My poem of the week this week is this powerful hymn from John Newton. I find it deeply challenging and instructive. It is a reminder of God’s good purposes in trials and that the ease which I so much crave is not always the way of life. I asked the Lord that I might growIn …
My oldest son, Nathan, recently brought my attention to this powerful poem. Nathan has an interest in poems about nature, adventure, and perseverance- and that pleases me! I am quite taken with this poem, so I looked into the author, Douglas Malloch (May 5, 1877 – July 2, 1938). He was a poet and author of short …
At church this evening we sang a John Newton hymn, which I don’t remember ever singing before- “Behold the Throne of Grace”. I enjoyed it immensely so I looked it up once I got home, and have pasted the full poem in below. This is great example of a poetic exposition of scripture with pastoral application. …
I recently came across another hymn by Horatius Bonar, which I have added to my “Poems of Perseverance” file. It is on my office door this week as my Poem of the Week. “Go, Labor On; Spend, and Be Spent” Go, labor on; spend, and be spent; Thy joy to do the Father’s will; It …
My poem of the week this week comes from one of my favorite poets, Edgar Guest. I love how Guest speaks of the beauty of everyday life, home, family and perseverance. There is simple wisdom here. “Patience” The patient man who stands to care And shrugs his shoulders now and then At little hurts …
New Heaven, New War (excerpt) This little Babe so few days old, Is come to rifle Satan’s fold; All hell doth at his presence quake, Though he himself for cold do shake; For in this weak, unarmed wise, The gates of hell he will surprise. With tears he fights and wins the field, His …
Some of the best summaries of Reformation teaching are Wesley hymns. My poem of the week this week is Charles Wesley’s “Arise, My Soul, Arise.” We sang this grand hymn this past Sunday in church and I was reminded of what a wonderful summary of gospel truth it is. Arise, My Soul, Arise Arise, my …
I’ve drawn my poem of the week this week from Edgar Guest, one of my favorite poets. Since this week marks my 25th wedding anniversary, I have chosen Guest’s marriage poem, “Chums.” Although I would not suggest changing the language of the “marriage rite” as he alludes, his sentiment is exactly right. (And, Guest says …
Last night at church we sang this simple, old hymn, and it struck me that it too is a wonderful prayer for a new year. Indeed, may I in this year know more of Jesus, grow deeper in “communion with my Lord,” taking His word deep into my heart that I might obey Him more …
For this first week of a New Year, I have chosen this great hymn as the poem of the week. I don’t remember hearing this sung as I grew up, but I heard it beautifully sung while I was in college and it has been a favorite ever since. This is a fitting prayer for …