"Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken" by Henry Francis Lyte, 1793-1847 Text From: THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942)p.303 1. Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee; Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my All shalt be. Perish every fond ambition, All I've sought or hoped or known; Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still my own. 2. Let the world despise and leave me, They have left my Savior, too. Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue. And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might, Foes may hate and friends may shun me; Show Thy face, and all is bright. 3. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure! Come, disaster, scorn, and pain! In Thy service, pain is pleasure; With Thy favor, loss is gain. I have called Thee Abba, Father! I have stayed my heart on Thee. Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, All must work for good to me. 4. Man may trouble and distress me, 'Twill but drive me to Thy breast; Life with trials hard may press me, Heaven will bring me sweeter rest. Oh, 'tis not in grief to harm me While Thy love is left to me; Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me Were that joy unmixed with Thee. 5. Take, my soul, thy full salvation; Rise o'er sin and fear and care; Joy to find in every station, Something still to do or bear. Think what Spirit dwells within thee, What a Father's smile is thine, What a Savior died to win thee; Child of heaven, shouldst thou repine? 6. Haste, then, on from grace to glory, Armed by faith and winged by prayer; Heaven's eternal day's before thee, God's own hand shall guide thee there. Soon shall close the earthly mission, Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days, Hope soon change to glad fruition, Faith to sight, and prayer to praise. _______________________________________ Notes: Hymn #423 from _The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal_ Text: Luke 18:28 Author: Henry Francis Lyte, 1824 Composer: Rowland H. Prichard, 1855, alt. Tune: "Hyfrydol" ______________________________________________________________ This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by Debbie Harris and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: bob_smith@ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (219) 452-2148 Fax: (219) 452-2126 ______________________________________________________________