Poems (White)/God Within

by Jeannie Copes White

GOD WITHIN

We feel a kinship to all life on earth,
Taught by the Almighty Giver of birth.
There's a brotherhood for each living thing,
Causing the soul within all thus to sing.
'Tis the Germ of God that grows from the dark;
A great flame can be made from this tiny Spark.
We see the rose, as she gathers to bloom,
A most brilliant flower out of the gloom
Into the light of day; 'tis the same spark
That gathered its Germ to roots in the dark.
We see in the fruit of such perfect shape
And flavor, that we must wonder and take
A thought, that somehow a power and force
Lies behind this perfection, and the source,
We conclude, is the Germ of Creation,
Our God, Who is in every life station.
His presence we find in flower and tree,
The horse and the cow that gives unto thee.
How could the cow be so gentle to see,
Unless her Creator within her be?
Why can fine horses, this Spark grown to fire,
Without his Creator with him inspire.
Everything living has God, to be sure,
In Germ, working out Perfection so pure.
All life grows upward, to reach the fair hem
Of Garment, to gain His Spirit in them.
Grow to Perfection! and honor the One
Who gave from Glory His one only Son;
To show that His Presence can help us be
Near kin to the One who died on a tree;
Show that the Spark of Divine Fire can grow
Together with life on this earth below.
And that's why we feel this kindred to all
Life that will grow here, no matter how small.
For everything growing, upward must go;
By this their Creator surely must know.
No flower opens, but I see in it
The effort to be, to their Maker, more fit.
No fruit, nor animal, in a big show,
But told me somehow their Maker must know.

Great God, Who permeates all living things,
Help me to show that 'tis You in me sings.