Just as I am Thy Love unknown
Hath broken ev’ry barrier down
Now to be Thine yes Thine alone
O Lamb of God I come I come
Just As I Am 1835
By: Charlotte Eliott (1789-1871)
Listen to this worshipful version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.
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Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we continue our journey through this beloved hymn come with fresh ears. Sometimes a song can be so familiar some of the meaning can get lost. Try to reclaim a bit of this one as we look deeply at these words. Let’s think about this.
Crucified with Christ
What is your response to the crucifixion of Christ? Maybe “Thank You, Lord”. Maybe “Hallelujah!” Maybe stunned silence “the hour you first believed”.
We must carefully consider our response. It must not be haphazard or lacking thoughtfulness. The action that broke every barrier down demands an appropriate response. Another hymn says it like this…
Love so amazing so Divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
It could be argued that offering ourselves entirely is the only appropriate response. Scripture bears out that truth as well. Can you say with Charlotte Eliott…
Now to be Thine yes Thine alone
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Galatians 2:20a ESV
Having broken down all those barriers and ushering in His peace He enables us to be His. That requires us to die daily to ourselves so that we may live for Him. That is our response to His love: demonstrating we are His by allowing Him to live in us. What will that look like today?
My response to all that love? Giving myself to Him entirely, and Him alone. Easier said than done though. There are so many other things that come along that I want to give myself to, but I must remember that I have given myself to Him and must continue to do so.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and contemplate your response to the crucifixion. How did you respond when you first opened your eyes of faith? How are you responding to it this week? Pray this simple prayer, “God, help me give myself to you and you alone every day.”
Living By Faith
We should live our lives by faith, continually coming to the Lamb of God. There is a sense in which He is ever before us, drawing us heavenward and upward in a great procession of saving faith. Every moment of every day in every single pursuit this overarching purpose must be seen, coming to the Lamb of God who gave Himself for me.
Singing this hymn in or out of church? Yes. Driving down the road? Yes. Speaking to my family, a neighbor or co-worker? Yes. Spending my money? Yes. Fill in the blank ________? Still yes.
Learning to come through every activity in life is part of what living by faith means.
O Lamb of God I come I come
And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20b ESV
As we come to him, we do so acknowledging our desire to live by faith in His Son. It is imperative that we acknowledge that because our flesh will war against it at every opportunity. We come to give our lives to Him because He came to give His life to us.
When I come to Him I am reminded that I need to continue to give myself to him as one part of my continual response to the work of His love breaking down every barrier, most notably the one between me and him. Come to Jesus again today and respond to His love.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and consider how you will come to the Lamb of God today. He has already broken every barrier down so you have no excuse. Pray simply, “Jesus, I come in response to Your great love made known to me.“
Lord, thank You breaking every barrier down and inviting me to offer myself to You as You offered Yourself for me: completely and without reserve. Show me how to do that today. In Jesus name. Amen.
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Podcast 33.4 Transcript
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
Just as I am Thy Love unknown
…God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV
When we were dead in our sins we did not know his love. In his great mercy He made us alive by making His love known to us. We do not resurrect ourselves anymore than we discover his love. All these things demonstrations of his unmerited grace to each of us.
Hath broken ev’ry barrier down
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility…Ephesians 2:14 ESV
His love ushers and his peace. Peace we were missing both with God and with one another. His love breaks down every barrier first between us and God and then between us and everyone else. We must learn to walk in His love so we can live in His peace.
Now to be Thine yes Thine alone
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Galatians 2:20a ESV
Having broken down all those barriers and ushering in his peace he enables us to be his. That requires us to die daily to ourselves so that we may live for him. That is our response to His love: demonstrating we are His by allowing Him to live in us. What will that look like today?
O Lamb of God I come I come
And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20b ESV
As we come to him, we do so acknowledging our desire to live by faith in His Son. It is imperative that we acknowledge that because our flesh will war against it at every opportunity. We come to give our lives to Him because he came to give His life to us.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the refrain.
Just as I am Thy Love unknown
Hath broken ev’ry barrier down
Now to be Thine yes Thine alone
O Lamb of God I come I come
Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, Be Resonant.
The post How Do You Live If You Are Crucified? appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attribution
Now to be Thine yes Thine alone – https://pixabay.com/photos/cross-sunset-humility-devotion-1448946/ (cropped)
O Lamb of God I come I come – https://pixabay.com/photos/cross-sunset-humility-devotion-1448946/
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