Missionary Poems

I was looking through some stuff and came across a notebook in which I had written some poems early in my ministry. This was before the days of the PC, young whippersnappers, so I did not have them on disk! Thus, I thought I would type them in. And since I am doing so, I thought, why not share them with my friends on the Baptist Board?

You are entirely welcome to share poems you have written, or those written by someone else which you have enjoyed or been inspired by--giving due credit to the poet, of course.

 

The first poem I'll share was written on a China Airlines flight on the way over for the first time to Japan almost 25 years ago with my young wife Patty and baby Paul. We got on the plane at 11:50 P. M. on May 4. We then had a short 2nd wedding anniversary on the plane before we reached the international date line and lost the rest of the day. I gave my wife a Belgian crystal necklace. We first set foot on Japansese soil at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on May 6, 1981.

Imagine the mixed and powerful feelings of a missionary headed for his first term all the way across the world.


On The Way
By John R. Himes

There's a thunder of great engines,
Calling back to the homeland.
There's a stretch of lofting wings,
Reaching out a helping hand.
There's a quiver in the heart;
I wonder why I leave my land.
There's a longing for the future--
Many souls to feel God's hand.

[ March 31, 2006, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: John of Japan ]

 

Fly Swiftly
By John R. Himes

Swiftly past a river’s flash
My faithful blue car flies.
Herds of cows and sunset’s gown
And gentle woods flow by.

Faster yet than chariot
My thoughts race far ahead.
A treasure waits, much pleasure there
Where by my thoughts I’m led.

You wonder why I long to fly
Much faster than I am?
At journey’s end awaits a friend,
I treasure like a gem!


This was written in early 1979 while I was on deputation to come to Japan, and on my way to my fiance’s church.

 

I'm glad you are enjoying my little poems. I plan to add one a day until they are done--a couple of weeks, maybe.

 

God’s Man
By John R. Himes

God’s man is who I long to be,
A preacher of the Gospel free!

God’s place is all I long to have,
And there a road to heaven pave!

God’s work is quite the best there is,
Transcending all that is not His!

God’s Word I’ll hide within my heart,
Consumed by fire to do my part!


Written on August 9, 1980, while on deputation to come to Japan.

 

What a beautiful poem, Gwen, and so true.

What were you in Japan for? You being such a young thing, you must have been attending a Japanese kindergarten as an exchange student, right?

 

I Must Work
By John R. Himes

John 9:4—“ I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

(To the tune of “I Must Tell the Wondrous Story”)


I must work the works of Jesus,
While it’s day and light is here;
For the day will soon be over
And the night will then appear.

Work the works of Him Who sent me,
Give the Gospel to the lost,
Tell all men that He’s the Savior
And His blood has paid the cost.


Written at midnight on June 25, 1981, when I could not sleep, during our second month after arriving in Japan for our first missionary term.

 

Betty has done a wonderful work down there for many years. Strangely, I've never met her, but then I've only been to Nagoya once.

I've met Bro. Ishiguro and his son of the Mino Mission, though. Good men, both of them!

 

Mnw, thank you. Good work for a 14 year old! I hope you still write poetry.

Samerelda, beautiful! Patty and I write poems to each other, too, though me more than Patty. It's fun!

Sometimes my poetry flows well, but I also have a file of unfinished poems where nothing seemed to work. I suppose I have some talent, since the family is shot through with writers, but I did have a minor in English in college, including six credits of Shakespeare, which I loved.

Have to run to the big city of Sapporo today, but I'll add a poem when we get back this evening.

God bless everyone!

John

 

Cute, samarelda, very cute! And I'm sure you learned your lesson and never, ever again quarrelled over a can of pop!

 

Hey, mnw, spend a little less time on sermonizing and a little more time on poetry--and then include the poems in your sermons!

 

After college and a semester of seminary I went to work for my grandfather at the Sword of the Lord Foundation while I applied to be accepted as a missionary to Japan by Baptist World Mission. As it turned out, due to some issues it took me almost a year to be accepted. In the meantime, my grandfather asked me to consider the Sword as a career. I remember one day he said to me, “Johnny, why do you want to go to Japan? You can win more souls to the Lord here in America. Maybe God does not actually want you to go to Japan, but just be willing to go.” I don’t know to this day what I answered him, if anything. I loved and admired him so much that I must have been tongue-tied. I began to contemplate more deeply the idea of leaving all to travel half-way around the world to serve Christ. It was around that time and in that state of mind that I wrote this poem. I later included it in my book, The Making of a Soul Winner (Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the Lord, 1979).


Deny Thyself
By John R. Himes

What sense of loss there always is
When leaving self behind.
What unfulfilled desires must die,
Hopes lost within the mind.

The heart may cry, AIt is enough,
My life can lose no more.
My fondest dreams are swallowed up,
My strength crushed to the floor.

Yet still the kind Creator moves
His hand across the life,
And takes impurities away,
And cancels sinful strife.

Yet still the precious Savior takes
The vessel broken up,
And shapes it very patiently
Into a golden cup.

The joy that comes from sadness deep,
The happiness from pain,
Will far exceed the strongest hopes,
And make earth's pleasures vain.

So tremble not to lose yourself,
And live for Christ alone.
The life you live for others
Will forever be your own.