The Time to Give Him Thanks
In the still and pristine morning,
When the flowers bathe in dew,
And the meadows stir from slumber
With their creatures, not a few;
Just before the mountains shiver
At the coming of the light,
And the elk in stately splendor
Ventures forth to bay the sight;
That’s the time to rise and praise Him
For the gift of life today,
There is time before the business
Of the world to kneel and pray;
When the earth and sky are blushing,
With a soft and trembling kiss,
And their radiance infuses
All the world with rapturous bliss;
When the sun its golden pitcher
Pours upon the mountain flanks,
And the land is bathed in glory,
That’s the time to give Him thanks;
In the pause that comes at midday,
When the lion seeks no prey,
And the mothers turn to slumber,
And the little ones to play;
When the sun has reached its zenith
In the race across the sky,
And the world takes rest from labor
For a moment with a sigh;
That’s the time to kneel before Him,
And to rest within his grace,
There is time to stop and praise him
And just look upon his face;
When the beasts of earth are waiting
For the hush of even tides,
And the signal of transition
That the Lord above provides;
In the still and silent witness
Of all creatures here below,
We can see His loving wisdom,
And there’s time to let Him know;
In the glowing when the crimson
Has beset the cloudy sky,
And the birds in concert winging,
To their nests do homeward fly;
When the sun is dropping downward
To its berth beneath the sea,
And the darkness drawing on its
Somber cloak ‘round you and me;
That’s the time to draw the closer
To the One who made the day,
And who has us in His keeping,
That’s the time to stop and pray;
In the twilight, in the evening,
When the stars come out to shine,
To remind us of His goodness
In the midst of darkest times;
When the moon appears in glory,
With the sun upon her flanks,
There is time then to remember,
That’s the time to give him thanks.
Roger Crane, a native of San Diego, is a retired English teacher. His self-published book of poetry is Revelations in the Dawn.
