And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
How Great Thou Art
By: Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940)
Listen to this awesome electric guitar version as you read. Subscribers and Free Members make sure to check out the video log below which will guide you through a worshipful reflection of this stanza. Everyone else check out the transcript at the end.
This week we look to the cross where God put His greatness on display through the sacrifice of His Son. Not sure how the Father sending His only Son to the cross displays His greatness? Read on. It is truly a remarkable demonstration. Since the first part of the stanza focuses more on the reflective thinking aspect we will save those lines and the pondering they welcome for Thursday. Let’s turn our eyes to the cross and tune our hearts.
The Cross
The cross has become such a familiar symbol of our faith I fear we often fail to realize the significance of it. When you think of the cross of Christ, what comes to mind? Sacrifice? Obedience? Cruelty? It is difficult to see the cross with fresh eyes, but we need to try just the same. Look to Jesus…
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 ESV
What an expansive perspective! He founded and perfected our faith. Joy was before Him, but it required Him to go through the cross to reach it. He went there even though He possessed a deep disdain for the humiliation He would endure. And then at the end we see what exactly that joy is which was mentioned at the start, the glory and honor of being seated in a place of honor at the right hand of God.
Let me offer you some other words that have helped to shape my view of the cross. They are taken from the song “All I Have is Christ”. I have always felt that even the title elicits a strong response. From the believer a hearty “Amen!” with the full knowledge that He is all I need. From the unbeliever an awkward “I’m sorry” fueled by an ignorant pity for us thinking we have lack.
And I beheld God’s love displayed,
You suffered in my place.
You bore the wrath reserved for me,
now all I know is grace.Hallelujah! All I have is Christ.
You may listen to “All I Have is Christ” here.
Jesus, thank You for going to the cross. Your obedience on it not only changed the course of history, it transformed my eternal destiny. You are all I have, and that is all I need.
My Burden Gladly Bearing
The sin of the world. What a burden!
My sin. What a Savior!
Carried, but undeserved. How unfair!
Gladly? How can it be!?!
While each word of this short phrase is rightfully worship-inducing, the use of the word gladly is truly remarkable. That Jesus would bear my burden is unfathomable without the work of the Spirit convincing me of such. But gladly? That is just too much!
It reminds me of the word joy from Hebrews 12:2 above and points to another layer of the honor received when He takes that seat beside God. Certainly there is joy in having fulfilled His Father’s will, but what exactly was that? Redeeming a people from the penalty of their sin, by taking it upon Himself. His joy includes the fact that He bore my burden and in so doing freed me from it.
He was glad to do so because He knew I never could.
Praise Jesus for the gladness He modeled in laying down His life. Consider how you might reflect that today. You will likely not be crucified, but can you choose to die to self and let Christ live in you today. Can you do so gladly?
To Take Away My Sins
Twice in this short stanza we declare that Jesus died. First that the Father sent Him to die, and later that He bled and died. And His death, commanded by the the Father and endured by the Son, accomplished this. It took away my sin.
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
He died so we would not have to. But He also died so that we could choose to, and then really live. We die to sin, and live to righteousness. We make this choice, and make it over and over again, and yet there is a sense of finality in what Christ has done in to taking away my sin.
It is an interesting concept espoused here, my sin being taken away. It is a Scriptural one though.
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 (ESV)
That whole section of the Psalm eludes to God’s grace demonstrated in the removing of sin. But interestingly it never clarifies how that is accomplished. Jesus work on the cross satisfies the wrath of God toward our sin and His justice in dealing with it through His shed blood.
Your sin has been taken away, but do you chase after it sometimes? You can die to sin and live righteousness, but you will need the help of the Holy Spirit to do so consistently. Ask Him for that help right now.
Keep coming back and we will work help you remove the things that may hinder your living in righteousness by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.
Glad Tuning!
Jesus, thank You for going to the cross, bearing my burden, and taking away my sin. Cause Your cross to stimulate my praise afresh today that I may die to sin and walk in righteousness. In Jesus name. Amen.
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Subscribers and Free Members enjoy this video! Everyone else the transcript below!
Video 10.3 Transcript
Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.
And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
I am a dad. The thought of offering the life of one of my boys for someone else is incomprehensible, let alone if that someone is a sinner. Think about what that decision must’ve been like for our Father.
But to think the father sent his son to die. Wow! I can easily echo the words of the writer, barely able to even fathom this sacrifice. Can you imagine this transaction?
But Jesus had to die for me, because only he could bear my burden on that cross. And He did so gladly, honoring the Father and giving His life for me. Though I honestly lack the capacity to fathom His selflessness, or express my gratitude, I must try. Join me in praise.
He bled and died. He took away my sins, your sins, and the sins of the world. Is there a better expression of His greatness? I think not. Thank Jesus for laying aside His greatness for you and simultaneously demonstrating His greatness to you.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.
Sing
Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.
Image Attributions
That on the Cross – https://pixabay.com/photos/cross-christ-faith-god-jesus-2713353/
My Burden Gladly Bearing – https://pixabay.com/photos/christ-cross-faith-jesus-passion-3484141/
He Bled and Died – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-cross-jesus-christ-christ-1478454/
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