With Open Hands

My friend Dave asked about the poem I mentioned in yesterday's post about Henri Nouwen. I am not sure if it was this poem that I wrote out on the scroll, but this one was inspired by his book,With Open Hands. I want to emphasize that the poem was written as an aspiration or prayer, and not reality lived! :) 

 With open hands I stand before the world,
I lay my weapons down for Jesus' sake,
Naked, unclothed, defenceless--it's my choice
Because I know that he my hand will take.

 With open arms, Lord, let me love the world,
And never fear rejection, scorn or pain,
Or, if I fear, don't let me falter Lord,
Remind me that our weakness is your gain.

 With open heart, accepting, loving, kind,
With openness of spirit let me love,
Lord, take this hardened human heart and make,
A heart as warm and gentle as a dove.

 With open eyes please let me see myself
And others as we are to you, dear Lord,
So precious in your sight because the price,
You paid for us, we never could afford.

 Belinda 
1979

Ezekiel 36:26

Living Bible (TLB)
26 And I will give you a new heart—I will give you new and right desires—and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love.[a]

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