GRACE by George Herbert

My stock lies dead, and no increase
Doth my dull husbandrie improve:
O let thy graces without cease
Drop from above!

If still the sunne should hide his face,
Thy house would but a dungeon prove,
Thy works nights captives: O let grace
Drop from above!

The dew doth ev’ry morning fall;
And shall the dew out-strip thy Dove?
The dew, for which grasse cannot call,
Drop from above.

Death is still working like a mole,
And digs my grave at each remove
Let grace work too, and on my soul
Drop from above.

Sinne is still hammering my heart
Unto a hardnesse, void of love:
Let suppling grace, to crosse his art,
Drop from above.

O come! for thou dost know the way:
Or if to me thou wilt not move,
Remove me, where I need not say,
Drop from above.

Pursuing the theme of grace, here are the thoughts of George Herbert (1593-1633)

A visit to Great Cumbrae, off the Ayrshire coast.

the famous island prayer is said to be:

Lord, we pray for thy blessings upon the island of Great Cumbrae,

And also for its neighbouring islands of Little Cumbrae and Britain.

HIM WHO ACTS IN GRACE

Grace does what it wills 

in line with the nature of 

Him who acts in grace. 

Trace all your blessing 

to the abundant love of 

Him who acts in grace. 

Base your assurance 

on the unchangingness of 

Him who acts in grace. 

Place all your future 

in the unfailing hands of 

Him who acts in grace. 

Face all that befalls 

confident in the care of 

Him who acts in grace.                

The repeated line comes from J N Darby, "An Introduction to the Bible": https://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/MISCELLA/34001F.html

Final views in the grounds of Culzean castle

GRACE - hold it fast!

 

On you, through grace, good seed was cast - 

So hold it fast!

Grace covered all your sinful past -

So hold it fast!

Nail grace as standard to your mast

And hold it fast!

God's grace will lead you home at last -

So hold it fast!

Culzean Castle Grounds

Continuing GRACE

        I

From eternity 

God’s mind was that His grace should 

Be operative.

        II

When I had nothing 

To pay grace told me that I 

Had nothing to pay.

        III

Nothing can alter 

The purpose of God; nothing 

Can restrict His grace.

        IV

I love the Father 

Who is revealed in that name, 

A title of grace.

PREMATURE EPITAPH!

Here lies David Brown, 

Beneficiary of grace: 

One whom Jesus loves.

More of the Culzean Shore

GRACE (again and again!)

 

Grace sometimes was the sunshine

Embracing with warmth.

Grace sometimes was the rainfall

Driving me homeward.

Grace sometimes was the rainbow

Spectral with promise.

Sometimes grace as a shepherd

Led me to green pastures.

But grace sometimes was a judge

Admonishing me.

And often grace was a nurse

With pills or pillows.

Grace always was a witness

To the heart of God.

[2013]

Views from a walk on the beach near Culzean Castle

GRACE (YET AGAIN)

Here His grace
Is complete:
On my face
At His feet.

17/03/2019 

More around Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland

GRACE (again)

 

If Grace rowed to me

in my struck brig

I found that Grace

had watched for me before.

If Grace had set the light

to my distant ship

Grace set the fire

for my rescued self. 

When I turned my back

on the sun

Next morning there it was

blazing in my face.

Before Grace nursed me

to good health

It was Grace whose scalpel

had wounded me.

When grace upon grace

pulsed through my arteries

It was Grace which held

the syringe.

If Grace fed me richly

in the Father’s house

Grace in the far country

had brought my famine.

Though Grace gave me rags

in the far country

Come into the Father’s house

it clothed my richly.

While Grace made me know sonship

in the Father’s house

Grace had seen, in the far country, 

me as a son.

After Grace comforted me

when I was sad

Grace preserved me

when I was happy.

If Grace provided a repast,

free of labour,

Grace taught me how to hunt,

to flay and to cook.

Since Grace guided me

in sowing

Grace helped me

in harvesting.

How right that when Grace

paid dearly for my ransom

Grace should acquire me

as its bondman.

As it was Grace that filled me

with the new wine

It was Grace that created

my new skin. 22002

When I wrote this, and the previous poem, I think that I had the story of Grace Darling in mind: Grace Darling.

Inside or looking out of Culzean Castle (have you spotted the Lego person?)

GRACE

 

When I was battered on a rugged shore

Grace took the oars, braved waves, and rescued me;

Grace had prepared both light and warmth before

My chartless ventures on the sullen sea.

I drew my burnt hand from the savage flame

Since grace had given me my sense of pain;

Grace salved my wounded hand, grace took the blame,

Grace held me back lest I should burn again.

Grace was the policeman who arrested me,

The coastguard who observed my zigzag course,

The fireman who has rushed to cut me free,

The surgeon who exposed my gangrene’s source.

And grace has served me that I might be shown

The throne of grace, with grace upon the throne.

Around Culzean Castle, Ayrshire

SHEPHERD

 

Struggling through the biting winds
He visited
Those about to perish.

Through harsh thorns and clogging mud
He sought
That which was strayed away.

In chilling nights and cracking rain
He healed the wounded,
Fed the sound.

He is the worthy shepherd
That does not leave his flock.

(Compare Zechariah 11:16)

A Trip to the South West

The Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran.