It's s o e a s y t o lo o k p a s t m y n e ig h b o r W h o h a s n e e d s o n ly G o d c a n s u p p ly . G o d fo rg iv e m e if I, like th e L e v ite , H a v e b e e n p a s s in g s o m e s u ff’ rin g o n e b y . G E T H S E M A N E A ll th o s e w h o jo u rn e y , s o o n o r la te , M u s t p a s s w ith in th e g a rd e n g a te ; M u s t kn e e l a lo n e in d a rk n e s s th e re A n d b a ttle w ith s o m e fie rc e d e s p a ir. G o d p ity th o s e w h o c a n n o t s a y , " N o t m in e b u t T h in e " w h o o n ly p r a y , " L e t th is c u p p a s s " a n d c a n n o t se e T h e p u rp o s e in G e th s e m a n e . — E lla W h e e le r W ilc o x M Y C O N F E S S I O N I’ m n o t th e s a in t fo lk s th in k I a m . I m ig h t a s w ell c o n fe s s ; T h e r e ’ s m a n y tim e s I ’ m s o a s h a m e d O f m y u n w o rth in e s s : I w is h I w e re a p e rfe c t m a n , A n d h a d n o fa u lts o r s in ; A n d b e like o th e r s a in ts I h e a r W h o all th e v ic t'r ie s w in : A n d y e t I w o n d e r if it’s tru e , W h e n G o d lo o k s fro m a b o v e , If h e c a n fin d o n e s a in t o n e a rth W ith o u t o n e sin . . . t o lo v e . A n d n e e d fo rg iv e n e s s e v e ry tim e , W h e n t h e y w o u ld s e e k H is face? I th in k if w e w e re h o n e s t fo lk s , W e m ig h t a s w ell c o n fe s s T h e r e a re m a n y tim e s w e 're all a s h a m e d O f o u r u n w o rth in e s s ; A n d w h e n w e s ta n d b e fo re H is fa c e , I’ m s u re w e all w ill s a y : " W e ’ re n o t th e s a in ts fo lk s th in k w e a re . . . F o r g iv e u s , L o r d , w e p r a y ." —W a lte r H u n tle y O r , a re m o s t p e o p le ju s t like m e , A n d n e e d a lo t o f g ra c e ;
T H E T H O R N I s to o d , a m e n d ic a n t o f G o d B e fo r e H is ro y a l th r o n e , A n d b e g g e d H im fo r o n e p ric e le s s g ift F o r w h ic h t o call m y o w n . I to o k th e g ift fr o m o u t H is h a n d , B u t a s .1 w o u ld d e p a rt I c rie d , " B u t , L o r d , th is is a th o r n , A n d it h a s p ie rc e d m y h e a r t.” " T h is is a s tra n g e a n d h u rtfu l g ift W h ic h T h o u h a s t g iv e n m e .” H e s a id , " N a y , c h ild , I g iv e g o o d g ifts ! I g a v e M y b e s t t o t h e e ." I to o k it h o m e , a n d th o u g h a t firs t T h e cru e l th o r n h u r t s o re , A s lo n g y e a rs p a s s e d I g re w a t le a s t T o lo v e it m o re a n d m o re . I le a rn e d H e n e v e r g iv e s a th o r n W ith o u t th is a d d e d g ra c e ; H e ta k e s th e th o r n t o p in a s id e T h e ve il w h ic h h id e s H is fa c e ! — M a rth a S n e ll N ic h o ls o n M Y I M P O R T A N T P L A C E I s a id , " Y e s , L o r d , I'll g o w h e re y o u call m e A n d I’ ll d o w h a t y o u w a n t m e t o d o .” B u t h o w c o u ld I k n o w a s I k n e lt th e r e . T h a t H e ’ d a s k m e t o s ta y h e re w ith yo u ? I th o u g h t s u re ly H e 'd call m e t o A s ia , O r t o A fr ic a ’ s fa r -a w a y s h o re . I w o u ld g la d ly h a v e s a ile d o ’ e r th e o c e a n . B u t H e w h is p e re d , “ I n e e d y o u n e x t d o o r .” It's th e fa r -a w a y ta s k th a t s e e m s b rig h te s t A n d th e g ra s s s e e m s m o re g re e n o ’e r t h e w a y ; B u t h o w c a n H e u s e m e a fa r o f f , If I fa il th o s e I m e e t e v e ry d a y ?
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