God, My Eternal Guardian
Here is a true story from Fairview Lutheran Church (WELS) in Milwaukee. An 11 year old girl's father needed an operation, but could not afford it. Congregation members raised the needed funds, but during the operation cancer was found. The girl wrote the poem listed below for her hospitalized father. After this the girl was killed in a car accident. Her poem was sung at her funeral to the tune of "Jerusalem the Golden". The service folder included a photocopy of the poem in the girl's handwriting. One year later the father died. This girl's sister is now married to a WELS vicar and her brother is attending MLC (Martin Luther College in New Ulm).
Missionaries in Bulgaria print this poem in the Bibles that they hand out as a testimony that children should be instructed in God's Word.
Most people consider me an unemotional person, but I can never get halfway through this poem without stopping to cry. I have received the mother's permission to post this poem on <LIFT><.
Mark Bergemann
to God be all glory
God, My Eternal Guardian
by Laura Joy Leach, 1995
God,
my eternal guardian,
forever at my side,
Will evermore protect me,
from
the dark evil tide.
Sickness hunger or trouble,
Oh I shall never
fear,
'cause when the Lord is with me,
Oh sin dare not come near.
He
waits for me in heaven,
with my new home above,
He waits for me with
gladness,
and happiness and love.
When I get into heaven,
I'll
touch His heavenly face,
and there I'll know for sure,
that sin will
have no place.
Originally posted on the L.I.F.T. mail list by Mark Bergemann. Poem and commentary published here by permission from Mark and Laura's mother.
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