Sunday's Hymn: I Was a Wandering Sheep

I was a wand’ring sheep,
I did not love the fold;
I did not love my Shepherd’s voice,
I would not be controlled.
I was a wayward child,
I did not love my home;
I did not love my Father’s voice,
I loved afar to roam.

The Shepherd sought his sheep,
The Father sought his child;
They followed me o’er vale and hill,
O’er deserts waste and wild:
They found me nigh to death,
Famished and faint and lone;
They bound me with the bands of love,
They saved the wand’ring one.

Jesus my Shepherd is;
‘Twas he that loved my soul,
‘Twas he that washed me in his blood,
‘Twas he that made me whole;
‘Twas he that sought the lost,
That found the wand’ring sheep,
‘Twas he that brought me to the fold,
‘Tis he that still doth keep.

I was a wand’ring sheep,
I would not be controlled;
But now I love my Shepherd’s voice,
I love, I love the fold.
I was a wayward child,
I once preferred to roam;
But now I love my Father’s voice,
I love, I love his home.

—Horatius Bonar

Other hymns, worship songs, prayers, sermons excerpts, or quotes posted today:

• In Memory of the Savior’s Love at The Happy Wonderer
• The Waiting Soul at The Upward Call
• A life of faith at Tried With Fire
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon: Liberty not licence at Pyromaniacs
• Deciding to Follow Christ? at Theology for Girls

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Sunday's Hymn: Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity joined with pow’r:
He is able,
He is able,
He is able,
He is willing; doubt no more.

Come, ye needy, come and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Ev’ry grace that brings you nigh,
Without money,
Without money,
Without money,
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all:
Not the righteous,
Not the righteous,
Not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of him;
This he gives you,
This he gives you,
This he gives you;
‘Tis the Spirit’s rising beam.

Lo! th’incarnate God, ascended,
Pleads the merit of his blood;
Venture on him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude:
None but Jesus,
None but Jesus,
None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.

—Joseph Hart

Other hymns, worship songs, prayers, sermons excerpts, or quotes posted today:

• Depth of Mercy at By Grace Alone
• I Believe in Miracles at The Happy Wonderer
• The Shining Light at The Upward Call
• Has Jesus saved me? at Tried With Fire
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon: Believing what we cannot comprehend at Pyromaniacs
• Nothing to Alarm Us at Theology for Girls

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

God Is Simple

I’ve just posted at Out of the Ordinary on the simplicity of God. The piece starts like this:

A woman I know once told me God would never condemn anyone to eternal hell because God is love. If God had wrath, and she wasn’t sure he did, it was only temporary. God’s final attitude toward everyone would be love, because God is love. She kept repeating these three words, emphasizing the “is” each time as if it settled everything. If God is love, she thought, love must be his most important attribute—the one attribute to rule all the others.

Understanding God’s simplicity should protect us from this error—and a few others, too. Do you want to know more about how this doctrine helps guards against distorted images of God? If so, read the rest.