Come and Hear what the Lord has Done for My Soul

“Come and hear, all you who fear God,

And I will declare what He has done for my soul.”

{Psalm 66:16}

I wrote this poem on October 12, 2013. It was a beautiful fall morning, and I had my journal out as usual. On this particular morning, I sensed that I was about to write a poem to the Lord—something I had not done in quite some time. It turned out to be a prayer of thankfulness in which I recounted what God had done in my life up to that point, as well as a hymn of praise to Him.

You number my hairs, You know my frame;

I’m an unworthy sinner, yet You know me by name.

I run away often—at best I’m a sheep,

Yet You’ve given promises You’ve sworn that You’ll keep.

 I did not deserve Your love at the first,

Nor did I know that for You did I thirst.

I thought I was good and merited Your favor,

Yet did not know it was You I should savor.

A day there was not, far as I can recall,

That I did not know who You were at all.

My heart was so frail, yet I thought I was strong;

It was You who was shaping my heart all along.

You called me to be baptized at just ten years old—

I know it was You who made me so bold.

I was thrilled to be Yours—a child of the King—

But had not an idea it would cost everything.

And as I grew older, I learned: From the start,

You desired that I love You with all of my heart.

What did this mean? That I could not say;

But I knew, as Your child, that I should obey.

I tried reading my Bible and learning to pray.

Why it felt like a drag, I never could say.

But You blessed me with friends in love with You, Lord;

It was clear from their lives it was You they adored.

Through high school You grew me—so faithful were You.

I learned how to love and to lead others, too.

Yet I held oh so tightly the gifts You bestowed

And thought that a good Christian life I was owed.

Upon starting college, my heart filled with pain.

My life felt so stormy, my days filled with rain.

I prayed that the storms would ease or subside;

I felt broken, alone, and sorrowful inside.

As the long days wore on, You showed me Your grace,

When I felt overwhelmed, I’d look up, see Your face

And know You are with me, whatever befall

And that you are the Lord, the Ruler of all.

I was blessed by Your people who now are my friends;

It seems to me that Your grace never ends!

While Band was a struggle for much of last year,

It’s now a big reason I love being here!

You are growing and shaping me—using me, too,

And I pray that my life may reflect more of You.

You’re the Author and Perfecter, Beginning and End,

Good Shepherd and King, yet Servant and Friend.

You are Life, You are Breath, You embody the Light;

You enable us to walk by faith, not by sight.

Your grace is abundant, Your faithfulness true,

And You call us to build our lives around You.

You never forsake us; You call us Your own;

We willingly bow down before Your throne

And keep calling others to join in the throng

Of those in eternity who will sing out Your song:

“Blessing, glory, honor, and power be

To the Lord of all eternity.

To the One who redeemed us—His name we will praise

And sing to our Savior all of our days.”