Woke up at 4 o'clock with one of my absolute favorite songs ringing inside me. Now I have lots of favorite songs, but this one comes back to me often. We Christians have an incredible song treasure. I think this actually applies to the entire treasure of Swedish songs in general.
It is fascinating that a small country like Sweden has had the privilege of having so many talented, musicians, singers, songwriters - both Christian and profane. But enough about that.
My Jesus I love thee, I know Thou art mine.
by Wiliam R Featherstone 1864 sv text W C Martin 1901
1. 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.
2. I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me, And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree; I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
3. I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
4. In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright; I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
Is it even possible to explain in words, what Jesus did for us. It's such a big miracle, nothing bigger has ever happened. That part of the deity comes down to earth in human form, becomes like one of us, and takes the punishment that we, you and I, rightly deserve in the eyes of a holy God. And the only thing we need to do to get it right with God again is to believe.
I don´t know why Jesus loved me.
by Andrea Crouch
ref. I don't know why Jesus loved me. I don't know why He cared. I don't know why He sacrificed His life. Oh, but I'm glad, so glad He did
1. He left His mighty throne in glory. To bring to us redemption's story. Then He died but He rose again. Oh, but I'm glad, so glad He did
2. Where would I be if Jesus didn't love me? Where would I be if Jesus didn't care? Where would I be if He hadn't sacrificed His life Oh, but I'm glad, so glad He did
No one has more love than the one who gives his life for someone, wrote John, and it must be true. Most of us can probably not even imagine the thought of stepping in - taking someone else's place - and dying in their place. The question is whether we could even do it for our loved ones? Fortunately, we live in a country where we do not have to find out either way. But our Jesus, He did this for us.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:9-15
First comes faith, which comes from hearing about what Jesus did for us. It follows that we want to obey (or it should follow) what God says to us. We can see it as the response of love. God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Our response to this incredible love that has been given to us, should be, to then want to obey what God has said to us in his word. Belief put in action.
Just as it is for children, (talking about the kind of parents who actually cares about their children and is there for them) they want to obey their parents, when they have ougrown their worst defiance, that is. (at least if they have received a proper upbringing and learned to differentiate between good and evil) They do not want to embarrass their parent / parents.
After all, our lives reflect our parents, our upbringing. It is the same with our Heavenly Father. He has given us his guidelines for how we should live. It means some prohibitions, just as our parents had some things we were not allowed to do. How much more then, if we used to obeyed our parent / parents, should we not want to obey our Lord.
Jesus says that His burden is light, and it´s not that difficult if we know what God approves and doesn´t. We don´t have a lot of rules to follow, although there still are some.
Give and receive, or receive and pass on. A good thing always, even outside the Christian ranks, but it should be a matter of fact for us as Christians. This should not feel like a compulsion. And the ways we can give are many. We can give of our time, energy, money, and so on. Being able to pass something on also gives a satisfaction, which can´t exactly be compared to anything else.
A selfless life, where we think of others first and not ourselves. This doesn´t mean that we do not need our own time, or to take care of ourselves. But the focus cannot be solely on me. I take all these "selfies" as an example, where people constantly share pictures of themselves. Their lives seem to be very much about the self, instead of being turned outwards.
But the love that God has given us can ot only be about the self. That I have received,ór that I am satisfied. Love must be transformed into action, where what I have received is passed on.
An old movie comes to mind, a little boy who gets help and then passes it on. He doesn´t do exactly the same thing for the person he is helping. But what happens is that the action breeds a desire in the next person to carry it on and so it goes forward, followed by a little whisper od; Pass it forward.
We have received - we give. For us Christians, of course, it is about telling about what Jesus did for us and passing the gospel on. But there are other ways to do it, than just talking. My mind goes here to William Booth who started the Salvation Army and one of their ways of reaching out with the message, namely, make sure the person has been fed and has been clothes.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt 25:31-46
Now I get to look at what I wrote as spiled paint on a stuffed canvas, with different cloths that go into each other. I have let my thoughts wander a little here and a little there. Hopefully, the reader can find some small grain of gold among the paint splashes.
God´s peace to you Ingemo
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