First Sunday after Epiphany

Oft doth the Christian's heart inquire,
What does my God of me desire?
What service holy, pure, and high,
Can He receive from such as I?
With heart and hands alike denied,
Poor erring tho' repentant child!

Christian! thy God deems nothing due,
But what He gives thee grace to do;
And nought as worthy doth He take,
Save what is done for Jesu's sake:
With such pure trust, and simple aim,
Thy lowliest deed His smile may claim.

The highest duties oft are found
Lying upon the lowest ground;
In hidden and unnoticed ways,
In household works, on common days,
Whate'er is done for God alone,
Thy God acceptable will own.

To do our ' Father's business ' here
In humble reverence and fear,
Meekly upon His will to wait
In little things as well as great,
Contented in our lot to rest,
'Tis thus the Christian serves Him best.

Whether our path of duty be
In public or in privacy,
To teach or to be taught in truth,
Submit to age, or bear with youth,
We must be wisest in the school,
And gentlest under parent's rule.

Like Christ in all things we must prove,
His life our model, — and His love
The only pure unfailing spring
Of holiness in every thing, —
The only law by which we e'er
Can do our ' Father's business' here.