FROM NATURE TO GRACE

By nature man is mean and vile,
Self-centered, proud and vain:
He loves to have the world's applause
And counts his wealth as gain.

But when the Holy Spirit hath
Performed a work of grace
The sinner sees his wretchedness
And loathes his awful case.

The vanity of temporal things
He sees with quickened sight
And falling down on trembling knees
He begs for grace and light.

Then Christ reveals His righteousness
And says, "I bore thy sins."
A sense of pardon is bestowed
And peace is wrought within.

The child of grace then leaps for joy
For what he understands
And seeks to show his gratitude
By keeping God's commands.

Elder Ralph Harris  -  April 1991