Christian Art | George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Love (2)
George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Love (2)
Immortall Heat, O let thy greater flame
Attract the lesser to it: let those fires,
Which shall consume the world, first make it tame,
And kindle in our hearts such true desires,
As may consume our lusts, and make thee way.
Then shall our hearts pant thee; then shall our brain,
All her invention on thine Altar lay,
And there in hymnes send back thy fire again:
Our eies shall see thee, which before saw dust;
Dust blown by wit, till that they both were blinde,
Thou shalt recover all thy goods in kinde,
Who wert disseized by usurping lust:
All knees shall bow to thee; all wits shall rise,
And praise him who did make and mend our eies.
George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Love (2)
This poem is a meditation on divine love and its transformative power. Herbert calls upon an ‘Immortal Heat’, a metaphor for God’s eternal love, to burn away human desires, preparing the soul for a purified relationship with the divine. Herbert asks that this heavenly fire ‘attract the lesser to it’, symbolizing the hope that earthly passions, with all their distractions and imperfections, will be drawn into the higher, refining flame of divine love. The fire that ‘shall consume the world’ is a vision of divine judgment or renewal that should first be felt within, turning Herbert’s own heart toward a sincere devotion.
In the poem, God’s fire is also described as enabling a spiritual clarity and devotion, as Herbert’s mind will now ‘lay all her invention on thine altar’. This suggests that every faculty of the mind and heart will be dedicated to God, culminating in hymns, or spiritual expressions, sent back to God as acts of worship. The poem’s emphasis on fire as a returning offering signifies the cyclical relationship between divine inspiration and human devotion: God’s love ignites human faith, and that faith, in turn, is expressed as an offering back to God.
The image of eyes that once ‘saw dust’ but now will ‘see thee’ reinforces this transformation. In biblical imagery, dust often represents human frailty or distraction, with the poet implying that human intellect (‘wit’) has previously misled, ‘blinding’ him from seeing the divine. This blindness, caused by earthly distractions, is removed when the soul is cleansed by divine fire, allowing the poet’s eyes to see clearly. The final lines underscore a vision of restoration: humanity, led astray by ‘usurping lust’, will return to reverence, offering its ‘wits’ and praises in recognition of God’s original gift of sight, both literal and spiritual.
The poem concludes with a universal vision of humility and reverence before God. The phrase ‘all knees shall bow’ echoes scripture, suggesting an eventual and total submission of all creation to the divine. Herbert expresses hope for a world where not only physical acts (bowing of knees) but intellectual contributions (‘all wits’) honour God, acknowledging the role of divine grace in restoring true sight and understanding. Thus, the poem combines personal prayer with a broader vision of humankind’s potential for unity and purpose through divine love and redemption.
The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 11 | Jesus Wept | Death And Resurrection Of Lazarus | KJV The account of Lazarus’s death and resurrection in John 11:1-45 is profound and moving. Central to the story is the shortest verse in the Bible: ‘Jesus wept’ (John 11:35). At first glance, ‘Jesus wept’ appears to be a simple statement of human emotion. It shows Jesus expressing sorrow and empathy, sharing in the grief of Lazarus’s sisters, Mary and Martha, and the mourning community. The moment reveals profound humanity of Jesus. Despite Jesus’ divine knowledge that he would raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus yet experiences fully human emotions. Jesus is not distant or detached but is intimately connected with the suffering of those he loves. The verse also underscores the reality of death’s impact, even for the Son of God. Although Jesus knows that death is not the final word and that he has power over it, Jesus still mourns. This weeping is not only for Lazarus but for the brokenness of the world that death represents. It reflects sorrow that God feels over the pain and suffering that humanity endures as a result of sin and death. The verse ‘Jesus wept’ highlights compassion of Jesus. Jesus’ tears are an expression of his deep love for Lazarus and Lazarus’ family. In the act of weeping, Jesus demonstrates that God’s response to human suffering is not indifference or cold logic, but rather profound empathy and compassion. The God of the universe is not immune to our pain but enters into it with us. Theologically, this moment is also significant because it foreshadows the passion of Christ. Just as Jesus wept over Lazarus, Jesus would later weep in Gethsemane over the soon-to-be agony of the Cross. Jesus’ tears in John 11 anticipate the suffering he will endure to conquer death once and for all. In weeping for Lazarus, Jesus reveals such depth of his commitment to overcome death and bring life. See also: Daily Bible Verses | Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem | That Jesus Wept Means He Prayed For The Loss And The Futility | King James Audio Bible KJV
The parable teaches us that we must be ready, because we do not know when Christ will come to us, for the final account of our lives. This is a warning, edging our lives with the unpredictable. One positive effect of this parable is that it helps us to remain alert to the present moment. While it is easy to allow our thoughts to drift from where we are here and now, to recall the past, to worry or hope for the future, or to slip into daydreams and fantasy altogether, it is when we bring our attention to this very moment of time that we find sharpness, significance, and vibrancy in our life. We may realise just how extraordinary this great gift of life truly is, and feel empowered to live well and offer ourselves wholly to God. When we are attentive to this moment in time we may walk with Jesus [ … ]
Psalm 134 is a fitting conclusion to the Songs of Ascents, a collection of psalms often associated with pilgrimage and the ascent to Jerusalem for worship. The psalm encapsulates themes of continual service, heartfelt worship, and the reception of divine blessings. Short in length but deep in meaning, this psalm underscores the relationship between human devotion and divine response, between the act of blessing God and the reception of blessings from God [ … ]
