would you go?

A thick black cloud rose in the East,
and stretched its fingers across the sky.
The world looked at it,
brow furrowed,
wondering at the ominous thunderings.
This was not new-
where had they seen it before?
Lightnings hissed out
and people died.
The world backed away, aghast;
waited.
Then,
Well, they said to each other,
this darkness isn't so very different, after all,
from the light.
And they embraced it.
Gladly it reached to envelop them.

A little candle in the West
flickered in the chill, growing wind,
the wind that reached even through the weave,
the bushel-basket weave,
and whispered at the little candle.
Your world is changing, it said,
your world is changing.
Will you hide forever?
And trembling, the little candle knew,
even under the basket
the world wasn't safe.
And it knew,
even in a safe world,
hiding was wrong.
Quivering,
helpless,
a life so suddenly dear,
so frail, so passing,
and so much might go wrong;
from such fear you could go mad.

The world felt dark,
so dark and cold.
Then memory spoke:
There is no fear in love,
no fear in love,
no fear in love.
He who fears has not been made perfect,
perfect in love.
Perfect love casts out fear.
There is no fear in love.
And cried out,
Then take it away, Lord-
help my unbelief!


A new voice spoke,
an old voice,
a voice without time,
but true and deep and free,
lovelier than morning,
stronger than all;
the voice that spoke, and it was so:
Tierney, child of Tim,
do you love Me
more than these?
Lord, you know I love You-
don't I?
Feed my lambs.
I might call you.
Would you go?
Are you Jonah,
or would you go?


Would I run to the darkness,
arms wide,
with reckless, faithful love?
Would I count the cost,
and give everything,
be poured out willing and joyful,
until nothing is left?
Would I tear my bleeding heart
away from this world,
where it never should have been,
and plant it firm in the soil of eternity?
What would I give?
My time? My funds? My toil?
My family?
My life?

Tierney, child of Tim,
do you love Me
more than these?
Lord, you know I love You.
Teach me love still deeper.
Show me where You would have me,
and give the means to get there;
show me what You would have me do,
and strengthen me to do it.
Take away my desires
that run counter to Yours,
and lead me to run hard
after only You.
Here I am.
Send me.