Mostly smoke….

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  Romans 12:1 (NIV)

The idea of our worship and our lives being a sacrifice to God has been on my mind lately and our pastor taught from this verse Sunday.  (Boy’s good, by the way…)

I found this poem that I think speaks to that subject  by a 19th century Scotish poet.  If it improves your opinion of me to think I’m a literary scholar, feel free, but that’s really not me.  The following is by George McDonald, who C. S. Lewis claimed as an important influence.  Since I’m a huge Lewis fan, I’ve been reading this book by McDonald and found this poem between chapter.  I just absolutely love this because it describes what my sacrifice to God feels like most of the time.

 

SMOKE (George McDonald)

Lord, I have laid my heart upon Thy altar

But cannot get the wood to burn;

It hardly flames ere it begins to falter

And to the dark return.

 

Old sap, or night-fallen dew, makes damp the fuel;

In vain my breath would flame provoke;

Yet see – at every poor attempt’s renewal

To Thee ascends the smoke!

 

‘Tis all I have – smoke, failure, foiled endeavour,

Coldness and doubt and palsied lack:

Such as I have I send Thee – perfect Giver,

Send Thou Thy lightening back.