I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing
upon thine offspring.
And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows
by the water courses.
One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call
himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe
with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the
name of Israel. — Is. xliv. 3-5.
Blessed promise! given to my parents;
but given to them in my behalf. On the
seed of the pious Thou, Lord, wilt pour out
Thy Spirit. On their offspring Thou wilt
bestow Thy blessing. With grateful heart
I claim this promise and its blessings as my
own.
I shall grow up as among the grass. Not
in a dry, barren place; but my young life
shall be surrounded by fresh and growing
life. Among the young of Thy Church I
stand as a plant in a well-watered garden.
Their fresh and glowing hearts inspire my
own. O may we grow together as young
trees of Thine own planting, and as tender
plants of Thine own watering!
As willows by the water courses. When
all other trees are dry and withering, those
by the water courses are fresh and green.
Abiding water flows at their roots! The
willows — they are earliest green in Spring-
time, and longest green in Autumn, and
throughout the long hot Summer there are
none as fresh and green as they. So shall
we be, Lord of Life, in Thy Church.
Those that be planted in the house of the
Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Perennial, living waters shall flow in my
soul from the unfailing fountains of Thy
grace; and Thy blessing shall come upon
me in unceasing freshness as the dew of
heaven.
Blessed promise! Yes, Lord, I will say:
I am the Lord’s! I will call myself by the
name of Jacob, as a child of the covenant.
I will subscribe myself with mine own hand
as Thine own. Lord, seal Thou my name
by the blood of Jesus, that it may stand in
Thy book of life forever!