God’s Thoughts and Mine

The Hammer thoughts

That pound and shatter peace;

The Rodent thoughts

That gnaw and will not cease;

 

The Brier thoughts

That pull and prick and scratch;

The Rover thoughts

That I can never catch;

 

The Serpent thoughts

That leave their lairs at night;

The Shadow thoughts

That dim the new day’s light;

 

These are my thoughts;

Oh, take them, Lord, I pray,

Out of my heart,

And cast them far away;

 

And in their stead

Give me those thoughts of Thine,

So crystal-clear,

So holy, high, and fine,

 

That I shall grow

By their pure grace enticed,

Worthy to think

The lovely thoughts of Christ.

—Annie Johnson Flint