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Sunday, March 14, 2021

Devotional for the Fourth Sunday in Lent


Today's cross: A bronze cross found by Pastor Charles in an antique store in Wilmington, North Carolina in 2003.

John Wesley

SINNERS, obey the gospel word,
Haste to the supper of my Lord;
Be wise to know your gracious day,
All things are ready, come away!

Ready the Father is to own
And kiss his late-returning son;
Ready your loving Saviour stands,
And spreads for you his bleeding hands.

Ready the Spirit of his love
Just now the stony to remove,
T’ apply, and witness with the blood,
And wash and seal the sons of God.

Ready for you the angels wait,
To triumph in your blest estate:
Tuning their harps, they long to praise
The wonders of redeeming grace.

The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Is ready, with their shining host:
All heaven is ready to resound,
“The dead's alive! the lost is found!”

Come then, ye sinners, to your Lord,
In Christ to paradise restored;
His proffered benefits embrace,
The plenitude of gospel grace:

Verses five through eight are not found in the hymnal

A pardon written with his blood,
The favour and the peace of God;
The seeing eye, the feeling sense,
The mystic joys of penitence;

The godly grief, the pleasing smart,
The meltings of a broken heart,
The tears that tell your sins forgiven,
The sighs that waft your souls to heaven;

The guiltless shame, the sweet distress,
The unutterable tenderness,
The genuine, meek humility,
The wonder, “Why such love to me?”

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