Unless They Are Prayed

Life without purpose is barren indeed.
There can’t be a harvest unless you plant the seed.
There can’t be attainment unless there’s a goal,
And a man’s but a robot unless there’s a soul.
If we send no ships out, no ships will come in,
And unless there’s a contest, nobody can win.
For games can’t be won unless they are played,
and prayers can’t be answered unless they are prayed.
So whatever is wrong with your life today,
You’ll find a solution if you kneel down and pray.
Not just for pleasure, enjoyment and health,
Not just for honors, prestige or wealth,
But pray for a purpose to make life worth living,
And pray for the joy of unselfish giving,
For great is your gladness and rich your reward
When you make your life’s purpose the choice of the Lord. ~ Helen Steiner Rice

The Choice

 

To every man there openeth
a way, and ways, and a way.
And the high soul climbs the high way,
And the low soul gropes the low:
And in between, on the misty flats,
The rest drift to and fro.

But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low,
And every man decideth.
The way his soul shall go. ~ John Oxenham

It Can Be Done

Somebody said it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That maybe it couldn’t but would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
on his face, if he worried he hid it
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With the lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddity,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go for it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That cannot be done, and you’ll do it. ~ Edgar A. Guest

I Shall Not Pass This Way

Through this toilsome world, alas,
Once and only once I pass,
If a good deed I may do,
If a kindness I may show
To a suffering fellow man,
Let me do it while I can,
No delay for it is plain
I shall not pass this way again. ~ Stephen Grellet

Only One Life

“Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
bringing conviction to my heart, and from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.” ~ C.T. Studd