Howard Thurman (1899–1981)
Lord, Lord, Open Unto Me
Open unto me—light for
my darkness.
Open unto me—courage for
my fear.
Open unto me—hope for
my despair.
Open unto me—peace for
my turmoil.
Open unto me—joy for
my sorrow.
Open unto me—strength for
my weakness.
Open unto me—wisdom for
my confusion.
Open unto me—forgiveness for
my sins.
Open unto me—tenderness for
my toughness.
Open unto me—love for
my hates.
Open unto me—Thy self for
my self.
Lord, Lord, open unto me!
Howard Thurman (1899–1981) was an American philosopher, theologian, mystic, and Civil Rights leader who was a key mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and whose work grows in significance in contemporary contemplative movements. Among his many books are Jesus and the Disinherited (1951) and The Inward Journey: Meditations on the Spiritual Quest (1961). This poem is from Meditations of the Heart (Harper, 1953), p.188–189.
Selected by Amy Frykholm amy@journeywithjesus.net
