Kevin Hartnett Poetry

One Look at Him

Imagine all the wonders that abound

In ev'ry distant swirling galaxy,

That daily now in telescopes are found

As far as swelling apertures can see!

　

O think upon the splendid vistas there,

Where colored triple stars o'er planets rise,

While shining moons and rings their splendors share

With asters strewn 'cross bright galactic skies!

　

Will heaven then surpassing wonders show-

When God creates the universe anew-

And there, as promised, on His works bestow

A beauty He will never need renew?

　

Yes, this shall happen, yet my soul must say:

One look at Him will sweep them all away.

 

This is a poem from my devotional book: The Heavens: Intimate Moments with Your Majestic God . It is in the English sonnet format. I wrote most of it sitting in the Motor Vehicle Administration waiting for my number to come up!! Will we need cars in heaven? I trust not. :)

 

A Wedding Prayer

Lord thank you for this happy day,

And praise the kind and mighty way

You brought this pair to love and grow

Through plans you purposed long ago.

 

We sense your gracious, guiding hand

In joining them that they might band

Together in your cause of love;

For covenant comes from above.

 

And so through Christ, our Hope, we pray

You bless them in broadest way

Their love and service may abound

To make your Name the more renowned.

 

Lord grant them health and strength this day

That they might run the race and stay

Protected safely in this life

From evil, hurt, disease and strife.

 

Remember to pour out your grace

In every trial that they face,

And give them wisdom, skill, and might

With courage to contend for right.

 

Provide them means so needs be met,

Not just their own, but further yet

To help the poor, and there perceive

The wealth that giving does receive.

 

Lord, grant them sweet and loving speech,

And may such fruit abide in each

That faithfulness secures the day

When tensions tempt their hearts to stray.

 

Let children come in time we pray,

And with them insight that they may

Instruct each in way of grace,

So gospel truth they will embrace.

 

Oh Father of the family tree,

Root now these lives in unity;

And let the heavens sing along

With us in praise through joyful song.

 

To Mike and Jocelyn with love on their wedding day, May 28, 2011.

 

Our wonderful son Michael married the wonderful Jocelyn Faith Wallwork on May 28th.  At the end of the ceremony between the songs "There Is No One Like Our God" (Steve and Vicki Cook) and "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" (lyrics by H.J. Van Dyke to the famous 9th Symphony melody by Beethoven) they asked me to pray for them.  Mike hinted that he wouldn't mind if it were poetic, so I took the hint and worked my thoughts into this poem.  I did my best to form a bridge the two songs as well as communicate my hopes and prayers for them.  Lord, bless them with joy according to your unsearchable greatness. Amen.

 

 

For Even Jesus Wept

Unerring sweep the plans of God—
Like winds of vague descent.
With stormy blast and gentle breeze
He serves His continent.
Divinely scaled intentions lie
Beyond the scope of men—
As falling timbers free into
The wind their seeds again.

Within His lofty purposes
He calls us as His sons;
In ordained times and circumstance,
We live as treasured ones.
And when His angel lifts us home,
We know that it is right.
The passing of a righteous man
Is precious in His sight.

Yet grief retains its mournful grip
Where mortal hearts remain.
Bereft of immortality,
The wind of death wreaks pain.
Our eyes release in sorrow’s love
A loss, where hope is kept.
And this we do assuredly,
For even Jesus wept.

Written to the Murphy family and Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, PA.  Originally composed in October 2009 and revised slightly in August 2010.

Jesus Is Emmanuel

God made people much like sheep.
They both love to eat and sleep!
Shepherds too for them He made,
So they wouldn’t be afraid (and)
This is why He came that day,
Lying with the sheep in hay.
God with man had come to dwell-
Jesus is Emmanuel.

Sheep and people disobey,
Both will wander far away.
Jesus leads us to His cross
hereSo that we might not be lost (and)
This is why He came that day,
Seeking those who’d gone astray.
God with man had come to dwell,
Jesus is Emmanuel.

Sing with joy this happy song-
We, His sheep, to God belong!
Christ is come; His flock to save
For our souls, His life He gave (and)
This is why He came that day-
Taking all our sins away.
God with man had come to dwell;
Jesus is Emmanuel.

K.H., October 2006

Several years ago, friend Ken Boer and I collaborated on a number of children's songs.  This is one of them.  I pray others might find them useful.  You can get an MP3 recording of it and sheet music on Ken's website here.  If you need a little joy, listen to his recording of children singing it!

 

 

 

So I Will Praise Him in the Night

The plans of God bring ebb and flow –
His wisdom thus ordains it.
Prosperity to want may go,
As His good hands arrange it.
Both day and night dispense His grace;
Both work to serve His pleasure.
By day we know the glorious Face
At night we learn to treasure.

We err to think the darkness bad,
When shadows mask our knowing,
For there refreshing dew is had
That keeps the flowers growing.
The waxing and the waning moon
Both work to mark the season.
The winter dawn and dusk of June
Alike display His reason.

Shall we then seek that He explain
The circle of His blessing?
Our daily rhythms here maintain
Great patterns there expressing.
For sorrows come until the Day
When Night itself will vanish -
Till Wisdom has its perfect way -
And Light will Darkness banish.

The happy soul is then content
To know that He is faithful,
And through each difficult event
Remembers to be grateful.
For God commands each circumstance
To serve those of His calling.
His care enjoins the nightingale
To sing when dusk is falling.

So I will praise Him in the night,
This globe of sorrows surely turns.
See there His stars of promise bright;
Behold, the light of dawn returns.

 

-- K.Hartnett, August 2007

 

This poem was inspired by the June 1st morning entry in Morning and Evening, Daily Readings by Charles Haddon Spurgeon.  I've copied the entry below. You can read other entries at the following link.

“The evening and the morning were the first day.”

(Genesis 1:5)

Was it so even in the beginning? Did light and darkness divide the realm of time in the first day? Then little wonder is it if I have also changes in my circumstances from the sunshine of prosperity to the midnight of adversity. It will not always be the blaze of noon even in my soul concerns, I must expect at seasons to mourn the absence of my former joys, and seek my Beloved in the night. Nor am I alone in this, for all the Lord’s beloved ones have had to sing the mingled song of judgment and of mercy, of trial and deliverance, of mourning and of delight. It is one of the arrangements of Divine providence that day and night shall not cease either in the spiritual or natural creation till we reach the land of which it is written, “there is no night there.” What our heavenly Father ordains is wise and good.

What, then, my soul, is it best for thee to do? Learn first to be content with this divine order, and be willing, with Job, to receive evil from the hand of the Lord as well as good. Study next, to make the outgoings of the morning and the evening to rejoice. Praise the Lord for the sun of joy when it rises, and for the gloom of evening as it falls. There is beauty both in sunrise and sunset, sing of it, and glorify the Lord. Like the nightingale, pour forth thy notes at all hours. Believe that the night is as useful as the day. The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow. The stars of promise shine forth gloriously amid the darkness of grief. Continue thy service under all changes. If in the day thy watchword be labour, at night exchange it for watch. Every hour has its duty, do thou continue in thy calling as the Lord’s servant until he shall suddenly appear in his glory. My soul, thine evening of old age and death is drawing near, dread it not, for it is part of the day; and the Lord has said, “I will cover him all the day long.”

From Morning and Evening; Daily Readings by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Morning entry, June 1st)

O the Riches in the Gospel!

O the riches in the Gospel! 

Purposes no man conceived! 

Grace unfailing; love astounding, 

Given those who have believed! 

 

Pardon full for helpless sinners. 

Justified- though guilty be! 

Jesus cursed for our transgressions; 

We made righteous by decree! 

 

Peace with God, oh timeless marvel! 

Christ’s blood our security! 

Holiness at one with Favor; 

Heaven opened wondrously! 

 

Purpose in the Master’s kingdom; 

We, His worksmanship by grace, 

Cleansed to serve; alive in conscience; 

Spirit-filled to run the race. 

 

Pleasure in His highest priv’ledge: 

Sons of God by name are we! 

Heirs with Christ through God’s adoption; 

Called in love eternally!

 

O the riches in the Gospel! 

Purposes no man conceived! 

Grace unfailing; love astounding, 

Ever theirs who have believed!

-- K. Hartnett, November 2005

 

Pardon, peace, purpose, pleasure - oh what riches we have in Christ!

You Go Before Us

Chorus

You go before us,

And what great comfort in the thought.

You've planned the future,

And love eternal is our lot!

Can it be You see my life through all eternity...

Waiting there for me?!

Oh gracious Father unto Thee

I pledge my love!

 

Verse One
Though my plans are filled with doubts and imperfections,

And the paths I choose do seem to go astray;

When I look again I see You there before me:

Establishing my steps along the way.

 

Verse Two
There's no mystery in Your purpose for the future.

Even now your faithful love's extending there.

You've made time to serve as keeper of Your blessings:

Another demonstration of Your care!

-- K. Hartnett, 1994
 

What Now Do You See?

What now do you see?

And can it be the force of Truth

That here unites two lives as one? 

They vowed to God;

What simple happenstance occurred to make it so?

The book, the prayers, the animated faces-

All speak the great and common tongue of knowledge held most dear.

 

Did He indeed design the complimentary nature of the parties joined?

The elegance of every aspect speaks itself.

And louder still, the order seen in those who likewise vowed in times before.

 

‘Twas Christ Himself who taught that truth

Is heard by those who have an ear;

What now do you hear?

 

-- K. Hartnett, 11/2006

My friends Ken and Rachael Boer asked me to write a poem that they might print and have available on the tables at their wedding reception.  Their prayer and desire was to point non-church-attenders to God, and the fact that marriage is His design- meant in part as as a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church.  I actually wrote them two poems.  This one was the one they used.  The other is called This Picture His

Come Now, Look to Me

Come now, look to Me, My precious daughter;
I know all that’s coming you can’t see.
Rest in faith for I have planned tomorrow,
And will lead you to it faithfully.

I know all the worries that you carry,
You can trust that I will answer prayer.
All the things that you call limitations,
Are to Me, broad avenues for care.

It was I who planned the generations;
I have wisdom working even now.
Ev’ry act of love done for your children
Forms a model to them I’ll endow.

Do not shrink from loving confrontation;
Discipline is truly work of grace;
Lessons from the book of gospel-living
Lay foundations time cannot erase.

See, your efforts carry far beyond you;
Seeds of virtue planted home today
Yield a harvest long into the future;
You advance My Kingdom in this way.

Raise these treasured children, loving daughter;
Time is short; make joy your memory!
Is this not the best life I could give you?
Love and purpose in your family!

--K. Hartnett, February 2005

Two years ago around this time I was asked to write a poem to encourage the homeschooling mothers in our church's Family Schools Program.  May this poem continue to help, encourage, and inspire these dedicated and hard-working women of God.

There, into Peace

There, into peace, the spirit of the work-
Man makes its way.  Not deaf to Providence-
As one who questions long, or seeks to shirk
The call of God- but rather, in defense
Of those less able in his mind to cope,
Still labors on- attentive to the end
With those he loves.  Great men thus made who hope
In prayer live ever ready as a friend,
Through loving care inquiring all to know,
Both good and bad, for there the hand of God
Is seen- and in this knowledge, how to sow
Their energies and interests ever broad.

So precious to the Lord then comes the day,
When to Himself He calls such souls away.

-- K. Hartnett, February 2007

I wrote this for one of our pastors upon learning that his father had passed away.