For the past two Sunday mornings we sang "Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed." It's a beautiful song and I've sung it many times; but two weeks ago the words touched me differently and perhaps more strongly than ever before. They hit home with me.
I'm sure many of you know the words. It is about the Savior's love and sacrifice as He was crucified for our sins. The words are beautiful and sad at the same time. They bring our attention to the terrible agony He suffered. They remind us of the awesome love of Jesus.
We should be reminded of Christ's death more frequently. His death and resurrection should be at the forefront of our minds and embedded deeply in our hearts. As Christians it should be what shapes our thoughts and guides our lifestyle every day.
God loves us. Jesus loves us. The Holy Spirit - the Comforter - loves us. The Bible tells us so. The hymns we sing emphasize this truth. The words which touched my heart so strongly are in the last verse. "Here Lord, I give myself away, 'tis all that I can do."
These are the words which occupied my mind for two weeks now. I was glad we sang it the second time. The words are so true. Giving ourselves to Him really is all we can do.
We are most certainly not able to save ourselves. We are totally dependent on God for our eternal life. Jesus was our perfect sacrifice. His blood paid for our sins and His resurrection conquered death. It is the resurrection which gives us a confident hope of eternal life in heaven with our Savior. Sadly so many people fail to recognize this.
The fact is what we do for Jesus will never come close to what He has done for us. But our love for Him should prompt us to do just what the words of the song say - give ourselves to Him. Nothing else will do. God is not impressed with riches or monuments, or feats of strength, or worldly fame.
Jesus does not concern Himself with the size of our home or the kind of car we drive. The Father and Son only care about our hearts (minds). Our good works are done in God's name so He might be glorified. The light we shine in this dark world is His light.
In short, Jesus wants us to want Him. He wants us to desire heaven so we can be in fellowship with Him. From the time God created man all He has ever wanted to do is be with us. We should want the same thing.
He doesn't expect us to climb the highest mountain or strive for something we cannot do. God only wants us do as much as we can -- in His name -- for His glory; not for our own. If we are willing to give ourselves to Him, we will gain plenty of opportunities to serve Him.
Still I don't suppose many of us like this idea - the idea of giving ourselves away. That's asking way too much, isn't it? It is so much easier just to live our own lives and do our own thing.
Our time is our own. We don't want to spend an afternoon going to the hospital or cooking a meal for a family in need. It takes too much energy to sit with a young mother during worship while her husband is away serving our country. And no one likes to go to the funeral home to be with someone who has just lost a family member.
What about the song? Is giving ourselves to Him totally necessary? We know. The answer is a resounding yes!
We all have good intentions. As Christians, we want to serve God even when it requires time and effort - and even when it means doing things we don't like to do.
These are small prices to pay compared to our Savior's sacrifice. The apostles and other early Christians gave their very lives for the cause of Christ. So many others have too, from that time until now.
It makes me think about all the things I should be doing. Still, it isn't about the things. To be honest, it never has been. It has absolutely everything to do with our hearts. Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 13 it is not what we do but why we do it. It is the LOVE we have for God that matters. We do what we do out of love.
It doesn't matter how small or big our acts of service are. What matters is the love we have as we serve Him! It is love that guides our walk with Him. It is love which prompts our study of God's word so we can know what to do to serve Him. It is love which leads to obedience and service.
Giving our love causes us to give ourselves away. It isn't always easy and it may actually involve suffering; but it is always worth it! God promises us that.
Christ above all things,
Robin
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