My soul, be on thy guard–
Ten thousand foes arise;
The hosts of sin are pressing hard
To draw thee from the skies.
O watch and fight and pray,
The battle ne’er give o’er;
Renew it boldly ev’ry day,
And help divine implore.
Ne’er think the vict’ry won,
Nor lay thine armor down;
The work of faith will not be done
Till thou obtain thy crown.
Fight on, my soul, till death
Shall bring thee to thy God;
He’ll take thee, at thy parting breath,
To His divine abode.
George Heath, 1781
Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5
This old hymn, new to me, is equal parts encouragement and warning. We have a serious charge from Christ. The work is hard. The enemies are real. It is not for the weak or the faint. But the cause is eternal, and the rewards are beyond our imagination. Don’t shy away! Fight on!