God Calls to Us, Says “Here am I.”

God calls to us, says “Here am I.”
       Reveals Himself to us by grace.
“Keep to yourself! Do not draw nigh.”
       Our answer provokes to God's face.
“I am too holy” we go on,
       “Too holy for you.” to God say.
Our own devices drive us on
       To reject God, send Him away.

What holiness is this we name?
       Our hearts pour out their lust and pride.
What virtue do we say we claim?
       Our tongues lash out to curse and lie.
What love gives proof of sanctity?
       Our love of self and perverse wants.
What peace shows forth our unity?
       Our peace that rings out jeers and taunts.

If God had left us in our sin
       Imprisoned in our unbelief,
On judgment day how great a din
       Of wailing we would sound in grief.
God's fury He would on us spend
       To pay us our deservèd wage.  
The truth we then would apprehend      
       In endless torment ne'er assuaged.

But God in flesh Himself revealed
       To call unto Himself His own.
And though rejected, light revealed
       By which our darkness is well shown.
Yet in our disobedience crass,
       To which God binds all men by Law,
God shows His mercy on the cross
       From whence forgiveness flows to all.

What here revealed is wondrous grace:
       That though God's wrath we well deserve,
Christ bore this wrath--died in our place--
       So unto life God us reserves.
His sob'ring Word God speaks to us
       Lest we forget our source of life,
And spurn the grace God gives to us
       That saves us from our sin and strife. 

[Fall 2012]