We were once as you are

by William Cowper

Hymn #3 of the 'Olney Hymnal' (7.6.7.6)

4. Our time in sin we wasted,
And fed upon the wind;
Until his love, we tasted,
No comfort could we find:
But now we stand to witness
His pow’r and grace to you;
May you perceive its fitness,
And call upon him too!

5. Our pleasure and our duty,
Though opposite before;
Since we have seen his beauty,
Are joined to part no more:
It is our highest pleasure,
No less than duty’s call;
To love him beyond measure,
And serve him with our all.

1. Shall men pretend to pleasure
Who never knew the LORD?
Can all the worldling’s treasure
True peace of mind afford?
They shall obtain this jewel
In what their hearts desire,
When they by adding fuel
Can quench the flame of fire.

2. Till you can bid the ocean,
When furious tempests roar,
Forget its wonted motion,
And rage, and swell, no more:
In vain your expectation
To find content in sin;
Or freedom from vexation,
While passions reign within.

3. Come, turn your thoughts to JESUS,
If you would good possess;
’Tis he alone that frees us
From guilt, and from distress:
When he, by faith, is present,
The sinner’s troubles cease;
His ways are truly pleasant,
And all his paths are peace.

A hymn and particularly a very (v 5) that I keep locked away for those moments when I forget the beauty of Jesus and the exquisite pleasure of loving and serving him with my all.

Serving Jesus and his church can feel humdrum and quite frankly rather annoyingly energy sapping. ‘Pleasure’ and ‘duty’ on a Sunday morning seem opposed when you enter a cold church building…but look at the beauty of Jesus! As we gaze on all that has been done for us unworthy sinners as we are; the beauty of Christ’s sacrifice and the depths of God’s love, will drag ‘duty’ into the realm of ‘pleasure’.

Getting ready early on a Sunday morning to lead your church family to sing is a joyful, pleasurable duty, a small act of loving service responding to the beauty of Christ’s sacrifice and life giving resurrection.

Thank you Mr Cowper.