,’ I answer’d, ‘worthy to be here:’
Love said, ‘You shall be he.’
‘I, the unkind, 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 marr’d 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.

Comments

5 Responses to “You must not serve God!”

  1. Diane Heeney on February 17th, 2010 9:25 pm

    Thank you for sharing this. Wonderful.

  2. Jon Trainer on February 17th, 2010 11:41 pm

    Thanks for posting, Champ. I’ve been too busy serving God. :-)

  3. Hans on February 18th, 2010 12:06 pm

    Well, I have to say that’s true as it applies to our salvation (entirely a work of God for His glory and for our good). That’s NOT true, however, as it applies to our ongoing Christian life and our sanctification (a collaborative effort of God and us) – we are entirely dependent on God’s grace, and not once again abiding by law, but there is an effort on our part. Else, for whom do we strive and do those good works that have been prepared for us by God beforehand, if not for God? As we become the lights that Christ intended, we in effect become His “hands and feet” in the world and thereby serve His purpose – and thus serve Him.

  4. Champ Thornton on February 18th, 2010 4:56 pm

    Thanks, Hans. Agreed. The blog post title is true in as far as it goes. The poem fills out that meaning that’s intended (and hopefully, eliminates the meaning that is not intended). I really like the poem. I could live without the blog post title. Thanks for the comments.

  5. Todd Jones on February 19th, 2010 12:50 pm

    Saw this ref’d on SharperIron. This poem is set beautifully by Vaughan Williams in Five Mystical Songs: http://bit.ly/9F2tHB

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