Made Whole By Love From Above

I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in
   And then a little light from heaven filled my soul
He bathed my heart in love and He wrote my name above
   And just a little talk with Jesus makes me whole

Just a Little Talk with Jesus
By: Cleavant Derricks (1909-1977)

Listen as you read.  This is an updated version of this old hymn.

On Tuesday we continued our walking and talking journey with Jesus by remembering how He took us in  and filled our souls with light when we were lost in sin.  It is so easy to move past that conversation with Jesus and forget how significant it was, but that talk leads to other ones. Let’s think about this.

Bathed in Love

God took the initiative in our redemption, and we responded.  He continues to take initiative and we continue to respond, or at least we should.  Jesus is always reaching out to us.  He wants to talk with us because He knows that a little talk with Him makes us whole.

When He took us in, He granted us access to the throne of grace.  He bathed our hearts in love so we would have confidence to approach Him whenever we have a need.  And we have need of Him always.

Think of a time when you called out to Jesus.  Often we cry out in desperation, sometimes because we have tried every other remedy and nothing else worked.  As a last resort we turn to Jesus.

What a difference it would make if we would instead choose to talk to Jesus first.  Unfortunately, we tend to talk to ourselves, or others before we go to the One who has the remedy.  Little talks with Jesus are exactly what we need, and precisely what He has offered to us.  His love ensures us that He is for us.  So let’s avail ourselves of that access and learn the blessing of talking to Jesus all the time.

Wrote My Name Above

What better expression of love could there be than having our names written in the Lamb’s book of life?  We have that access because we have been accepted on the merit of Christ.  The effect of Jesus taking us in, filling our souls with light, and bathing our hearts in love is that we are pardoned.

When was the last time you thought about this reality, that your name has been written in the book of life?  When was the last time you talked to Jesus about that?  Why not talk to Him right now?

Tell Him how if makes you feel to know you have been pardoned of all your sins and have an eternal home with Jesus.  Tell Him what you think about when you try to imagine what that existence will be like, forever in His presence.  Ask Him to help you spend little more time thinking about that, and a little less time thinking about all the things that normally consume your mental processes.

Hopefully that little talk just now oriented you a little differently toward all the things you are facing today.  Hopefully that little talk ushered in an awareness of the wholeness that is your eternal inheritance, beginning that moment you had that first little talk with Jesus.  Can you recall that?

Made Whole

On Tuesday in the video log I rehearsed a bit of what that first conversation felt like for me.  If you missed it, and the moments of guided reflection with it, Subscribers and Free Members can see it here, and everyone else can read the transcript below the video.  Jesus met me there like the young man in this image.   He made Himself accessible and I have never been the same.

I am absolutely still a work in progress, but He made me whole.  In other words, I am still working out my experiential understanding of what took place in the first little talk with Jesus.  I often say I am not what I once was, nor am I yet what I will be.  Little talks with Jesus are a huge part of this ongoing transformation.

Have a little talk with Jesus today.  Have several.  And keep having them.  They will make you whole!

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Subscribers enjoy this podcast and the transcript below!

Podcast 8.1 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.

I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in

Romans 5:8 ESV 

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Every one of us was separated from God because of our sin, and we did not even know it until the Holy Spirit opened our eyes to God’s love, and our need for it.  Are you thankful Jesus took you in? Tell Him.

    And then a little light from heaven filled my soul

1 John 1:7 ESV

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

We were stumbling around lost in the darkness of sin when the light of heaven filled our souls.  Now we can walk in His light because He has cleansed us from sin. Ask Him to help you walk in that light today. 

He bathed my heart in love and He wrote my name above

Revelation 20:12 ESV

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

Not only do we get to walk in the light today, but every day for the rest of eternity because He wrote our names in the book of life.  Because Jesus took us in, we are judged according to what He has done. Give Him praise.

    And just a little talk with Jesus makes me whole

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We were able to approach the throne of grace with confidence that first time, and every subsequent time, because Jesus has given us access.  Keep talking to Jesus every time you need mercy and grace. Tell Him your need today?

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.

I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in
   And then a little light from heaven filled my soul
He bathed my heart in love and He wrote my name above
   And just a little talk with Jesus makes me whole

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.