The new-born child of gospel grace,
Like some fair tree when summer’s nigh,
Beneath Emmanuel’s shining face
Lifts up his blooming branch on high.

No fears he feels, he sees no foes,
No conflict yet his faith employs,
Nor has he learnt to whom he owes
The strength and peace his soul enjoys.

But sin soon darts its cruel sting,
And comforts sinking day by day,
What seem’d his own, a self-fed spring,
Proves but a brook that glides away.

When Gideon arm’d his numerous host,
The Lord soon made his numbers less;
And said, ‘Lest Israel vainly boast,
My arm procured me this success!’

Thus will He bring our spirits down,
And draw our ebbing comforts low,
That saved by grace, but not our own,
We may not claim the praise we owe.

I recently read through William Cowper’s hymns which were written by the encouragement of John Newton, and for singing in his church. This particular hymn reminded me much of my conversion experience, and of an article I wrote awhile back called “Sanctification: Ugly, Hard, Beautiful, and Full of Grace.” There is so much I would like to say about the life of William Cowper, and hopefully I will at another time. Ugly, hard, beautiful, and full of grace, would indeed be a fitting description of his life. If interested, you could listen here  to John Piper’s biography titled “Insanity and Spiritual Songs in the Soul of a Saint.”

Pray for me, if you would. I have great difficulty with typing, and these days the pain starts pretty much as soon as I begin. That is of course, one of the main reasons I have switched to poetry writing, as less words equals less demand. I wish I could post more on here, or elaborate more, but the Lord knows. As William Cowper also wrote in that famous hymn “God Moves In Mysterious Ways”:

“His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow’r.”

May it be so. God bless.