John i. 21.
"I
am not;" O words unwelcome
To
the lips of
men--
"I
am not;" O words that lead us
Back
to God
again!
Speech
of him who knows the pathway
To
that refuge
sweet,
Where
is covert from the tempest,
Shadow
from the
heat.
Speech
of Heaven, from wise men hidden,
Unto
children
taught;
Few
the words of that great lesson,
Only
"I am
not."
Heart
of man, another language
Is
thy native
speech,
Spoken
by a thousand races,
All
alike in
each.
"I
am,--"rich, or wise, or holy--
"Thus,
and thus am
I;"
For
"I am," men live and labour,
For
"I am," they
die.
For
"I am," men dare and suffer,
Count
all loss as
gain,
Toil
and weariness and bondage,
Sin
and grief and
pain.
In
the blessed Gospel read we
How
a rich man bade
Christ
the Lord and His disciples
To
a feast he
made.
Well
it was to feed the prophet;
Thus
the rich man
thought,
But
amidst his wealth and bounty
Lacked
he "I am
not."
Then
there came a sinful woman,
Eyes
with weeping
dim--
"I
am not," her heart was saying--
She
had looked on
Him.
He
beheld her broken-hearted,
Ruined
and
undone,
Yet
enthroned above the angels
Brighter
than the
Sun.
All
the while in dust before Him
Did
her heart
adore,
"I
am not," that song of gladness--
"Thou
art,
evermore."
For
His heart to hers had spoken,
To
His wandering
lamb;
In
the speech of Love Eternal,
He
had said "I
AM."
Now
she thirsts no more for ever,
All
she would is
given;
None
on earth hath she beside Him,
None
beside in
Heaven.
Oh
how fair that heavenly portion,
That
eternal
lot;
Christ,
and Christ alone, for ever--
Ever
"I am
not."
H. Suso.