God Speaks in Many Ways
By James A. Langley, Washington, D.C.
God of heav’n and earth speaks in many ways,
Revealing himself and his sov’reign will,
In grace, commands and guides us all our days,
Earnest seekers, thus led, may truth distil.
God may speak in lightning rending the skies,
Crashing thunder—or, silence of the spheres;
Acts of love and kindness, a child’s troubled cries,
Grace abounding amid recurring fears.
By great cataracts of the Zambesi,
Or awesome Niagara’s plunging roar,
Some wild flower, a mountain majesty,
When hummingbirds hover, and eagles soar.
With a child’s deep trust, and clasp of the hand,
The convolutions of the human ear,
A questing mind’s search to know and understand,
The faithful, through travail, conquering fear.
Dostoyevsky probing the psyche’s depths,
An exquisite aria by Gounod,
Remembrance, near or far, of some saint’s steps,
Millet’s Angelus, a tyrant’s overthrow.
A profligate fling of diamonds across
The velvet night, sunset flaming the sky,
Healing, or an irreplaceable loss;
At times we sense a wordless Presence nigh.
Where disease ravages and hunger stalks,
And many are broken, or bowed in shame,
There assuredly the Lord walks and talks,
Summoning us to minister in his name.
A mushroom cloud holds humankind hostage;
Can we not also discern the same Voice
Calling us to turn from killing and carnage,
All wars’ stygian ways, by wiser choice?
By the mind he gave, with God communing,
The stars which “he made also” are telling
His glory, infinite, all surpassing,
In whose heart are all the virtues dwelling.
If the Almighty in a still, small voice
Marks the human path, why should it surprise?
No sound heard among the stars by God’s choice,
And heaven oft’n shows its ways in disguise.
Prophets walked with God in lonely exile,
At other times among princes and kings,
Spoke truth to power, blocked the devil’s wile,
Soared with insights as if on angels’ wings.
God still speaks by these movers and shakers,
Calling for justice for the poor and weak,
Love for mercy, severe on evil-makers,
Exalting the God-like strength of the meek.
Divine light shines through the sacred pages,
Spirit inspired oracles blest in seeing,
Tested guide and compass across the ages,
That ever know and find our inmost being.
In this final age God speaks by a Son,
Paradox of paradoxes, God-Man,
Lately come, redemptive work to be done
Revealing God’s magisterial plan.
He speaks as no other has ever spoken,
By his cross and resurrection power,
Healing lives, and a world that is broken,
The way, the truth, life and love, his dower.
O hear! hear the Word, written and living!
Listen for the vital truth God will give,
To the willing God is ever giving,
O discern God’s gracious will! hear and live!
