For Your Name's Sake (some sonnets)

You drape the dell with scarves of silver tulle... You carve the curving course of brook-song hue... ...the earth is full Of the glorious handiwork of You You drape the dell with scarves of silver tulleYou carve the curving course of brook-song hueThat shimmers out to sea; the earth is fullOf the glorious handiwork of You You fill and whet the seed that leaps to lifeFruit and flower reply; ah, who are weThat we should doubt Your ways while earth runs rifeWith Your mercy, glory and majesty You stir within the human heart a senseOf holiness and power undeterredA Culmination, awesome and immenseThat eye has not yet seen nor ear yet heard Oh Lord, let no path I pursue or takeBe for a lesser cause than Your name’s sake *** Ps.23:3...he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. *** You wake and rouse the earth from winter’s clutchWith ways we love and have come to expectWith daffodils and robin trills and suchWith plumes and blooms sun-kisses resurrect You tune four-season’s steadfast carouselsSun, moon and stars their ordained circuits stayAnd never stray; not one planet rebelsYour perfect law and order they obey Nothing and no one can usurp Your willAncient oracles have not slipped your kenHeaven and earth will not pass away tillEach jot and tittle is fulfilled. Amen Behold! where autumn’s auburn petals fellSpringtime’s unfailing hallelujahs swell *** Ps.24:1The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; *** The earth is Yours, and its fulness thereofThe greedy forget this and want for moreThan Your goodness, mercy, kindness and loveOffering wealth that pales this world’s brief store Your righteousness and truth are of great priceThe wise covet its fortune earnestlyStriving to be a living sacrificeLest worship be a show of vanity You rend the dark; cut mercy’s legions looseYou bend heavens and earth with evidenceOf You; thus, we are all without excuseWhen it comes to devotion’s recompense Dear Lord, whatever life may bring our wayHelp us endeavor to trust and obey *** Ps.103:8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. *** Compassionate and slow to anger, YouWithhold judgment, but not forever, ohSomeday total accounting will come duePity the one who heard You and said 'no' You, who held nothing back but gave YourselfPity the one who prizes prideful pelfAbove the love that robs death/hell of its claim Time's four-season circuit spins round and roundSome sense its sacred toll, some scoff and sneerBut someday Time's Veneer will run aground And all earth's tribes will mourn with holy fear Then, hope and grace and faith will be no moreWhen who we chose to serve settles the score © Janet Martin ***Matt.24:30Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. *** Behold! where autumn’s auburn petals fell... Springtime’s unfailing hallelujahs swell