1 I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me;
it was not I that found, O Savior true;
no, I was found of Thee.
2 Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea;
'twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,
as Thou, dear Lord, on me.
3 I find, I walk, I love, but O, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee!
For Thou wert long beforehand with my soul,
always Thou lovedst me.
Anonymous
The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition
<idle musing>
This isn't a very popular hymn, occurring in only 87 hymnals, but it contains some good theology, concentrating on the fact that God takes the initiative and we respond. Wesleyan/Arminians call this prevenient grace, with prevenient being a fancy term from the Latin. It means simply, that which comes before, so prevenient grace is the grace that come before saving grace. It's the grace that Augustine is referring to when he calls the Holy Spirit the hound of heaven. It chases us and woos us until we either slam the door shut permanently (if that is even possible!), or we surrender and allow him to save us, fill us, and transform us into his image.
Hymnary.org says that the author is Jean Ingelow. The Methodist Hymnal says the hymn was written "c. 1904." If that date is correct, then the author is indeed unknown, because Ingelow died in 1897.
</idle musing>
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