Hymn by Havergal: To Be “Without Christ”

The following hymn is taken from The Royal Invitation, a new online devotional available at the BLB. The Royal Invitation is one of five books contained in a collection written by Frances Ridley Havergal in the 1880s. This book embraces the many requests from God’s word for us to ‘come’ to Him.

Scripture references are located throughout the hymn. We hope it blesses you. (CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS POSTS)

 

I could not do without Thee, (Jhn 6:68)
O Saviour of the lost!
Whose precious blood redeemed me
At such tremendous cost.
Thy righteousness, Thy pardon,
Thy precious blood-must be
My only hope and comfort,
My glory (Gal 6:14) and my plea.

I could not do without Him! (Psa 73:23)
Jesus is more to me
Than all the richest, fairest gifts
Of earth could ever be.
But the more I find Him precious,
And the more I find Him true,
The more I long for you to find (Psa 34:8)
What He can be to you.

You need not do without Him! ()
For He is passing by; (Mat 20:30)
He is waiting to be gracious,
Only waiting for your cry.
He is waiting to receive you,-
To make you all His own!
Why will you do without Him, (Hsa 11:8)
And wander on alone?

Why will you do without Him? (Hsa 13:10)
Is He not kind indeed?
Did He not die to save you? (Rom 5:8)
Is He not all you need?
Do you not want a Saviour?
Do you not want a Friend?
One who will love you faithfully,
And love you to the end? (Jhn 13:1)

Why will you do without Him? (Jer 4:30)
The Word of God is true:
The world is passing to its doom,
And you are passing too.
It may be, no to-morrow
Shall dawn for you or me; (Pro 27:1)
Why will you run the awful risk
Of all eternity?

What will you do without Him
In the long and dreary day
Of trouble and perplexity, (Isa 59:9-10)
When you do not know the way;
And no one else can help you,
And no one guides you right, (Jer 2:17)
And hope comes not with morning,
And rest comes not with night?

You could not do without Him, (Rom 7:24)
If once He made you see
The fetters that enchain you
Till He hath set you free;
If once you saw the fearful load
Of sin upon your soul,- (Eze 33:10)
The hidden plague that ends in death,
Unless He makes you whole!

What will you do without Him
When death is drawing near, (Eccl. 12:3)
Without His love-the only love
That casts out every fear; (1Jo 4:18)
When the shadow-valley opens,
Unlighted and unknown, (Job 8:13-14)
And the terrors of its darkness
Must all be passed alone?

What will you do without Him
When the great White Throne is set,
And the Judge who never can mistake, (Rom 2:16)
And never can forget,-
The Judge, whom you have never here
As Friend and Saviour sought, (Mat 7:23)
Shall summon you to give account
Of deed, and word, and thought? (Mat 12:36)

What will you do without Him
When He hath shut the door, (Rev 3:7)
And you are left outside, because
You would not come before; (Jhn 5:40)
When it is no use knocking,
No use to stand and wait, (Hbr 12:17)
For the word of doom tolls through your heart,
That terrible ‘Too late’? (Luk 16:26)

You cannot do without Him! (Jhn 14:6)
There is no other name
By which you ever can be saved,- (Act 4:12)
No way, no hope, no claim!
Without Him-everlasting loss (Mar 8:36)
Of love, and life, and light!
Without Him-everlasting woe, (Mat 25:41)
And everlasting night.

But with Him-oh! with Jesus!
Are any words so blest? (Jhn 17:24)
With Jesus-everlasting joy
And everlasting rest!
With Jesus-all the empty heart
Filled with His perfect love! (Eph 3:19-20)
With Jesus-perfect peace below,
And perfect bliss above!

Why should you do without Him?- (Jer 5:31)
It is not yet too late;
He has not closed the day of grace, (2Co 6:2)
He has not shut the gate.
He calls you!-hush! He calls you! (Mar 10:49)
He would not have you go,
Another step without Him, (Hsa 2:14)
Because He loves you so.

Why will you do without Him?
He calls and calls again- (Jhn 7:37)
‘Come unto Me! Come unto Me! (Mat 11:28)
Oh, shall He call in vain?
He wants to have you with Him; (Mat 23:37)
Do you not want Him too?
You cannot do without Him,
And He wants-even you! (Jer 31:3)

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Previous posts:

• The Giver of the Royal Invitation
• What Does It Mean to “Come” to Jesus?
• Come and See
• The Safe Venture
• Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace

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