Awake and run the heavenly race, And put a cheerful courage on.
2 True "tis a strait and th.o.r.n.y road, And mortal spirits tire and faint; But they forget the mighty G.o.d, That feeds the strength of every saint.
3 From Thee, the overflowing spring, Our souls shall drink a fresh supply, While such as trust in human strength Shall melt away, and droop, and die.
4 Swift as an eagle cuts the air, We"ll mount aloft to Thine abode; On wings of love our souls shall fly, Nor tire amidst the heavenly road.
542. S. M. Anonymous.
The Whole Armor of G.o.d.
1 Followers of Christ! arise, And put your armor on, Strong in the strength which G.o.d supplies To each obedient son.
2 Stand forth in His great might, With all His strength endued; But take, to arm you for the fight, The panoply of G.o.d.
3 And, above all, lay hold Of faith"s victorious shield; Armed with that adamant and gold, Ye cannot lose the field.
4 Leave no unguarded place, No weakness of the soul; Take every virtue, every grace, And consecrate the whole.
5 That having all things done, And conquered in the strife, To n.o.bler service ye pa.s.s on, And an undying life!
543. S. M. Heath.
Conflict.
1 My soul, be on thy guard; Ten thousand foes arise; The hosts of sin are pressing hard To draw thee from the skies.
2 O, watch, and strive, and pray; The battle ne"er give o"er; Renew it boldly every day, And help divine implore.
3 Ne"er think the victory won, Nor lay thine armor down: Thy arduous work will not be done Till thou obtain thy crown.
4 Fight on, my soul, till death Shall bring thee to thy G.o.d; He"ll take thee, at thy parting breath, To His divine abode.
544. 7s. M. Neale.
Bearing the Cross.
1 Every bird that upward springs Bears the Cross upon his wings; We without it cannot rise Upward to our native skies.
2 Every ship that meets the waves By the Cross their fury braves; We, on life"s wide ocean tossed, If we have it not are lost.
3 Hope it gives us when distrest, When we faint it gives us rest; Satan"s craft, and Satan"s might, By the Cross are put to flight.
4 That from sin earth might be free, Jesus bore it; so must we; Ne"er through faintness lay it down: First the Cross, and then the crown!
545. C. M. Heber.
In the Day of Distress.
1 Oh G.o.d, that mad"st the earth and sky, The darkness and the day, Oh listen to Thy children"s cry, And help us when we pray!
2 For wide the waves of bitterness Around our vessel roar, And heavy grows the burdened heart, To view the rocky sh.o.r.e.
3 The cross our Master bore for us, For him we fain would bear; But mortal strength to weakness turns, And courage to despair!
4 Have mercy on our failings, Lord!
Our sinking faith renew!
And when his sorrows visit us, O send his patience too.
546. C. M. Doddridge.
G.o.d Tempers the Wind to the Shorn Lamb.
1 Great ruler of all nature"s frame, We own Thy power divine; We hear Thy breath in every storm, For all the winds are Thine.
2 Wide as they sweep their sounding way, They work Thy sovereign will; And awed by Thy majestic voice, Confusion shall be still.
3 Thy mercy tempers every blast To those who seek Thy face; And mingles with the tempest"s roar The whispers of Thy grace.
4 Those gentle whispers let me hear, Till all the tumult cease; And gales of Paradise shall lull My weary soul to peace.
547. S. M. Montgomery.
The Bow in the Cloud.