Through the Cross, O Lord, I pray

First the blood

and then the ointment

Cleansing

then anointing comes;

If we pass not thru Golgotha

Ne’er to Pentecost we’ll come.

If the blood has never cleansed us

Ne’er the Spirit’s pow’r we’ll know

If for Christ we’d truly witness

Self-life to the Cross must go.

Through the Cross

O Lord

I pray

Put my soul-life all away;

Make me any price to pay

Full anointing to receive.

Christ

the Rock

must first be smitten

That the living water flow;

Without death the Spirit’s fulness

Ne’er could dwell in man below.

If with Christ we die completely

Willing thus our all to lose

He will clothe us with His power

And to win the world will use.

First the altar

then the fire

If no loss

there’ll be no gain;

If our all has not been offered

To the throne we’ll ne’er attain.

If to sacrifice we’re willing

All forsaking

God t’obey

He to us will be committed

And thru us His pow’r display.

First we must prepare the vessels

That the Oil they may contain;

Dig the valley full of ditches

That they may be filled with Rain.

First we must go thru the Jordan

Ere anointed from above;

First in death we must be baptized

Then experience the Dove.

When we see the ripened harvest

Of the golden countryside

We may know that many seeds have

Fallen to the earth and died.

Ere the fruit of life may blossom

We must surely suffer death;

If with Christ we’ve not been buried

We’ll not feel the Spirit’s breath.

Since it must be thus

I pray

Lord

Help me go the narrow way;

Deal with pride and make me willing

Thus to suffer

Thee t’obey.

I for greater power pray not

Deeper death is what I need;

All the meaning of the Cross

Lord

Work in me—for this I plead.