AA Comes of Age

by Alcoholics Anonymous

Oh, we know the story of an alcoholic’s flight from God, and his movement toward Him. “Lord, give me sobriety, but not yet!” “Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief!” I don’t think there’s an A.A. in this room who isn’t worrying about one of those steps. “Lord, let me make that step, but not yet!” The picture of the A.A.’s quest for God, but especially God’s loving chase for the A.A., was never put more beautifully than in what I think is one of the greatest lyrics and odes in the English language. It was written by a narcotic addict, and alcohol is a narcotic. It’s a poem by Francis Thompson called “The Hound of Heaven.” Let me just give you a few of the lines and I’ll sit down. I fled Him down the nights and down the days; I fled Him down the arches of the years; I fled Him down the labyrinthine ways Of my own mind; and in the midst of tears I hid from Him and under running laughter Up vistaed hopes I sped; And shot, precipitated Adown titanic glooms of chasmèd fears, From those strong Feet that followed, followed after. And here’s his description of God: But with unhurrying chase And unperturbèd pace, Deliberate speed, majestic instancy They beat—and a Voice beat More instant than the Feet— “All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.”