The good news of Christ
A word from God to quench my thirst,
A mighty working to transform;
To Scripture always I turn first,
For calm and courage in the storm.
Your law’s my constant friend and guide,
My heart delights to hear and obey;
What joy, your statutes at my side!
At your command, there’s no delay.
This holy Book by God inspired,
Conducts us all before his throne;
What all our lives we e’er desired:
To know Him fully and be known.
Not peace upon the earth, but a sword,
The gospel cannot be ignored;
The Son of Man will bear his cross,
And calls his kin to wear this loss
Of friend and brother, lands and gain,
To preach in Athens, Rome, and Spain.
May I be faithful now and hence,
With God my strength, my recompense.
Christ, o’er angels, glorious King,
Ruler, author of creation,
Grant us grace to win and wing
Our way to realms e’erlasting.
Fling us out across the earth,
Sound in us the proclamation,
Shout from heights the gospel worth,
That all may know the Spirit’s birth.
Send your Spirit forth to war,
Fight for us, your holy nation,
On the hills let banners soar,
Our vict’ry feast forevermore.
O holy Hope, what else have I
On earth beside this white-hot wait?
This fired desire, with sights set high,
No worldly lure can e’er abate.
In prayer the lips move fevered pleas,
“Lord, come!” We’ll meet you in the air;
I love you more than all of these,
Let angels line the heavenly stair.
Th’ eternal span gives time below
A worth beyond the final fire;
And man, who stumbles to and fro,
To life with God may dare aspire.
All seek their own, not those of Christ,
By worldly gain and gold enticed;
To be a Demas is my fear,
To miss the Spirit’s movement near.
Come give me, Lord, a single eye,
Fixed on your will, on things on high;
Devoted to please your charge and call,
I’d seek your face above them all.
I cried to you, O Lord, ‘midst smoke and flames,
My burning lips forsook all other names:
My hopes collapsed, my shattered dreams were lost,
And I was left with nothing, stripped at last,
To find the precious Pearl, I knew the cost:
Upon the pyre went future, present, past;
In my full loss upon your grace I cast.
A diamond ‘midst the common stones,
A soul among sun-whitened bones,
Your fair, straight Way, where saints display
The Name above the small unknowns.
In us be seen the gospel’s charm,
Where reigns your peace, and none alarm,
Where hopes are high, and men rely
Upon your strong and powerful arm.
In Christ is heard the joyful sound,
In him is every blessing found,
His favors all to those who fall
Before the Son and Savior crowned.
O boundless Love, to those who hate
Show mercy, kindness to the cruel;
To them who rail, insult, berate,
Let humble goodness be our rule.
To vengeful foes who strike our face,
Make us disciples turn the cheek,
To calls for rights, let us show grace,
Toward haughty noses make us meek.
For we, above all else, desire,
In all affairs, in peace and strife,
To show your Self — to this aspire —
Like Christ who gave his perfect life.
Lord Almighty, I believe,
Forgive my unbelief;
For lack of trust in you I grieve,
Of sins this is the chief.
My eyes can’t see, for all their strength,
The plans that you have made,
Nor love in all its depth and length
That marked my sins as paid.
Your gentle presence I cannot feel,
To touch my senses fail;
My hazy sight can’t but conceal
Your hand within the gale.
But this I know: You move and speak,
You answer when I kneel;
Your wing protects the small and weak—
I know my God is real.
Show me the way, my God, my Guide,
How may I serve your purpose best?
Let not my asking be denied,
But turn your ear to my request.
What gift is mine, what open door?
What bodied member am I cast?
What words are mine with praise to soar,
What deeds to pierce the heavens at last?