Lift the veil in this morass of Sin,
That faith may blossom and hope enter in.
Let the Sun of Justice shine
Upon a people in decline,
That looking up from the tyranny of power and things
Your face may captivate and solace bring.
Pour down torrents of Thy Grace
To cleanse this dry and brutal place ,
Uproot to plant anew
A Day of peace like settled dew,
That minds be bright and intellects sublime
And our only glory may be Thine.
© 2016 Joann Nelander
You are here.
My soul drinks
Of Your Presence.
Here is sweetness pervading,
Time with no measure,
Eternity kissing the moment,
Stillness, though fleeting.
Your touch stirs the life of me.
I want to dance,
Charged with new vigor.
I should simply gaze on You
But the power of life
Is hard to resist,
And unless You take me captive,
I’m tempted to fly.
I am the beggar,
Who finding his pockets full,
Hurries off to spend his treasure.
Teach me Lord to bask
In the sunshine of Your smile.
© 2013 Joann Nelander
I sing my song of love to Thee,
My God, in Persons, Holy Three,
My Three, as You desire to be,
Have come to earth to succor me.
I, who pine, wanting Thee to please,
Lift heart and hands upon my knees,
Hoping, True God, for Thee to live,
For Your Heart beats but to forgive.
©2016 Joann Nelander
David, Thy Servant, desired to build You a house.
I, too, desire to build You a holy dwelling.
I desire to build it here,
In this space in which I live.
Here on this ground of my being,
More than brick and mortar,
More than outward beauty,
I raise its rafters of prayer.
I desire this house to be a home,
Where angels and saints are welcome,
And drawn by the Heart of this dwelling,
For the home I will build is totally Yours.
With David, Your servant, I desire.
I desire to please and serve my God.
Make of me a home, an abode,
In which we may sup,
Now, and eternally.
(C)2016 Joann Nelander
I am old and getting older.
My frame is frail and fire flickering.
My body speaks of leaving,
But what of me?
The body is all I have known.
My soul and spirit have been quite at home
What we have known of living
Has come by the body’s telling.
When I go hence,
And dust reclaims this house,
I will look to You,
For it was You who lit my flame.
The body didn’t give me life,
Nor shall its demise
Claim my life.
You are the font of my being.
Those who seek to love the world,
And those who choose the self apart from God,
Finally find they worship a needy god,
Who has not the power to meet their needs.
Before my parting,
My course will be marked,
Drawn by my choices and loves.
In death, may I further pursue my Love.
You are familiar to me in a homey way.
We have lived together all these years,
And I will recognize Your Voice
When You call me home.
No fear, no sudden fury,
Shall stop my pilgrim stride,
Or bend my will,
Long bent on You.
What of me?
Without You,
I would not know myself.
Call to me and I will come
©2016 Joann Nelander
I want to spend my day loving You
And embracing life as You send It to me.
Nothing comes but by Your Will,.
Not that I haven’t thwarted Your Will.
I have!
I know I have,
But even as this moment
Bears the imprint of the hammer,
That struck the nails impaling You on Your Cross,
The Cross remained Yours,
And Your All Holy, All Chosen Will,
All of Your choosing
From the beginning of Time.
You are above Sin,
Above my sin and error,
The New Adam,
Obedient to the Father,
A Trinity of Union,
In Love.
By the Will of God ,
And the hand of man,
All infraction of the Divine Will
Was nailed to Your Holy Cross.
In You, I die to Sin,
And rise to live Your Dying
In my day.
In You,
Given for Men
Given for me,
I live God’s permissive Will,
Fashioned for me,
In the purifying furnace
Of His Perfect Will.
In this new day,
I choose the Cross and the Furnace,
I choose You,
Who are forging a union of hearts,
Perfect Love loving Man,
Desiring the perfection of every man,
Loving and perfecting me.
(C) 2016 Joann Nelander
Be Holy! 