Places 24: You Will Know Me

Revisions of You Will Really Know Me

Waiting

Often I have sought You—
pushed aside the lures of night,
fought to find Your Glory light.

I’d wait with seeking heart
until Your Love would find—
to realign my weary mind.

Today, I’m tired of waiting,
encased in aching aging bones,
my weary soul waits on, alone.

Abba, Father? Are you near?
Am I speaking into silence?
Please, let me know You hear.

Help me resist old fantasies and fears,
the claws of self,
the self-indulgent tears.

Draw me to Your Holy Place,
awaken me, Lord—now,
let me gaze upon Your face.

Focused on Your love,
It’s such lovely love
to hear Your voice
to see Your face
to touch Your heart
to feel Your grace
to give myself
to faith’s embrace,

to rest within Your glory.

Where are You Lord?

Where are You Lord?
I’ll wait.

You steady every restless hour,
Your suffering
carries strengthening power.

Your mercy kindles worship,
Your light ignites God’s holy flames,
You burn away all spots and stains.

My ashes turn to beauty
in the blaze of Your
pure cleansing word. (Luke 3:17)

The spices of Your love,*
revive Your Bride
to walk with You, close by Your side.

Immerse us now in fragrant oils,
rub us with myrrh and aloes,*
Cover us inside Your Glory-gold

Pour out Your Holy love,
anoint Your church
Your living Body here this earth.

We’re waiting, Lord, with songs of joy,
Come fill our watch, our hours and days
with living songs of highest praise.
Light our way with glory-rays.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.

© G. Emery 2021

*The thought of oils, aloes and fragrant spices of Your love” is from the Song of Songs that was Solomon’s.” (See Song of Solomon 2:7 and 1:3, 13; 3:6; 4:6, 10, 14.)

 

The original poem, with slight revisions of
You Will Know Me, Places, 2011

I’m tired tonight.
My feet hurt.
My eyes drop closed between these lines—

Your Love draws me to push aside
demands for sleep
and keep a lonely wait
Hoping You’ll  draw near,
surprise me with a vision
of Your beauty,
or speak sweet words of peace
to refresh my weary mind,
infuse Your strength right through my soul,
ease arthritic aching bones.

I wait for You, awakening now,
not knowing when You’ll come again
to free my heart from daily strain
and take me to Your Holy Place.

Thinking of You, I feel warm
and not alone.
Do I sense my own remembrance?
Do I catch Your lingering scents?
or feel Your Holy Presence near?

I wonder when You’ll get here.
We’ll speak together through the night,
Pus the darkness far away with love.

Don’t waken me, my Lord,
Until it pleases You.
Until you  come for me
with songs of gladness,
songs of joy,
dripping myrrh, aloes,
the oils and fragrant spices of Your love.*

Then waken me to worship You
til oils ignite in holy flame,
burning daily spot and stain,
healing daily tears,
as the heat of Your consuming fires
burns away all pain of empty and alone.

G. Emery 1980

 

*The thought “Don’t waken me until it pleases” and the imagery in the line “Dripping myrrh, ale, the oils and fragrant spices of Your love” come directly from the Song of Songs that was Solomon’s.” (See Song of Solomon 2:7 and 1:3, 13; 3:6; 4:6, 10, 14.)