Discreetly Distant

"And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34).

It's not enough to be discreet
And draw the right conclusion:
If heart and action do not meet,
It's meaningless confusion.

It's not enough to understand,
Yet also to ignore,
The risen Savior's firm command
To open up the door.

Oh master of your dismal fate,
Oh captain of your soul,
You are not far; why will you wait
To give the Lord control?

It's not enough to merely know
What God declares is fact.
There's still some distance you must go:
God waits for you to act.