As glass is made of earth and fire,
    So is my walk with God.
I’’m just a vessel earthen built, of
    Muscle, bone and blood.

When I was called to walk with Christ,
    Through life from day to day.
I tried to shine my earthly self,
    And found that’’s not the Way.

The Lord, He walks me through the tests
    Of patience, faith and love.
If I would walk this path alone,
    My life would turn to dust.

So when the heat of trial makes
    This earthen vessel melt.
I need not fear for anything, just
    Ask the Lord for help.

I know He lets the testing come.
    The furnace will burn hot.
Because this is the way to see
    The inner treasure wrought.

As I am filled with His true grace,
    Obedience to learn.
He’’ll change me in a way that makes
    The Truth become my form.

Within my heart, His character
    Will strongly glow and gleam.
And in transparency I’’ll hide,
    While He is all that’’s seen.

Yes, like the glass that is as clear
    As sunshine in the spring.
I’’ll hold the Truth and hide in God,
    While He is all that’’s seen.


– Polly Chapman, October 20, 2004

This poem was inspired by the following paragraph (on page 68) from the chapter, “The Spirituality of the Law,” in the book Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, by Ellen White:

Everything that Christians do should be as transparent as the sunlight. Truth is of God; deception, in every one of its myriad forms, is of Satan; and whoever in any way departs from the straight line of truth is betraying himself into the power of the wicked one. Yet it is not a light or an easy thing to speak the exact truth. We cannot speak the truth unless we know the truth; and how often preconceived opinions, mental bias, imperfect knowledge, errors of judgment, prevent a right understanding of matters with which we have to do! We cannot speak the truth unless our minds are continually guided by Him who is truth.

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