Spring 1978—Grace
9. You’re still children, beloved: and so you’ve not understood
All that your Father in Heaven intends for your good.
The Kingdom is yours! with the riches and blessings thereof:
Now receive with thanksgiving the glorious gift of His love.

10. Overcome! Overcome, and you’ll sit with me in my throne.
I, who have trodden the winepress of wrath all alone,
Will to share with you now the joy my atonement has won.
Grasp my hand and endure: by my grace you shall overcome.

11. I have said what I’ve said. It’s the truth, and I make no excuse.
Seek first your crown: all the rest by and by you shall lose.
Though the earth pass away, my word shall endure for your good,
And death shall inherit no place in the Kingdom of God.

(Reprise:) So come unto me! I am Christ, the Savior of men.
Give me your heart. Let it break: I will mend it again.
Take my burden with joy. Believe me. It’s easy to bear,
And the day of this life is the time for men to prepare.
“Exalting Grace” surfaced again in 2002, in the tender, reminiscent, last days of our Timbaloo period. Realized, to my surprise, that, unlike a lot of my old writings, it didn’t embarrass me a quarter century later.

Revisited the text, introduced a few minor refinements, and recorded it to a computer file and to an audio CD. Sang it in a couple of meetings, including a missionary farewell. Nobody was critical, even helpfully. One nice person (can’t for the life of me remember who) actually took a copy and sent it to Church headquarters, where a kindly functionary replied that they’d keep it in the files. Guess that’s how the Restoration registers a rejection slip.
Next time I thought about “Exalting Grace,” it was 2010. I’d fallen in love again, this time with Doctrine and Covenants 78:17-19:

Cycling along the Santa Ana River with daughter Cyndi and grandson Matthew, in early September, 2010, I received a P.S. We only did eight miles, but by the time we got back, the ninth verse of the current version had become inevitable.
17Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
18And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.
19And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious…
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