The Awakened Sinner

 O my forgetful soul,

Wake up from your wandering dream;

   turn from chasing empty things

   look inward, forward, upward

   view yourself,

   reflect upon yourself,

      who and what you are, why you are here

      what you must soon be.

You are a creature of God

   formed and furnished by him,

   housed in a body like a shepherd in his tent;

Do you not desire to know God's ways?

 

O God,

You injured, neglected, provoked benefactor

   when I think upon your greatness and your goodness

   I am ashamed at my dullness,

   I blush to lift up my face,

   for I have foolishly erred.

Should I go on neglecting you,

   when every one of your rational creatures should love you

   and take every care to please you?

I confess that you have not been in all my thoughts,

   that the knowledge of you as the end of my being has been strangely overlooked,

   that I have never seriously considered my heart-need

But although my mind is perplexed and divided,

   and my nature is perverse,

   yet my secret dispositions still desire you.

Let me not delay to come to you;

Break the fatal enchantment that binds my evil affections

   and bring me to a happy mind that rests in you,

   for you have made me and cannot forget me.

Let your Spirit teach me the vital lessons of Christ,

   for I am slow to learn;

And hear my broken cries.