Monday, January 31, 2011

The Contrite Heart

The Lord will happiness divine
On contrite hearts bestow;
Then tell me, gracious God, is mine,
A contrite heart or no?

I hear, but seem to hear in vain,
Insensible as steel;
If aught is felt, 'tis only pain,
To find I cannot feel.

I sometimes think myself inclined
To love Thee if I could;
But often feel another mind,
Averse to all that's good.

My best deserves are faint and few,
I fain would strive for more;
But when I cry, "My strength renew!"
Seems weaker than before.

The saints are comforted, I know,
And Love Thy house of prayer;
I therefore go where others go,
But find no comfort there.

Oh make this heart rejoice or ache;
Decide this doubt for me;
And if it be not broken, break --
And heal it, if it be.

-William Cowper poemhunter.com

This poem reminds me of Psalm 51 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me..."

It seems if it was written at a despondent or darker time of Mr. Cowper's life.  It is funny that we, modern Christians, find these times a surprise to the human experience rather than part of the cycle of living.  I find my expectation and understanding of the "good life" has been so skewed by the false gods of  comfort, materialism, relational peace and prosperity that I forget - this world is... not heaven, it holds but shadows of it. An ever recovering Romanticismcist, I suspect.

1 comment:

Becky said...

Love this poem!

And I agree with you when you say, "It is funny that we, modern Christians, find these times a surprise to the human experience rather than part of the cycle of living." It has to do, I think, with the fact that many have swallowed that big lie of the prosperity gospel! I guess it is easier to have a god of your own imagination who never wants you to go through trials.

When I read of saints like this one, I pray that God will grant me grace and strength to endure whatever lies before me.

Have a most blessed week, EJN.