For this week’s update, I would like to share ‘Lord of the years’ and ‘Does Jesus care?’, two poems my mother wrote to encourage us all in our walk with Jesus.
LORD OF THE YEARS
Lord of the years that are left to me,
I come before your throne,
I give you all – my life, my love
And all I call ” my own “.
I praise You for the years gone by,
I stand, and there can see,
The friends, home, provision, grace
And precious family.
The joys of service in Your field,
The heartaches, toils and tears,
The failures too – to wholly trust,
Lord! You were Lord of the years.
Lord of the years that are left to me,
Renew my vision now,
For souls to be won in the years ahead,
For this, before You, I bow.
For a new day of fruit, of walk with You,
To toil and not know dismay,
To live for the things that matter to You,
For this I earnestly pray.
To fight the good fight, and not give in,
To run and not to waver,
To live for eternal values alone,
To seek Yours, and not men’s favour.
Lord of the years that are left to me,
I thank You for the grace,
To live for You; as never before,
And faithfully run the race.
Margaret Paton, Epénancourt, France- December 24th, 1997
DOES JESUS CARE?
Does Jesus care when my heart is so heavy
That I’m crushed and bruised in my being
When the night-time comes and I long for sleep
When my head with shock is still reeling?
Does He know when my longings and dreams seem gone?
When shadows creep over my soul
When I seem so far from the One Who came
And marvellously made me whole?
When the heartbreak needs healing by the Master’s Hand
And the tears flow freely all day
And my feet find it hard to walk and to stand
And my heart cries out as I pray?
Oh yes, He knows, He Who suffered and died
And shed His Own blood on the cross
Who said He won’t leave us but will walk by our side?
And share in our grief and our loss.
I turn to the Saviour and find He is near
And love Him my Master and Lord
I give Him my heart and He heals all that’s broken
Comforts and gives me His Word.
Margaret Paton – Tourcoing , France – 2019