Yea, "new every morning," though we may awake,
Our hearts with old sorrow beginning to ache;
With old work unfinished when night stayed our hand,
With new duties waiting, unknown and unplanned;
With old care still pressing, to fret and to vex,
With new problems rising, ours minds to perplex;
In ways long familiar, in paths yet untrod,
Oh, new every morning the mercies of God!
His faithfulness fails not; it meets each new day
With guidance for every new step of the way;
New grace for new trials, new trust for old fears,
New patience for bearing the wrongs of the years,
New strength for new burdens, new courage for old,
New faith for whatever the day may unfold;
As fresh for each need as the dew on the sod;
Oh, new every morning the mercies of God!
By Annie Johnson Flint
Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
New Every Morning
God's Love Through The Storms
I could not see my need for Him, my pride would not allow.
I had it all, without a care, the "self-sufficient" lie;
My path was smooth, my sea was still, not a cloud was in my sky.
I thought I knew His love for me, I thought I'd seen His grace;
I thought I did not need to grow, I thought I'd found my place.
But then the way grew rough and dark, the storm clouds quickly rolled;
The waves began to rock my ship, my anchor would not hold.
The ship that I had built myself was made of foolish pride;
It fell apart and left me bare, with nowhere else to hide.
I had no strength or faith to face the trials that lay ahead;
And so I simply prayed to Him and bowed my weary head.
His loving arms enveloped me, and then He helped me stand;
He said, "You still must face this storm, but I will hold your hand."
So through the dark and lonely night He guided me through pain;
I could not see the light of day or when the storm might wane.
Yet through the aches and endless tears, my faith began to grow;
I could not see it at the time, but my light began to glow.
I saw God's love in brand new light, His grace and mercy, too;
For only when all self was gone, could Jesus' love shine through.
It was not easy in the storm, I sometimes wondered, "Why?"
At times I thought, "I can't go on." I'd hurt, and doubt, and cry.
But Jesus never left my side, He guided me each day;
Through pain and strife, through fire and flood, He helped me all the way.
And now I see as never before how great His love can be;
How in my weakness He is strong, how Jesus cares for me!
He worked it all out for my good, although the way was rough;
He only sent what I could bear, and then He cried, "Enough!"
He raised His hand and said, "Be still!" He made the storm clouds cease;
He opened up the gates of joy and flooded me with peace.
I saw His face now clearer still, I felt His presence strong;
I found anew His faithfulness, He never steered me wrong.
Now I know more storms will come, but only for my good;
For pain and tears have helped me grow as naught else ever could.
I still have so much more to learn as Jesus works in me;
If in the storm I'll love Him more, that's where I want to be!
Author Unknown
Prayers Answered by the Crosses
Might more of his salvation know, and seek more earnestly his face.
'Twas he who taught me thus to pray, and he, I trust has answer'd pray'r;
But it has been in such a way, as almost drove me to despair.
I hop'd that in some favour'd hour, at once he'd answer my request:
And by his love's constraining pow'r, subdue my sins, and give me rest.
Instead of this. he made me feel the hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow'rs of hell assault my soul in ev'ry part.
Yea more, with his own hand he seem'd intent to aggravate my woe;
Cross'd all the fair designs I schem'd, blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
Lord, why is this, I trembling cry'd, wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?"
'Tis in this way," the Lord reply'd, "I answer pray'r for grace and faith.
These inward trials I employ, from self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy, that thou mayst seek thy all in me."
John Newton
Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul
Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel
But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee
Though prostrate in the dust
Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No still the ear of sovereign grace,
Attends the mourner's prayer
Oh may I ever find access,
To breathe my sorrows there
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet.
©1998, Kevin Twit Music.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Love
Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guiltie of dust and sinne.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lack’d any thing.
A guest, I answer’d, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkinde, ungratefull? Ah my deare,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?
Truth Lord, but I have marr’d them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, sayes Love, who bore the blame?
My deare, then I will serve.
You must sit down, sayes Love, and taste my meat:
So I did sit and eat.
George Herbert
“When the world my heart is rending
With its heaviest storm of care,
My glad thoughts to heaven ascending,
Find a refuge from despair.
Faith’s bright vision shall sustain me
Till life’s pilgrimage is past;
Fears may vex and troubles pain me,
I shall reach my home at last.”
Saviour, through the desert lead us
Saviour, through the desert lead us,
Without Thee we cannot go;
Thou from cruel chains hast freed us,
And hast laid the tyrant low:
Let Thy presence
Cheer us all our journey through.
Through a desert waste and cheerless,
Though our destined journey lie,
Rendered by Thy presence fearless,
We may every foe defy:
Nought shall move us,
While we see Thee, Saviour, nigh.
With a price Thy love has bought us,
(Saviour, what a love is Thine!)
Hitherto Thy power has brought us,
(Power and love in Thee combine):
Lord of glory,
Ever on Thy loved ones shine!
by Thomas Kelley
Glorified
As far as any eye could see
There was no green. But every tree
Was cinder black, and all the ground
Was grey with ash. The only sound
Was arid wind, like spirits' ghosts,
Gasping for some living hosts
In which to dwell, as in the days
Of evil men, before the blaze
Of unimaginable fire
Had made the earth a flaming pyre
For God's omnipotent display
Of holy rage. The dreadful Day
Of God had come. The moon had turned
To blood. The sun no longer burned
Above, but, blazing with desire,
Had flowed into a lake of fire.
The seas and oceans were no more,
And in their place a desert floor
Fell deep to meet the brazen skies,
And silence conquered distant cries.
The Lord stood still above the air.
His mighty arms were moist and bare.
They hung, as weary, by his side
Until the human blood had dried
Upon the sword in his right hand.
He stared across the blackened land
That he had made, and where he died.
His lips were tight, and deep inside,
The mystery of sovereign will
Gave leave, and it began to spill
In tears upon his bloody sword
For one last time.
And then the Lord
Wiped every tear away and turned
To see his bride. Her heart had yearned
Four thousand years for this: His face
Shone like the sun, and every trace
Of wrath was gone. And in her bliss
She heard the Master say, "Watch this:
Come forth all goodness from the ground,
Come forth and let the earth redound
With joy." And as he spoke, the throne
Of God came down to earth and shone
Like golden crystal full of light,
And banished once for all the night.
And from the throne a stream began
To flow and laugh, and as it ran,
It made a river and a lake,
And everywhere it flowed a wake
Of grass broke on the banks and spread
Like resurrection from the dead.
And in the twinkling of an eye
The saints descended from the sky.
And as I knelt beside the brook
To drink eternal life, I took
A glance across the golden grass,
And saw my dog, old Blackie, fast
As she could come. She leaped the stream—
Almost—and what a happy gleam
Was in her eye.
I knelt to drink,
And knew that I was on the brink
Of endless joy. And everywhere
I turned I saw a wonder there.
A big man running on the lawn:
That's old John Younge with both legs on.
And there's old Beryl, and Arnold too,
Still holding hands beneath the blue
And crystal sky: No stoop, they stand
Erect. No tremor in their hand.
The blind can see a bird on wing,
The dumb can lift his voice and sing.
The diabetic eats at will,
The coronary runs uphill.
The lame can walk, the deaf can hear,
The cancer-ridden bone is clear.
Arthritic joints are lithe and free,
And every pain has ceased to be.
And every sorrow deep within,
And every trace of lingering sin
Is gone. And all that's left is joy,
And endless ages to employ
The mind and heart to understand
And love the sovereign Lord who planned
That it should take eternity
To lavish all his grace on me.
O God of wonder, God of might,
Grant us some elevated sight,
Of endless days. And let us see
The joy of what is yet to be.
And may your future make us free,
And guard us by the hope that we,
Within the light of candle four,
Are glorified forevermore.
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
Holy Sonnet XV
Wilt thou love God as he thee ? then digest,
My soul, this wholesome meditation,
How God the Spirit, by angels waited on
In heaven, doth make His temple in thy breast.
The Father having begot a Son most blest,
And still begetting—for he ne'er begun—
Hath deign'd to choose thee by adoption,
Co-heir to His glory, and Sabbath' endless rest.
And as a robb'd man, which by search doth find
His stolen stuff sold, must lose or buy it again,
The Sun of glory came down, and was slain,
Us whom He had made, and Satan stole, to unbind.
'Twas much, that man was made like God before,
But, that God should be made like man, much more.
Source:Donne, John. Poems of John Donne. vol I.E. K. Chambers, ed.London: Lawrence & Bullen, 1896. 165-166.
Walking With God
by William Cowper
Oh! for a closer walk with GOD,
A calm and heav'nly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the LORD?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of JESUS, and his word?
What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd
How sweet their mem'ry still!
But they have left an aching void,
The world can never fill.
Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.
The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
So shall my walk be close with GOD,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
I Look to Thee in Every Need
and never look in vain;
I feel Thy strong and tender love,
and all is well again.
The thought of Thee is mightier far
than sin and pain and sorrow are.
Discouraged in the work of life,
disheartened by its load,
Shamed by its failures or its fears,
I sink beside the road.
But let me only think of Thee
and then new heart springs up in me.
Thy calmness bends serene above,
my restlessness to still;
Around me flows Thy quickening life,
to nerve my faltering will.
Thy presence fills my solitude,
Thy providence turns all to good.
Enfolded deep in Thy dear love,
held in Thy law, I stand;
Thy hand in all things I behold,
and all things in Thy hand.
Thou leadest me by unsought ways,
and turn my mourning into praise.
- Samuel Longfellow
Smoking Spiritualized
------------------------------
PART I : THE LAW
This Indian weed now wither'd quite,
'Tho' green at noon, cut down at night,
Shows thy decay;
All flesh is hay.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The pipe so lily-like and weak,
Does thus thy mortal state bespeak.
Thou art ev'n such,
Gone with a touch.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the smoke ascends on high,
Then thou behold'st the vanity
Of worldly stuff,
Gone with a puff.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the pipe grows foul within,
Think on thy soul defil'd with sin;
For then the fire,
It does require.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And seest the ashes cast away;
Then to thyself thou mayest say
That to the dust
Return thou must.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
PART II : THE GOSPEL
Was this small plant for thee cut down?
So was the plant of great renown;
Which mercy sends
For nobler ends.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
Doth juice medicinal proceed
From such a naughty foreign weed?
Then what's the pow'r
Of Jesse's flow'r?
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The promise, like the pipe, inlays,
And by the mouth of faith conveys
What virtue flows
From Sharon's rose.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
In vain th' unlighted pipe you blow;
Your pains in inward means are so,
'Till heav'nly fire
Thy heart inspire.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The smoke, like burning incense tow'rs
So should a praying heart of yours,
With ardent cries,
Surmount the skies.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
Upon the burning of our house
By Anne Bradstreet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In silent night when rest I took,
For sorrow neer I did not look,
I waken'd was with thundring nois
And Piteous shreiks of dreadfull voice.
That fearfull sound of fire and fire,
Let no man know is my Desire.
I, starting up, the light did spye,
And to my God my heart did cry
To strengthen me in my Distresse
And not to leave me succourlesse.
Then coming out beheld a space,
The flame consume my dwelling place.
And, when I could no longer look,
I blest his Name that gave and took,
That layd my goods now in the dust:
Yea so it was, and so 'twas just.
It was his own: it was not mine;
Far be it that I should repine.
He might of All justly bereft,
But yet sufficient for us left.
When by the Ruines oft I past,
My sorrowing eyes aside did cast,
And here and there the places spye
Where oft I sate, and long did lye.
Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest;
There lay that store I counted best:
My pleasant things in ashes lye,
And them behold no more shall I.
Under thy roof no guest shall sitt,
Nor at thy Table eat a bitt.
No pleasant tale shall 'ere be told,
Nor things recounted done of old.
No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,
Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.
In silence ever shalt thou lye;
Adieu, Adeiu; All's vanity.
Then streight I gin my heart to chide,
And didst thy wealth on earth abide?
Didst fix thy hope on mouldring dust,
The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?
Raise up thy thoughts above the skye
That dunghill mists away may flie.
Thou hast an house on high erect
Fram'd by that mighty Architect,
With glory richly furnished,
Stands permanent tho' this bee fled.
It's purchased, and paid for too
By him who hath enough to doe.
A Prise so vast as is unknown,
Yet, by his Gift, is made thine own.
Ther's wealth enough, I need no more;
Farewell my Pelf, farewell my Store.
The world no longer let me Love,
My hope and Treasure lyes Above.
Peace After a Storm
When darkness long has veil'd my mind,
And smiling day once more appears;
Then, my Redeemer, then I find
The folly of my doubts and fears.
Straight I upbraid my wand'ring heart,
And blush that I should ever be
Thus prone to act so base a part,
Or harbour one hard thought of thee!
Oh ! let me then at length be taught
What I am still so slow to learn;
That God is love, and changes not,
Nor knows the shadow of a turn.
Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!
But when my faith is sharply try'd,
I find myself a learner yet,
Unskilful, weak, and apt to slide.
But, O my Lord, one look from thee
Subdues the disobedient will;
Drives doubt and discontent away,
And thy rebellious worm is still.
Thou art as ready to forgive,
As I am ready to repine;
Thou, therefore, all the praise receive;
Be shame and self-abhorrence mine.
The Believer's Faith and Hope Encouraged
Isaiah 54:5
For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Believer's Faith and Hope Encouraged, Even in the Darkest Nights of Desertion and Distress
By Ralph Erskine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cunning serpent may accuse,
But never shall succeed ;
The God of peace will Satan bruise,
Thy husband broke his head.
Hell-furies threaten to devour,
Like lions robb'd of whelps:
But lo! in ev'ry perilous hour,
Thy husband always helps.
That feeble faith may never fail,
Thine advocate has pray'd ;
Though winnowing tempests may assail,
Thy husband's near to aid.
Though grevious trials grow apace,
And put thee to a stand ;
Thou may'st rejoice in ev'ry case,
Thy husband's help at hand.
Trust, though, when in desertion dark,
No twinkling star by night,
No ray appear, no glimm'ring spark;
Thy husband is thy light.
His beams anon the clouds can rent,
And through the vapours run
For of the brightest firmament
Thy husband is the sun.
Without the sun [the] mourning go,
And scarce the way can find,
He brings, through paths they do not know;
Thy husband leads the blind.
Though fire and water he with skill
Brings to a wealthy land;
Rude flames and roaring waves be still,
Thy husband can command.
When sin's disorders heavy brings,
That press thy soul with weight;
Then mind how many crooked things
Thy husband has made straight.
Still look to him with longing eyes,
Though both thine eyes should fail;
Cry, and at length, though not thy cries,
Thy husband shall prevail.
Still hope for favour at his hand,
Though favour don't appear:
When help seems most aloof to stand
Thy husband's then most near.
In cases hopeless-like, faint hopes
May fail and fears annoy;
But most when stript of earthly props,
Thy husband thou'lt enjoy.
If providence the promise thwart,
And yet thy humbled mind
'Gainst hope believes in hope,'
thou art Thy husband's dearest friend.
Art thou a weakling, poor and faint,
In jeopardy each hour?
Let not thy weakness move thy plaint,
Thy husband has the pow'r.
Dread not thy foes that foil'd thee long,
Will ruin thee at length:
When thou art weak then art thou strong,
Thy husband is thy strength.
When foes are mighty, many too,
Don't fear, nor quit the field;
'Tis not with thee they have to do,
Thy husband is thy shield.
'Tis hard to strive against an host,
Or strive against the stream:
But, lo! when all seems to be lost,
Thy husband will redeem.
The Heart Healed and Changed by Mercy
Sin enslav'd me many years,
And led me bound and blind;
Till at length a thousand fears
Came swarming o'er my mind.
Where, I said in deep distress,
Will these sinful pleasures end?
How shall I secure my peace,
And make the LORD my friend?
Friends and ministers said much
The gospel to enforce;
But my blindness still was such,
I chose a legal course:
Much I fasted, watch'd and strove,
Scarce would show my face abroad,
Fear'd, almost, to speak or move,
A stranger still to GOD.
Thus afraid to trust his grace,
Long time did I rebel;
Till, despairing of my case,
Down at his feet I fell:
Then my stubborn heart he broke,
And subdu'd me to his sway;
By a simple word he spoke,
"Thy sins are done away."
by William Cowper
Batter my Heart
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurped town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue,
Yet dearly'I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed unto your enemy;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to you, imprison me, for I
Except you entrhral me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
by John Donne