Devotional for the First Sunday in Lent

The Rev. Samuel Wesley, Sr.

“Behold The Savior Of Mankind” (1700) written by the Rev. Samuel Wesley, Sr., the father of  John and Charles Wesley. This is the only hymn written by Samuel Wesley that survived a house fire (at the Epworth Rectory), in which his son John nearly perished.

Behold the Savior of mankind
Nailed to the shameful tree!
How vast the love that Him inclined
To bleed and die for thee!

Hark, how He groans, while nature shakes,

And earth’s strong pillars bend!
The temple’s veil in sunder breaks;
The solid marbles rend.

‘Tis done! the precious ransom’s paid!
“Receive my soul!” He cries;
See where He bows His sacred head!
He bows His head and dies!

But soon He’ll break death’s envious chain,
And in full glory shine;
O Lamb of God, was ever pain,
Was ever love, like Thine?