Alas and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sov’reign die
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I
Alas And Did My Savior Bleed 1707
By: Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
ref. by Ralph E. Hudson, 1885
Listen to this modern version of this penitent hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics.
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Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we continue our journey through this ancient text and hymn, make each stanza your own by praying through it. Let’s think about this.
His Glory
The first half of this stanza asks if our Savior, our Sovereign bled and died, but it is the second half which really finishes the question. It provides the reason behind why He did and should leave those of us who benefit from His sacrifice in stunned awe. Take a few minutes to ponder this.
Would He devote that sacred head
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
The Father gave His only Son to provide us the opportunity to move from death to life. What an astonishing and extravagant yet necessary gift it was! Consider for a moment your eternity if Jesus had not been willing to surrender to the Father’s will. We would be doomed.
Yes, God was so committed to our redemption that He was absolutely willing to devote, to commit a large portion of His resources, namely the sacred head of His beloved Son, to that purpose. He loved the world that much. May we be overwhelmed by it in this penitent season.
RESONATE!
This is one of the most basic truths of our faith. Christ died for us. This is one of the most common verses infall of Scripture, but when was the last time you stopped to reflect on it? Will you take a few minutes right now and do that? If you will, first pray this simple prayer. “Lord, overwhelm me with Your sacrifice.”
My Depravity
The juxtaposition between the innate value of these two things, Christ’s glory and my depravity, highlights the stark contrast between the two. But the choice of words for this last line has changed over the years, and though I like the current version best, I must admit the original lyrical choice by Watts is pretty striking. Not sure what it is, let me take you back.
Current – For sinners such as I
Transitional – For such a one as I
Original – For such a worm as I
Although not certain why the change was initially made, I have heard it supposed that people were not comfortable associating themselves with a worthless worm. This seems silly to me because of the utter lostness of our souls when we acknowledge we were sinners, as in the current version. “Such a one” was a terrible choice, and “sinners such as I” is superior in my opinion to “such a worm”, but I appreciate the powerful illustration of being acquainted with the lowly condition of a worm.
For sinners such as I
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 ESV
Far worse off than any worm, doomed would we be because of our sin. It separated us eternally from the Father…and yet, He made a way. Christ died for us to show us the love of God. And that extravagant offering was devoted and offered while we were so undeserving. We were sinners, lost and hurling down a path toward eternal damnation and separation from a loving God. Then He intervened.
RESONATE!
How will you respond to that love through this season of Lent? How will you offer yourself to God, responding to Jesus’ example? Ask the Spirit to show you to respond, and then enliven the praise of your ransomed soul.
O Sacred Head, thank You for being so devoted to the Father’s will that You were able to accomplish my redemption. Through this season as I approach Easter again, overwhelm me with Your sacrifice and fill me with wonder as never before. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Honest Thinking!
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Podcast 26.1 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.
Alas and did my Savior bleed
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, Ephesians 1:7 ESV
As we journey through this hymn during the season of Lent we will answer a lot of questions. Yes, the savior bled for us. And His blood purchased our redemption, our forgiveness. As we begin our journey, thank Him for the riches of His grace poured on your life.
And did my Sov’reign die
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Luke 23:46 ESV
Can you imagine what those moments must have been like for those first disciples? We have the benefit of history, but their hearts must have been breaking. Try to empathize with the pain they had to have felt. It will only intensify the joy of our resurrection celebrations.
Would He devote that sacred head
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
The Father gave His only Son to provide us the opportunity to move from death to life. What an astonishing and extravagant yet necessary gift it was! Consider for a moment your eternity if Jesus had not been willing to surrender to the Father’s will. We would be doomed.
For sinners such as I
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 ESV
Doomed would we be because of our sin. It separated us eternally from the Father…and yet, He made a way. Christ died for us to show us the love of God. How will you respond to that love through this season of Lent? How will you offer yourself to God, responding to Jesus’ example?
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.
Alas and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sov’reign die
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I
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 Let’s Be Honest, Worms Were Better Off appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attribution
Would He Devote That Sacred Head – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-christ-clinic-jesus-christ-2437571/
For Sinners Such As I – https://pixabay.com/photos/earthworm-soil-dirt-macro-686593/
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