All Men Thirst

All men thirst for God:
Every human heart gives vent,
Somewhere beneath the breath,
To this unutterable longing.
If the heart would be at peace;
It must heavenward soar,
Seeking to gain hold of the One,
From whom all things come;
That there, it might fold its wings,
To rest, in His sheltered berth.

Living man bespeaks a Living God:
In whom all perfection is focused;
In whom all power infinitely abides;
Beyond whom thoughts cannot pass;
From whom love does not wander;
Who is Light for understanding,
And authority for life's questions;
Purpose, and motive for all doings.
"My soul thirsteth for Thee: my flesh
Longeth for Thee, in a dry and thirsty land."

This pensive, wistful yearning,
For the Life of our life yet survives.
Unrecognized: it is our deepest misery;
An open sore, even unto death.
Accepted, and yielded to: it is,
The foundation and the structure
Of our deepest inner blessings,
And our highest aspirations:
A Fountain amidst the gardens,
From a well of Living Water.