A Hymn for the New Year
Praying for Students
I want to share with you one of my favorite poems and hymns to read and meditate on as we begin this New Year. William Cowper, a close friend of John Newton (the writer of "Amazing Grace"), collaborated with him to publish the Olney Hymns, a remarkable collection of poetry and hymns. This collection includes such classics as "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood," "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," "How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds," and "O for a Closer Walk with God."
In the hymn below, Cowper encourages us to pray for the youth in our communities, asking that God would move in their lives and bring them to salvation. I encourage you to pray for the young people in your life and in our area, using this hymn as a guide:
Sin has undone our wretched race;
But Jesus has restored,
And brought the sinner face to face
With his forgiving Lord.
This we repeat from year to year
And press upon our youth;
Lord, give them an attentive ear,
Lord, save them by Thy truth!
Blessings upon the rising race!
Make this a happy hour,
According to Thy richest grace,
And Thine Almighty power.
We feel for your unhappy state
(May you regard it too),
And would a while ourselves forget
To pour our prayer for you.
We see, though you perceive it not,
The approaching awful doom;
Oh, tremble at the solemn thought,
And flee the wrath to come!
Dear Saviour, let this new-born year
Spread an alarm abroad;
And cry in every careless ear,
'Prepare to meet thy God!'