Pause In Lent #5– Sun Of My Soul

Pictures of Friday's Solar Eclipse have been pretty amazing [these from The Guardian] Nothing except grey clouds here in Ferndown. But I remembered two old hymns that talk about the Sun – the first by American poet, O W Holmes [printed in full] , the second by the quintessentially English John Keble [first verse only]

Lord of all being, throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Centre and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!

Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray,
Sheds on our path the glow of day;
Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch, Thy mercy’s sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine.

 

Lord of all life, below, above,
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before Thy ever blazing throne
We ask no lustre of our own.

 

Grant us Thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee,
Till all Thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame.

 

Sun of my soul, thou Saviour dear

It is not night if thou be near

Oh may no earthborn cloud arise

To hide me from my Saviour’s eyes

May you walk this week in the sunshine of God’s love, feeling the warmth and light.