Robert Taylor

William always wondered how he survived. He was considered one of the greatest poets of the 19th century. Yet, depression haunted him. In his youth, his father pushed him into the study of law, but he hated it. Three times, he attempted suicide, but he was even a failure at that. Finally, his family had him confined to an insane asylum for 18 months. Upon his release, a friend he met took him in. His friend preached in a small church in Olney, England. The man had dabbled in many affairs, including the slave trade, before his conversion. He knew the depths of despair, his new friend, William Cowper, faced. The preacher's name was John Newton. Newton and Cowper became a great team and wrote a hymnbook with 67 songs. One was Newton's piece Amazing Grace. One day, Cowper rode through the country in a coach and reflected on his life. What would have happened if he had killed himself? What if he had not met Newton? Words formed in his mind and then penned to paper. He wrote: God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants His footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan His work in vain. For God is His own interpreter And He will make it plain. In His own time In His own way. No matter how bleak life appears, God is moving. Wait for his time and his way. -Robert G. Taylor-

Even the great can’t conquer all enemies. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, who ruled over a divided land two centuries before Christ, is still remembered for his remarkable achievements, including the unification of China and the construction of the "Terracotta Army," a massive collection of life-size clay soldiers and horses that guard his tomb. His greatest quest was to find the secret to immortality. He took one potion that promised to give him eternal life. He took it with great promise. But, on one of his tours through his kingdom, he grew ill and died. His secret to immortality was mercury, a deadly poison. The substance was mercury, a poison that kills. Many seek more years in life. But what is the purpose of more years in a life that doesn’t have an eternal direction? Jesus warned against shortsightedness. “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9:25, ESV) The man who lives for more than life has a life grander than he has. Never forget that even emperors die, but God’s children live. -Robert G. Taylor-