Once it was the Blessing

The words of this powerful hymn by A.B. Simpson should be read by all Christians. We live in a church age in which feeling and emotion are substituted for theology and truth. These words are a powerful antidote to the soul-wasting disease found in many of our churches: 

Once it was the blessing,

  Now it is the Lord;

Once it was the feeling,

  Now it is His Word;

Once His gift I wanted,

  Now, the Giver own;

Once I sought for healing,

  Now Himself alone.

 

All in all forever,

  Only Christ I’ll sing;

Everything is in Christ,

    And Christ is everything.

2

Once ’twas painful trying,

  Now ’tis perfect trust;

Once a half salvation,

  Now the uttermost;

Once ’twas ceaseless holding,

  Now He holds me fast;

Once ’twas constant drifting,

  Now my anchor’s cast.

3

Once ’twas busy planning,

  Now ’tis trustful prayer;

Once ’twas anxious caring,

  Now He has the care;

Once ’twas what I wanted,

  Now what Jesus says;

Once ’twas constant asking,

  Now ’tis ceaseless praise.

4

Once it was my working,

  His it hence shall be;

Once I tried to use Him,

  Now He uses me;

Once the pow’r I wanted,

  Now the Mighty One;

Once for self I laboured,

  Now for Him alone.

5

Once I hoped in Jesus,

  Now I know He’s mine;

Once my lamps were dying,

  Now they brightly shine;

Once for death I waited,

  Now His coming hail;

And my hopes are anchored

  Safe within the veil.

 

You can hear it here:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vXL_e7BBLvU