Excerpts from "Heart Breathings"
By Leonard Ravenhill
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A Talk at the Wellside
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She came to the well - 'twas her custom,
With waterpot, burden, and care;
Came at noonday so no one would see her,
And found just a Stranger sat there.
He asked for a drink of well-water.
(How deep her need only He knew!)
She asked, "Can a Samaritan woman
Give drink to a thirsty young Jew?"
He said, "You should have living water
That needeth no earthenware pot."
She gazed with a wide-eyed amazement
And wondered what secret He'd got.
She said, "Art Thou greater than Jacob,
Our father, who gave us the well?"
She stayed, and she listened enraptured
To all that the Stranger could tell.
He said, "Thou dost draw of this water,
But comest again and again;
I can give thee the life-giving Water
And in thee a well will remain!"
She answered, "Oh give me this water!"
But hardly did she understand.
He said to the woman bewildered,
"Away, and call thy husband."
She started this deep conversation
And secretly wished she could stop it,
For now, to her great consternation,
She found that this Man was a prophet.
Before, she had talked at the wellside
And often enjoyed the short tryst;
But knew not on this great occasion
She talked with the Savior, the Christ.
She said, "When Messias cometh,
How wonderful He will be!
For He shall tell us of all things."
He answered, "I, Woman, am He."
Away to the city to tell it,
The news that could never be priced:
"Oh come, hear a Man Who knows all things!
I found Him, and He is the Christ."
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Lord, Don't Ask Me
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I'm just a week-kneed Christian,
So, Lord, don't ask of me
That I go to the battle front
To do exploits there for Thee.
I like to read of courage
And Christians who make their mark;
But, Lord, that's surely not for me;
I'm quiet and hate the dark!
I sometimes lie in bed at night,
And it upsets my quiet
To think of heathen far away,
Diseased and drunk in riot.
0 Lord, a coward then I feel
As in my bed I sink;
I'd like to sleep, forget it all,
But I just think and think.
I muse on that great final day
When at Thy throne I stand.
With flaming eyes You look at me
And, under great duress,
I see excuses torn from me;
I stand in nakedness
And hear You say, "You called me 'Lord,'
And did not things I say.
You missed your glorious, great reward,
You toyed your life away.
"You did not read and pray aright,
Gave time to eat and drink,
And left the heathen far away
To fall, fall right o'er the brink
"Of time, to hell's eternity
To grope in endless night.
You could have stretched a hand to save,
You could have changed that plight
"Less comfort had You had on earth;
Then scores of precious souls
Had got the truth, and by your help
Had reached God's offered goals."
From all my folly, Lord, I turn,
I'll do as well as say;
And, from this hour, may all my works
Survive the judgment day.
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This I Know
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Lord, I love Thee, this I know
For my conscience tells me so;
Sin I served for long, too long,
I was weak, but it was strong.
Chorus:
Savior, I love Thee,
Savior, I love Thee,
Savior, I love Thee,
And love to tell Thee so.
Lord, I love Thee and will stay
In this love-life all the way;
Jesus Savior is my song
In the night and all day long.
Lord, I love Thee, love Thee still
With my heart and soul and will;
Through Thy Cross I've perfect peace,
By Thy power have sweet release
Lord I love Thee for Thy grace,
And I long to see Thy face;
I will love Thee till I die,
Love Thee then for eons on high.
Lord, my love can only be
That Thou first hast loved me.
I love Thee much, I'd love Thee more;
All Thy love through me outpour.
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I Did the Will of God
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I fled Him when His grace pursued,
I did despite unto His name,
And delved me into sin so rude
That there my soul enforged a chain.
When captive to my own desire,
When blue with guilt and unnamed shame,
His long arm reached into the mire
And plucked me out - blest be His name!
Shall I leave others in their woe?
Shall I ignore their cries who sink?
Forbid it, Lord; I'll rise and go
'Twixt Thee and them to be a link.
Unwearied may I lift the load
Of those who stagger 'neath sin's spell;
Stab my poor heart with love's strong goad
To battle powers of earth and hell.
Earth's little strand is far too small
To barter for the judgment day,
When Powers and thrones and wealth and all
Forever shall have passed away.
Oh, Day of days, when I shall be
The cynosure of ten million eyes,
Oh, may my Savior say to me,
"Well done," as my eternal prize.
When unsupported I shall stand
Before Thy blazing bema seat,
Give me, my Lord, to understand,
I did the will of God complete.
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I Am a Slave
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I am a slave! I have no will, no claim
To property, to time or sleep.
I am a slave, and bear my Owner's Name!
His ways are mine; with Him I joy or weep.
I am a slave! No tears are spent for ease,
Nor do I freedom crave;
I willing slave am I to follow to the grave
My Master. Bless His Name!
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Excerpts taken from
"Heart Breathings" by Leonard Ravenhill.
Used by permission.
Copyright 1995 by
Harvey Christian Publishers, L.L.P.
United States Address:
Harvey Christian Publishers Inc.
3107 Hwy 321
Hampton, TN 37658
Tel / Fax (423) 768 2297
E-Mail Harveycp@psknet.com
British Address:
Harvey Christian Publishers, L.L.P.
PO Box 510, Cheadle
Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 2NQ
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