Soft for God

For You, O God, I know that I should try
to soften my self-centered, stubborn heart,
for me Your heart's so soft that You would die
to keep our souls from staying far apart.

My heart will soften when I look around
and in the face of every person see
a replica of Your face freshly found,
just as You see Your image etched in me.

My heart will soften when I let You in
to humbly inside and in public pray,
when I defer to You instead of sin,
and freely let You take me on Your way.

O Lord with heart so lenient and so soft,
make my hard heart like Yours to hold aloft.

                          -- by Pete Voelz      5/09