One of the most beautiful poems about Christ’s love is Love (III) by George Herbert:
“Love bade me welcome. Yet my soul drew back
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lacked anything.
A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkind, ungrateful. Ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?
Truth, Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And you know not, says Love, who bore the blame?
My dear, then I will serve.
You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat:
So I did sit and eat.
Those last four lines. Wow.
The Poetry Foundation writes that Herbert was “a pivotal figure” in poetry and “arguably the most skillful and important British devotional lyricist of this or any other time.”
After serving in the Parliament of England, he became the rector of a small parish in Salisbury. He died at 39 years of age of TB, and was noted for “unfailing care for his parishioners.”
