ORSBORNAGAIN (12)
A devotional series by Major Rob Birks
ORSBORNAGAIN is meant to introduce the poetry of the first Poet General, Albert Orsborn (1886-1967) to a new audience and to reintroduce his works to dyed-in-the-(tropical)-wool Salvationists.
These are not new songs.
However, the lyrics are jam-packed with new life, which may be missed during corporate worship. Re-examined through scripture and experience, Rob Birks intends through an examination of these scared songs to renew the spiritual fervor of believers, and point seekers to their Savior.
Saviour, if my feet have faltered
On the pathway of the cross,
If my purposes have altered
Or my gold be mixed with dross,
O forbid me not thy service,
Keep me yet in thy employ.
Pass me through a sterner cleansing
If I may but give thee joy!
All my work is for the Master,
He is all my heart’s desire;
O that he may count me faithful
In the day that tries by fire!
Have I worked for hireling wages,
Or as one with vows to keep,
With a heart whose love engages
Life or death, to save the sheep?
All is known to thee, my Master,
All is known, and that is why
I can work and wait the verdict
Of thy kind but searching eye.
I must love thee, love must rule me,
Springing up and flowing forth
From a childlike heart within me,
Or my work is nothing worth.
Love with passion and with patience,
Love with principle and fire,
Love with heart and mind and utterance,
Serving Christ my one desire.
Albert Orsborn
672 Our Response to God – Holiness, Discipleship
One of my favorite living poets is the eloquent and insightful Luci Shaw. While living in Seattle, I once sat across the table from her in a small bookstore on 85th Avenue. A large crowd was expected for the book reading, but only a few of us showed. At one point in the evening, I asked her to read my favorite poem of hers, “Judas, Peter.” This poem is comprised of two short verses, contrasting what happened to these two betrayers after they each had committed their offense. The first verse artfully describes the epic fail of Judas. Here is the second verse:
but if we find grace
to cry and wait
after the voice of morning
has crowed in our ears
clearly enough
to break our hearts
he will be there
to ask us each again
do you love me?
This great song of Orsborn’s can also be viewed as a comparison and a contrast of Judas and Peter. The feet of both men certainly “faltered on the pathway of the cross.” The purposes of both of these followers of Jesus had been altered to varying degrees. Gold and dross (impurities) were definitely all mixed up (as were both Peter and Judas). Both men betrayed their master. While the consequences of their sin differed, the crimes were comparable. However, one follower/betrayer killed himself, and the other follower/betrayer found life and founded the church. Peter eventually allowed himself to be passed “through a sterner cleaning,” while Judas … just passed.
The “day that tries by fire” can be any day that ends with a “y.” You and I constantly find ourselves in similar situations to those of Peter and Judas. We are given opportunities to identify ourselves with Christ, or deny him – to show him genuine affection, or give him the kiss of betrayal. The first line of Shaw’s poem, “because we are all betrayers,” conveys the biblical truth that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23). Given that fact, I’m going to go out on a limb (with apologies to Judas), and say that we have all, at times, chosen poorly when faced with these choices.
Here’s the beautiful thing. Even after we have faltered and failed, forgiveness and faithfulness are offered to us by the One we’ve sinned against, the One we’ve denied, the One we’ve betrayed. The “kind but searching eye” of the Master sees it all – the gold and the dross, the good kisses and the bad kisses, whether we’ve “worked for hireling wages” or “as one with vows to keep,” all of it. And the Master will still “be there to ask us each again, do you love me? Well, do you? Do I? And is it a love that “engages life or death to save the sheep?”
Our prayer must be that of Orsborn’s here: “I must love thee, love must rule me.” If not, if we don’t love Jesus and OTHERS “with passion and with patience,” “with principle and fire,” “with heart and mind and utterance,” then all of our “work is nothing worth” (see 1 Cor. 13:1-13).
Frederick Buechner, in describing the re-commission Peter received from his Master (John 21:9-19) writes: “From fisher of fish to fisher of people to keeper of the keys to shepherd. It was the Rock’s final promotion, and from that day forward he never let the head office down again.”
All my work is for the Master!