Before The Gaze of Rich and Poor...

The Earth is  the Lord's, and the fullness thereof;

The world and they that dwell therein. 

Ps.24:1

Before the gaze of rich and poor

God splays earth’s fields and hills

He touches meadow-land and moor

With what Providence wills

And no one can improve upon

The wonderment of Eden’s spawn

How very like a God of love

That still He deems it fit

To make His earth a treasure trove

Though mankind bullies it

And grieves Him as in ancient days

Of Noah and man’s fallen ways

But God honors His promises

Time’s seasons will not fail

He gathers up each day with dusk

…pours dawn from heaven’s grail

And lavishes time’s tarnished slope

With morning-tide’s unfailing Hope

How pitiful this life would be

Without God’s encompassing love

He ravishes mortality

With earth and the fullness thereof

His laws, nature cannot resist

A new day rises from the mist

© Janet Martin

I returned from a silver dew-and-mist morning bike ride through God’s 'earth and the fullness thereof', but always, even as I marvel, the memory of these words haunt me.

They were spoken to a missions-team in Ecuador as they marveled at the beauty. One team member commented that ‘at least they(the wretchedly poor) live in awesome beauty’ and the tour guide replied, 

‘It is hard to see beauty when you are starving.’

Thus it is with most humble, grateful awe we without growling bellies dare to marvel.

Let’s open our hands so they can open their eyes!

Vandana’s story helped to inspire the poem as well. 

God does not withhold His best from the poor.

...and a favorite hymn set to more pics of Mercy's Handiwork.
The words to this Hymn are truly breath-taking!