57. ”Come, Follow Me,” the Savior Spake

1. “Come, follow Me,” the Savior spake,
“O mankind, heed my guiding;
Deny yourselves, the world forsake,
Where death is ever hiding;
Take crosses and adversity,
And let My way your pathway be!”

2. Lord, Thy example teaches me
The way to holy living;
Who come to Thee, no more shall be
His life to evil giving;
Thou art the Way, and well dost show
How we should sojourn here below.

3. As Thou alone to God didst live,
Thine own true will foregoing
So I myself to God would give,
All His commandments doing.
I shall, if I but follow Thee,
Lord, one day with the Father be.

4. Thy life was love, humility,
And friendliness, Lord, ever;
It was Thy love that prompted Thee
To give Thyself as Savior;
Thy heart with grace doth overflow
For foes who Thee here do not know.

5. Thou teachest us to shun and flee
What harms our soul’s salvation,
Our hearts to purify and free
From evil and temptation;
For Thou, our Shepherd, true and brave
The straying sheep dost seek and save.

6. And when we falter in the fray,
Thou at our side art ready;
Thou battlest for us, makest way,
At all times firm and steady.
A coward he who will not heed
When Christ, our Captain, takes the lead.

7. Who loves his life, Lord, more than Thee,
Without Thee will he lose it;
Who gives his life in service free,
To God will introduce it!
Who bears no cross, no suffering, Lord,
Unworthy is of Thy reward.

8. Let each one follow our dear Lord,
Whatever may betide him,
With courage clinging to His Word,
In suff’ring stand beside Him!
For all who bear the battle’s strain
The crown of life shall there obtain.