There is a gentle stillness
a quiet surrendering
a lingering calm
where I long to stay
before the quiet wave
of evening
becomes too soon
another day

Father, draw me close
enfold my weariness
and give me peace,
surrendered.
And tomorrow when I wake
grant your Holy Spirit
to face the battle strong,
I pray

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So heart be still:
What need our little life
Our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?
In all the dizzy strife
Of things both high and low,
God hideth His intention.

God knows. His will
Is best. The stretch of years
Which wind ahead, so dim
To our imperfect vision,
Are clear to God. Our fears
Are premature; In Him,
All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until
God moves to lift the veil
From our impatient eyes,
When, as the sweeter features
Of Life’s stern face we hail,
Fair beyond all surmise
God’s thought around His creatures
Our mind shall fill.

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron
Water like a stone.
Snow had fallen,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain,
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign.
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed,
The Lord God Almighty
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay.
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and *** and camel,
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air.
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part.
Yet what I can I give Him?
Give my heart.