Thursday, November 11, 2004
The Hound of Heaven
In a 24-hour period I've heard two people refer to this particular poem. Three weeks ago, I used this poem while talking about Saul's conversion experience. Here is a little bit from this somewhat lengthy poem:
THE HOUND OF HEAVEN
by Francis Thompson
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter…
…Still with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbed pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following Feet,
And a Voice above their beat—
"Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me."…
… Now of that long pursuit
Comes on at hand the bruit;
That Voice is round me like a bursting sea:…
…Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,
Save Me, save only Me?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms.
All which thy child's mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home:
Rise, clasp My hand, and come."
Halts by me that footfall:
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?
"Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me."…
Someone wrote about this poem: "The name is strange. It startles one at first. It is so bold, so new, so fearless. It does not attract, rather the reverse. But when one reads the poem this strangeness disappears. The meaning is understood. As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with unhurrying and impertubed pace, so does God follow the fleeing soul by His Divine grace. And though in sin or in human love, away from God it seeks to hide itself, Divine grace follows after, unwearyingly follows ever after, till the soul feels its pressure forcing it to turn to Him alone in that never ending pursuit.
(The Neuman Press "Book of Verse", 1988.)
Life change happens when we believe in God's power to change lives! I want and need that, anyone else?
THE HOUND OF HEAVEN
by Francis Thompson
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter…
…Still with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbed pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following Feet,
And a Voice above their beat—
"Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me."…
… Now of that long pursuit
Comes on at hand the bruit;
That Voice is round me like a bursting sea:…
…Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,
Save Me, save only Me?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms.
All which thy child's mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home:
Rise, clasp My hand, and come."
Halts by me that footfall:
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?
"Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me."…
Someone wrote about this poem: "The name is strange. It startles one at first. It is so bold, so new, so fearless. It does not attract, rather the reverse. But when one reads the poem this strangeness disappears. The meaning is understood. As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with unhurrying and impertubed pace, so does God follow the fleeing soul by His Divine grace. And though in sin or in human love, away from God it seeks to hide itself, Divine grace follows after, unwearyingly follows ever after, till the soul feels its pressure forcing it to turn to Him alone in that never ending pursuit.
(The Neuman Press "Book of Verse", 1988.)
Life change happens when we believe in God's power to change lives! I want and need that, anyone else?
// posted by Unknown @ 9:07 AM 
Comments:
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For some reason the part that hit me the hardest was this:
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms.
It helps a lot to remember that when we sacrifice/give something up for Him, He has that or something better in store for us! Sweet!
B
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All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms.
It helps a lot to remember that when we sacrifice/give something up for Him, He has that or something better in store for us! Sweet!
B
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