The lure of other occupations waned
	When Christ had surely laid His hand on me;
How little for His work had I been trained,
	But still His path I could most clearly see.

I deemed my problems were all past
	Since all on Jesus I had cast;
But then arose foes I had never dreamed,
	And boldly Satan then against me schemed.

My task seemed clear, to know the Bible well,
	And it is my chief book of study still;
How could my lips Christ’s riches tell
	Unless His truth did all my thinking fill?

I thought my field was “the Dark Continent”
	And never dreamed that preachers I would teach;
But clearly this has been my Lord’s intent,
	And I guess not how many I thus reach.

I knew I had a message for lost men
	In minutes after I was saved;
His urgings in me soon He did begin,
	And has since then my witness craved.

The languages lie at the very base
	If I should know the Bible truly well;
A list of others helped my mind to trace
	The roots, the meanings, and relations I must tell.

From first to now I have one central theme
	To preach Christ crucified for sinful me;
Let others add, also, their cheapened scheme,
	But Christ alone as Savior can I see.

By the small little which I know,
My heart would help my brothers grow.

A pastor shepherds lambs and sheep,
	And Christ would have Him seek the lost
To bring each for His love to keep
	Since He loved them at deepest cost.

No fellowship of comrades is more sweet
	Than ministers whom I have known
In open places or a planned retreat,
	And I rejoice how they have grown.

I preached not when I had my essay said
Or had in less enthusiasm read
But when I reached my hearers all,
The boys and girls and men grown tall.

When awesomeness departs, O Lord, from me,
	I am, alas, but babbling toward the pew.
“Ambassador for Christ” I still can be
	When All is spent to represent but You.

My witnessing and interceding
	Are gauges set to mark my zeal.
Unless I am with sinners pleading,
	How can Christ set on me His seal?


Some peacefully seem to retire,
	But not the way I heard His call;
Until Christ comes or I expire,
	To herald Him I give my all.

His ministry I could not leave
	Since I deemed not thus He did call;
Entrustment, friends, I did receive,
	And love in me still gives Him all.

Homegoing time is His to say
	And not at all for me to choose;
My task is but to heed His way
	Until He ends my earthly cruise.