Poems (Hoffman)/None Shall Be Lost Whom God Can Save
NONE SHALL BE LOST WHOM GOD CAN SAVE
Could we only realize God's great love for us,Tearing off Doubt's dark disguise,Looking with Faith's cloudless eyes,Would we grieve Him thus?
Sometimes we may almost feel that God scarce would careShould the last dread thunder's pealSet our doom's eternal sealIn the gulf—Despair.
Or like some great judge austere, righteous in His wrath,Just, unchangeable, severeOne to honor, One to fearFor the power He hath.
God, who made the world so fair, God who gave us breath,Lo, the sparrow knows His care!Will He ought of effort spare,View unmoved our death?
What last hope would we neglect that might save a dying friend?O the horror to reflectOn one life eternal wreckedDrifting to its end!
"God is justice," we may cry, fearing from His throne above,For our sins He bids us die,While the holy words reply:"God is love."
Love repining at our fall, Love rejoicing to forgive,Love that hears our every call,None might perish, but that allTurn to Him and live.
O that we could comprehend dimly the great height and depthWho His pledge of love did send,Through that kind and loving friendWho o'er Lazarus wept!
"Round our souls are Satan's coils strong to weigh us down,O that Love that tireless toils,Robbing death of noble spoils,Calling to our crown!
O inhuman would we prove, carelessly engrossed,Mocking all a Father's love,Love that warmeth from above,Ere His child is lost!