As I Call to You

As I call to you

Upon the morn of day

What can express

This gracious gift

Of life and breath

And deliverance

From death 

Though I am oft

In contempt

And discontent

My will is not

Thy will I ought

To do

Though I have not

The means to see

Nor ears to hear

For fear grips me

Peace come dwell

As promised in prayer

And thanks for this

And all tis bliss

Thy bounty beyond 

Imagining give me

The desire and will

You require

Before I retire

For all my days 

This one thing I ask

That I may praise

With fullness of heart

And grace and forgiveness 

Be part in me

So may thy kingdom work

And all within around

Be done

And humble I 

To testify what grace

And goodness

You have brought

Tis not of my own

Doing

But sure and only

Of my God and King

Oh Ruler of everything

-Joshua Lee Foist

In This Hour I Wait

In this hour I wait
And my mind stands fixed
In debate

You patiently wait
Steadfast and true
You are

And once more surrender
You cause me to remember
Your grace and mercy

Tis all I ever need
In the trial I feed
On thy joy inexpressible

My hope remains
For though my desires
Wane

Yet still I endure
The momentary pain
You remain

Persecution increase
Your joy your peace
Undending

So fill me
Renew me
Conform me

To walk in the way of truth
Thy words my guide
In thee will I abide

So ere the storms that come
So sweetly sleep
Within the bowels below 

For thy peace
Hath calmed the storm
And called me out

Upon the water
To walk in faith
With thee

-Joshua Lee Foist

Open My Eyes To Thee

Open my eyes to thee
If ere you call me
Upon the sea
Who meet me
In my misory

How can it be
I who am broken
Yet loved
Beyond
Comprehension

Teach me to return
For all my heart to yearn
To learn and seek
For thy words to speak

And of Him who was sent
To be the scent of Him
Where ere my feet may fall
To walk in step with His call

To the world beyond
To the present places
And thy tender graces
To carry me

Not for me
But thy will
In me
May it ever be

To glory in you
And have thy work
Flow through
In every breath

Breathe in me
Thy life that will
Endure beyond
The trial and strife

More than ere'd distant desires
So fuel the fires of my heart
That they may start
With you

And all of you
That this joy beyond
May oft and only be
To express thy righteousness

And in my brokeness
May thy light shine through
So whether in drought
Or in plenty

May I bow
In reverance
And thanksgiving
For all you have given
Both in past and present

And in hope
To know you shall
Remain faithful
And so shall I rest

This life in not toiled in vain
If oft and always to rise
In your Name
And fall for your Name

In life and in death
It will all be
For gain

So come
What ere
Thy will may bring
And teach my heart
To sing

As I ride
Upon the wings
Of thy reckoning

Till all of life
Tis beckoning
Come to the feast
Of the Lamb

-Joshua Lee Foist

Of Long Have Been Departed

Of long have been departed
This heart have broken
And been in a wake
Of doubt and fear

Yet still you are there
Though death depart me
And friends regard me
As cold and bold I find
My conflict within

Thy word remains
No condemnation now
I fear not for thou art with me
Yet grieve I the change
And know this season

Purposed it too
Whether die today
That more I may
Live for you

This I pray
May I always
Do

Your love is true
Betray my heart
You will not

Broken I am
So let thy love
And light shine in
And through the pores
Of my soul

No more to live in fear
But faith become more
My prayer acceptance
And reliance full
Upon you

Resting in thy promises
Sure for though waver oft
I in sin and shame
You always reclaim
My heart and know it
By name

How come I by
Such love as this
An unbridled kiss
Betrayed

But you always
Have stayed
And given all
That I may know
What love

Was always intended
To be
Free and boundless
Pure
And sure of all
Intentions

So pain me
To keep me
Upon the narrow path
That nothing else

I desire but you
And thy words
Are true
Give me oft
And only
Thyself

And in this
I shall be satistfied
And content
In all other things

-Joshua Lee Foist

Content my soul to be

Content my soul to be
Constantly desiring of thee
Displace all the me
For which I should cling

And give everything
To my hope and King
I have no other assurance
Than He

For though I oft
Proud and inwardly
Sinking also in
My sin

He hath paid it
He hath purified
The soul beyond
Control

His life
Become
My own

His heart
Replaced
The stone
In me

The Rock
Upon which
My new foundation
Stand

Cannot be shaken
Amidst the drought
And storms about

He will not fail
He shall pravail
And so may I
Remain

In gladness
In joy
Acceptance
Employ

In me
A servants
Heart

To see outside
The world within
And beyond

To all the world
Around
The lost so
Desperate

To be found
To give
An ear

To listen
A prayer
A pause

To lean in
There and not
Mar the moment

With my own
Melodies
For love
In silence

Does much
And I desire
To make much
Of it

If this to please
My Lord alone
I desire such Love
For my own

Oh God
In my broken
Estate

Give me
Strength to follow
Faithfully

Yet still
When faultering
As I do

Most daily
Yet still awake
My soul to rise

And look up
Mine eyes
To see

Your glory
Lies on the
Wings of
The dawn

You have done this
It is complete

So now grant me
The faith to see
That I may
Also turn
To Thee

-Joshua Lee Foist

The Divined Valentine

Now within this mirror we see
That of which we hope to see
And that of which we may
Yet be

Yet still amidst it's plain reflection
Truth reveals a poor estate
We are far worse than we think
And more loved than ever
We imagine

Who could love us
Such as this
Who could rejoice
Over us
As this

Only He
The master creator
He who knows us
Deeper than we
Ourselves

And it is plain
When He calls
Us by name
To come

His words are peace
And kind in their release
From worry and pain

All the facades
Of this life to gain
Are worthless

To that gracious
Refrain:
Do not fear

Oh, sweet child
I am here
And I love you

Because you are
My own
And most precious

No matter what ills
This life may come
And what pits
You may befall

Within and without
Beyond doubt
I am here

I am with you
And I will guide you
In the course
You should take

Though you may at times forsake
Never shall I leave you
Never shall I fail you
I am faithful

And always I shall remain
So in this day
Of celebration

Feast on me
Who am love
Itself

There is no
Greater than I
And I do

So desire
For you
To trust
In Me

-Joshua Lee Foist

Upon This Fair Flight

Upon this fair flight

The fight of faith

In purpose

Amidst the trial

O'ercome

Thy will

Be done

Now to sit

And gaze

Upon the wing

And glory

Shines as

Setting sun

Upon the wait

And here rejoice

In thy great gift

Beyond here lies

The wondrous 

Surprise

And first meeting

My heart tis beating

Faster still

Faster till

Wheel turned

Wheel runs

Way to wind

Away and air

To climb

The time

In flight

Delight

Of what

Ahead

Beyond

Yet presently

In thought and 

Prayer I trust

Will meet me

There till then

And still

My every joy

Is here

No fear

What ere

May come

Thy will be

Done 

-Joshua Lee Foist

Wherefore my soul shall wander

Wherefore my soul shall wander
Where doth my mind stray to ponder
Fear catch it in it's gaze
And long it amaze

Fly from me oh fleeting thing
Save me from myself
Oh from the lies
That creep within

And lonely in my sin
They seek to do me in
And poison the pure
And true

I long for you
Though so dull
I remain
And without
Control

Thy hope
Reclaim in me
No more for folly
So catch me
In my calamity

Cleanse me of myself seeking
That only thy joy may fill
Draw me deep within

For all my desires
May they be proved pure
With thy cleansing fire

I long for the day
Of when the battle
Shall cease

And at last
The prince of peace
Shall reclaim
This barren land

So open my heart
And reclaim in me
That which is lost

No matter the cost
That I be lost
And found
In thee

-Joshua Lee Foist