The Closing Year, A Christ-Centered Poem of Reflection

The Closing Year

How soon the year has passed away!
How soon its race was run!
And of the work I planned to do,
How little has been done!
I vowed to more of kindness show
To those who were in need;
To help the fallen, save the lost,
And sow the precious seed;

To soothe the sorrow, dry the tear,
And others' burdens bear;
To be more Christlike every day,
And in his work to share;
To live more pure in mind and thought,
And evil habits shun;
To be more careful of my words,
And kind to every one.

But as I look back o'er the past
And view the things I've done,
The very work I planned to do
Has only been begun.
On every side were open doors
I might have entered in;
On every hand were sinful hearts
I had the power to win;

On every side were saddened hearts
And heads bowed down with woe,
Where dearest joys had fled away
To these I did not go;
And when some hard and crushing blow
The trusting heart had broken,
A kindly word would heal the wound
That word was never spoken.

Shall I go on through all the years
And all these duties shirk?
Shall I presume upon His love
And fail to do His work?
Can I expect to wear a crown
And join the blood-washed throng?
Shall I, with saints and angels, join
To sing redemption's song?

No; I must bravely take my cross
And do His work in love,
Assured if I will do my part,
I'll share his joy above.
Lord, give to me thy grace divine,
That through each coming day,
My feet may ever keep the path
That leads the upward way.