What Happened the Moment I Was Saved?

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

My Jesus, I Love Thee
By: William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875)

Listen to this simple piano arrangement as you read. And be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

We take some time today to consider the now of those moments of redemption. We saw Jesus clearly and responded to His offer of forgiveness. Let’s think about that.

Gracious Redeemer

Having just declared our resignation from sin, we confess the grace of our Redeemer. Though it comes before acknowledging Him as our gracious Redeemer in the hymn our determining to refrain from sin is truly a response to His grace. He showed the grace before we made our determination, which makes His redeeming grace all the more remarkable. He did not wait for us to act first, he initiated. And good thing, because we would never have moved toward Him without Him making the way.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, Ephesians 1:7 ESV

Can you recall those moments when you first realized God’s redeeming grace was being offered freely to you through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ? I am not talking about when you first heard the name of Jesus, or first began to consider the work on the cross, I mean that moment when you realized you needed to be redeemed from your sin, and Jesus was willing to do it. Take a few moments and remember what that “now” felt like.

Thank Jesus for His unmerited grace which made your redemption, the forgiveness of all your sins, possible. He is your Redeemer, according to the riches of His grace. Give Him praise.

My Savior

Not just the Savior of the world, but my Savior. I needed saving and Jesus did the work for me. Reflect for just a minute what that required of Him.

The Father affirmed on several occasions that He was pleased with Jesus, but sin had to be dealt with once and for all which required a perfect sacrifice. Jesus became that sacrifice out of obedience to the Father.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21ESV

He endured the cross for the glory of God and for our good.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 ESV

Jesus not only purchased a position for us, but a way of living. Dead to sin and alive to righteousness. When the Holy Spirit reveals these truths to us the only appropriate response is one of love.

Thank Jesus for becoming your Savior, by becoming sin and making you the righteousness of God. Give Him glory.

If ever…it’s now!

Here we find clarity regarding the “now” of this first stanza. When do I love Jesus? That moment when I first believed and placed my faith in His gracious redeeming, saving work in me.

I have a very clear recollection of that “now”. I had been wrestling with the claims of Christ and trying to reconcile them with what I thought I knew. It was becoming obvious to me that I needed a Savior, and that Jesus was willing to be mine. I remember that Sunday night service when the pastor preached a message based on this Scripture.

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

You may not have been sitting in a pew in a church like I was, but you can probably recall when you first responded to Jesus’ love for you. What happened in that moment? You began to love Jesus with an eternal love. Recall that “now” again and allow the love first kindled in those moments to fan into flame your affection for Jesus in these, and on into forever.

Jesus, thank You for showing me what love looks like. You sacrificed yourself to become the Redeemer of the world and my Savior. Help me to recall that love everyday and live my life responding to it and reflecting it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Affectionate Thinking!

Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness? Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, but today to everyone. Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here. Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library. We have lots of tools and lots of options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared.

Podcast 9.1 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.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;

John 21:15 ESV

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

When asked by Jesus if he loved Him, Peter responded, “You know that I love you”, but Peter had denied Jesus three times just days before. If Jesus were to ask you, would you be able to respond as surely, or would you struggle with times you have denied Him? Think about that.

For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;

James 4:7 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

As an expression of our love for Jesus, and in response to His offering His life for us, we must resign the foolishness of sin, and determine to live for His glory. A part of that is resisting the Devil. Tell Jesus you are determined to turn from sin, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you resist the Devil and his temptations.

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;

Ephesians 1:7 ESV

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Even before we engaged in the follies of sin, Jesus shed His blood to become our Redeemer. In so doing, He made a way for all our trespasses to be forgiven, an extravagant expression of His grace. Thank Him again right now for His saving work in your life.

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Certainly in those first moments of salvation we were quick to tell Jesus how much we loved Him. Can you recall those moments, the “now” of your surrender to God and resignation from sin? This was the verse that precipitated my response to Jesus’ gift so I remember it well. Remember, and give Him praise.

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.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

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

Image Attributions
Gracious Redeemer – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/love-jesus-prophet-holy-man-christ-1221444/
My Savior – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/love-jesus-prophet-holy-man-christ-1221455/
If ever I loved Thee, it was then – https://pixabay.com/photos/church-pew-bible-catholic-faith-3120081/