Give me a heart, dear heavenly Father,
a heart that’s free of all self-will,
a heart obedient to thy counsel,
that gladly thy commands fulfills.
Give me a heart prepared to practice
true self-denial at any time,
a heart that loves its enemies,
assured of glories yet to come.
Give me a heart of sympathy
for every person mired in sin,
that guides them toward the Father’s land,
embraces them, and takes them in.
Give me a heart that hankers not
for worldly pleasures, selfish ends,
a heart that loves the poor, and so
forgets itself, a hand to lend.
Give me a heart that pays no heed
to threats or scorn or ridicule,
that keeps faith always with its God,
though blamed, despised, or called a fool.
A heart like thine, that lives for God –
would such a heart be given to me!
O Jesus, take me and all my gifts:
I’ll find this heart alone in thee.
Halle, 1906
(Eberhard Arnold)
More Poetry from Eberhard Arnold:
Eberhard Arnold Poems based on Topics: God, Sin, Jesus Christ, Fool, Advices, Charity, Pleasure, Time, Selfishness, Enemy, Fathers- Toward The Sun (Eberhard Arnold Poems)
- Jesus (Eberhard Arnold Poems)
- Man (Eberhard Arnold Poems)
- Untitled (Eberhard Arnold Poems)
- The Will (Eberhard Arnold Poems)
- The City (Eberhard Arnold Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: God Poems, Time Poems, Jesus Christ Poems, Fathers Poems, Charity Poems, Sin Poems, Pleasure Poems, Fool Poems, Enemy Poems, Advices Poems, Selfishness PoemsBased on Keywords: self-will, self-denial, mired, halle, fulfills, hankers