Missionary Poems

Excellent, Kilad. I hope you will share more with us. I'll check out your website, as I hope others will. You are welcome to use any of my poems on it--or is it set up for individual poets to contribute?

 

This famous poem may seem to have nothing to do with the Christian walk and missions and evangelism. However, it truly blessed me as I considered missionary service as a young man, which is a path taken by few Christians, even among those called to it.


THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

 

We Would Stay
Bill Harvey
(From 100 Bill Harvey Poems, SOTL, 1974)

We would stay on the mountain so high,
But down in the valley they cry;
Those that are lost and undone
Are needing the Transfigured One.

We would stay where Eternity dwells,
But down in the darkening dells
Time marches rapidly on
For souls that long for the dawn.

We would stay where garments glisten,
But millions wait and listen
For us to leave the mountain
And tell them of the Fountain.

We would stay where the glory is bright,
But soon there is coming the night
And there is a soul-winner's crown
For those who will dare to come down.

 

I'm going to add just a couple more by other writers. First of all, this is one by Dr. Jim Norton, the senior BWM missionary when we came to Japan, and a godly and zealous soul winner. He has written many poems, but I think this is his best, and it was a blessing to me as a young missionary.

Reap!
By Missionary Jim Norton
1964, John 4:38, “I call you to reap.”

I call you to reap the ripe harvest,
And I call you to do it today!
The souls of lost men I am seeking;
O, hasten and do not delay!

The short hour to reap passes swiftly,
When Satan is routed and flees.
It is then you must put in the sickle,
And reap the blest Father to please.

Each soul is exceedingly precious.
It’s worth all the diamonds outweighed;
I send you to reap this ripe harvest,
And great are the treasures I pay.

Be faithful down there in the valley,
The reaping hour soon will be past.
Then I’ll call you to Glory forever,
Where you’ll be by My own side at last!

Then reaping and weeping all over,
The stars and the moon to outshine,
We’ll reign in the ages eternal.
With the Father Himself we will dine!

Now do not be weary, dear worker,
In reaping this most precious grain.
Each stalk garnered in ‘ere the night falls
Brings unceasing joy to My name.

 

Good one, samarelda!

And congratulations to bapmom for the new little missionary!