Margaret Snell Nicholson who was a woman who suffered from four incurable diseases. She struggled with pain more than thirty-five years: an invalid, bound to her bed. Her spirit was so transcendently triumphant through those many weary years, that she wrote some of the finest Christian poetry which has ever been written.
After noting that most of her books are now out of print, the editors of this page have posted some of “her more famous works describing spiritual lessons learned in the midst of pain.”
I wanted to share one of those poems here today. It is titled HIS PLAN FOR ME. I hope it speaks to you as much as it does to me.
When I stand at the judgment seat of Christ
And He shows me His plan for me,
The Plan of my life as it might have been
Had He had His way, and I see
How I blocked Him here, and I checked Him there,
And I would not yield my will -
Will there be grief in my Savior's eyes,
Grief, though He loves me still?
He would have me rich, and I stand there poor,
Stripped of all but His grace,
While memory runs like a hunted thing
Down the paths I cannot retrace.
Then my desolate heart will well-nigh break
With the tears that I cannot shed;
I shall cover my face with my empty hands,
I shall bow my uncrowned head...
Lord of the years that are left to me,
I give them to Thy hand;
Take me and break me, mold me to
The pattern Thou hast planned!
What a beautiful poem. And what a beautiful prayer. For my part, I sincerely believe the Lord heard her words and honored them. I also believe that He was pleased with her when she finally stood before Him. And I echo her sentiments and pray that the Lord will be pleased with me as well.
NOTE: Ms. Nicholson's published words are out of print; but used editions can be found at http://www.amazon.com.