As I meditated on Romans 2:4, specifically the perfect cause of being repentant which is the LORD’s kindness, tolerance & patience with me, the Spirit brought this great hymn to mind. It reflects a soul truly motivated to repent in gratitude for the LORD’s goodness and to the glory of God.

Agree with the comments about the power of the words and the right tune. The culmination of all that love flows into the last line, 'lost in wonder, love and praise', and speaks like few others of the encompassing nature of awe.

The devotional works and acts of its writer move me too.

Thanks also for your love and work, hymnal.

The person who wrote this song, really knew God. He had a revelation, of the goodness of God, and our calling heavenwards. It is fantastically inspirational, and one of my favourites, especially when sung with the gusto and correct music that this song deserves!

love this hymn, such a classic :)

This hymn is about the work of God in the life of a Christian after their conversion to the Lotd Jesus Christ. First this work starts with the divine love of God in Jesus Christ, and ends with the final acts of Heaven's eternal worship of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

But how is a person converted? God in His word. the bible, is clear on this. Jesus told a religious man, in John 3, that a person has to be born again in order just to see the kingdom of God, let alone enter it and become a member of the family of God ( Romans 8).

A person is born again through repentance and faith in the gospel of God, found clearly, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, in the four gospels and the book of Romans, all in the New Testament of the bible.

Finally, read John 3 verse 16 for the only way God loves the person not yet a born again Christian - He loves everyone so that they may repent and believe the gospel. Those who do repent and believe the gospel shall not perish (eternal damnation), but have everlasting life (also John 17 verse 3).

For most of his life Charles Wesley was a traveling preacher - traveling on horseback. In his pocket he carried little cards on which he scribbled hymns in shorthand as he rode.

When a horse threw him, he wrote in his journal: "My companion thought I had broken my neck; but my leg only was bruised, my hand sprained, and my head stunned, which spoiled my making hymns till the next day."

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The original 1st line of stanza 1 says "all loves excelling".

The original 3rd and 4th lines of stanza 2 say:

"Let us find that second rest.

Take away our bent to sinning;"

I prefer "promised" rest to "second" rest because it is more biblical, but greatly prefer "bent to sinning" over "love of sinning". As Christians we should no longer love sinning, but we still have an inclination to sin, which we hate.

The original 3rd & 6th lines of the 3rd stanza say:

"Suddenly return and never,

...

Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,"

The words, "Jesus, Thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded Love Thou art, come to mind often when He overwhelms me with His goodness and mercy!

That I am perfected by any training.