Choose life, . . . that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him; for He is thy life, and the length of thy days.
GOD gently calls us every day:
Why should we then our bliss delay?
He calls to heaven and endless light;
Why should we love the dreary night?
Praise, Lord, to Thee for Matthew's call,
At which he rose and left his all;
Thou, Lord, e'en now art calling me;
I will leave all, and follow Thee.
WILLIAM WALSHAM HOW
OBEY His blessed call now, and, having obeyed it once, never again disobey any call within you, to do His will. While we mourn our neglect of past calls, our sorrow, which is still His gift and call within us, will draw down His gladdening look, which will anew call us unto Him. Pass we by no call which, however indistinctly, we may have, and He will cheer us with clearer and gladlier calls. Our very sorrow and fear will be our joy and hope; our very stumblings our strength, and dimness our light, while stumbling or in darkness we feel after Him who is our Stay, our Light, our Joy.
EDWARD B. PUSEY
This is a public domain version of Joy and Strength.