John Donne 1572–1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary. Though born into a Roman Catholic family, he became a priest of the Church of England and eventually Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London (1621–1631) where he was a noted preacher.

I suspect the average person doesn’t read much of Donne’s poetry because of its complexity, but it’s worth the effort. Here’s one poem.

Holy Sonnet XV

Wilt thou love God, as he thee? then digest,
My Soule, this wholsome meditation,
How God the Spirit, by Angels waited on
In heaven, doth make his Temple in thy brest.
The Father having begot a Sonne most blest,
And still begetting, (for he ne’r begonne)
Hath deign’d to chuse thee by adoption,
Coheire to’his glory, and Sabbaths endlesse rest;
And as a robb’d man, which by search doth finde
His stolne stuffe sold, must lose or buy’it againe:
The Sonne of glory came downe, and was slaine,
Us whom he’had made, and Satan stolne, to unbinde.
’Twas much, that man was made like God before,
But, that God should be made like man, much more.

There in fourteen lines is the great mystery of the redemption. The last two lines strike me as profound. It is a great wonder that we poor humans are created in the image of God, but even greater that God should become human.

Done wrote most of his religious poetry before he was ordained. He works out in poetic form a layman’s struggle to comprehend God. It’s a worthy task for any believer.

Read Psalm 145:1-3 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne