Wild the man and wild the place,
Wild his dress and wild his face,
Wilder still his words that trace
Paths that lead from sin to grace.
“Knock down every proud backed hill!
Every canyon, valley fill!
Plane the soul and pray until
All its raucous ramblings still.”
“Throw yourself in Jordan’s streams,
Plunge beneath the wave the gleams,
Wash away what only seems.
Rise and float on heaven’s dreams.”
“Leave on shore unneeded weight,
Fear and doubt, the skeptic’s freight.
Toss them off and do not wait.
Time is short. The hour is late.”
“One now comes whose very name
Makes my words seem mild and tame.
I use water to reclaim
Lives that he will cleanse with flame.”
“You will see him soon appear:
One whose steps through prayer you hear.
Christ is drawing, drawing near,
Christ is coming, coming here!”
Source: Thomas Troeger © 1986 Oxford University Press, Inc
Photo: Cross in the Wilderness, Frederick Church, 1857
View all Advent Devotional 2013 posts here.
© 2013, copyright Thomas MacEntee
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