"I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2.
"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you." John 15:18.
One place on earth Thou givest me,
One place in heaven is mine,
Yet (such Thy love's deep mystery)
Each place, O Lord, is THINE;
Thy place - the OUTCAST - mine must be,
Since mine 's th' ACCEPTED place in Thee.
From earth hoarse murm'rings come to me
"No place 'mongst us for Him" -
Now hid in soothing minstrelsy,
Now loud with rapturous din,
As laughing wave, or billows roar,
Each bears this burden to the shore.
But other sounds are wafted nigh,
Joy's music* strikes my ear, - Luke 15:25.
Faith lists - the Father's house on high
Thence the ascription clear:
"Name above every name be Thine
Who stooped to death in love divine."
And though I see a homeless band,
Strangers to earthly joy,
'Gainst whom fierce darts on every hand
Fall, fitted to destroy, - Eph. 6:16; Deut. 8:15.
Around them trackless wilderness,
"Great" - "terrible" - in barrenness
Yet hosts angelic hover there
To soothe each aching brow, - See Heb. 1:14; 13:2.
Each proving thus the Father's care
Known to them hourly now!
And bright faith's vision doth arise -
"GOD'S REST" - unseen by mortal eyes. - Heb. 4:9.
Thus Faith and Sight appeal to me,
Eternity and Time!
Faith hears th' eternal symphony
Midst this world's varying chime.
Oh, sovereign grace, that mine should be
HIS PLACE ON EARTH, who died for me! H. C. Anstey.
*"Music" is a word only once used in the Greek New Testament, as to the joy over the prodigal in the Father's house.