After the heat of the
battle’s long day,
John happened to pass where
a young soldier lay-
Covered with blood - limbs
twisted askew,
And found, after all, his
compassion still grew.
So John moistened the dying
man’s lips and his face,
And lovingly straightened
his limbs into place;
He listened and prayed and
stayed by his side
Trying to comfort him ere he
died.
Jim looked up at John - so
grateful was he -
And, as life slipped away,
just a faint word could be -
A request for a paper was
what John heard;
With a blunt lead pencil,
Jim wrote his last words:
"Dear Dad, receive John, I
humbly pray,
For he has made my last
moments easier today.
He has done all he could -
nor left me alone;
So for my sake, Dear Father,
treat him as your own.
Love, Jim"
The war ended soon and
though John was ill clad,
He had promised to get Jim’s
last words to his dad;
So he made the long journey
- weary and worn,
And he found, at last, the
way to Jim’s home.
The father was wealthy - not
used to such sights
Of tattered, bedraggled,
rough soldiers at night.
What could an unkempt,
ragged man have to give
Soldier or not - of least
interest to him?
Then the note was tenderly
handed...and read...
And the weeping old father
believed what it said;
For that trembling hand
portrayed clearly to him
The familiar slant with the
signature, "Jim."
And the old father reached
(though immaculate he)
And drew John as close as
could possibly be;
He wept as he held John next
to his breast,
Drew him inside for good
food and rest.
He lay at John’s hands
anything he might need;
He dressed him in velvet and
gave him his steed.
Jim’s father loved John in a
very special way
Because of the name on that
crude note that day.
...Now...I stand in my
tattered old rags of sod
Before an immaculate, pure,
holy God -
In need, oh, yes, in such
terrible need -
And not one single part can
be furnished by me...
But...
I have a note...and it’s
written in red -
He opens it up as I tremble
- it says:
"Father, open the gate for
My sake I pray -
This one is mine - paid in
full today.
Love, Jesus"
All the glory and splendor
of Heaven is mine!
I’m made worthy to stand in
His presence divine!
Not for me...but for Him!
Not my works...but His own
Have gained me a robe and a
crown and a Home!
"For by Grace are ye saved,
and that not of yourselves;
it is the Gift of God"
© Joan Clifton Costner
http://underhiswings0.tripod.com
http://www.heavenlypoetry.com
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