On Saturday we learned the sad and shocking news that a man from our former church, John Bylsma, had died, three days after a cancer operation that initially appeared to have gone well.
His obituary stated that his favourite hymn was "I Sought the Lord, and Afterward I Knew."* I'm sharing the words here today because they provide such a comforting message of God's amazing, initiating love. "We love because He first loved us." - I John 4:19
I Sought the Lord, and Afterward I Knew
I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Saviour true:
no, I was found, was found of Thee.
Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea.
'Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold
as Thou, dear Lord, took hold on me.
I find, I walk, I love -- but oh, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee;
for Thou wert long beforehand with my soul --
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Saviour true:
no, I was found, was found of Thee.
Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea.
'Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold
as Thou, dear Lord, took hold on me.
I find, I walk, I love -- but oh, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee;
for Thou wert long beforehand with my soul --
always, always Thou lovedst me.
* The words were written in 1878 by an anonymous hymn-writer. It is sung to the tune of Sibelius' Finlandia. I couldn't find a good recording of the hymn itself, but this video plays Sibelius' entire 9-minute composition, and the hymn's melody can be heard starting at about the 6-minute mark.
Beautiful words, Jeannie, reminding us that the only reason we are with him is because he chose to be with us.
ReplyDeleteSo glad He sought us, Tim. Thanks for commenting today.
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