I had the all-too-rare opportunity to drive my vehicle this morning. Usually my husband drives it, but this week I'm on vacation and so, when we stopped in town and he went to work, I slipped behind the wheel and started back toward home.
Since I was alone, I decided to have some music; there had been a CD in the stereo and I wondered if it was still there. It was! The first song I heard was one I remembered as having slightly re-written. The words are really, "Jesus, lover of my soul; Jesus, I won't ever let You go... " and so forth. I'd changed the focus of these lyrics - for me - because there is no way I can promise not to let go of Him. I don't ever want to let go of Him - of course - but if my connection to Him depends on my own efforts, I'd have been sunk long ago. Oh, it's easy to say that I won't let Him go - especially when I am on top of the world, feeling wonderful, and things are going the way I want them to go.
But oftentimes I am not, and things are not so rosy. My feelings change with the circumstances. They change with what others tell me, how others treat me, with what I tell myself and how I treat myself.
I don't want to make a promise to Him that I have no guarantee of being able to keep. I'm just not that strong. I'm not that sure of myself. However, I am sure of Him. His love, His grace, His perseverance. I know that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it (Phil 1:6). I depend on that. Every. Day.
So, to fit with my experience and with the doctrine (no, that's not a dirty word) of the Good News (that is, all of Jesus and none of me), I had changed the lyrics slightly:
Jesus, Lover of my soul -
Jesus, You won't ever let me go!
You've taken me from the miry clay,
You set my feet upon the Rock
And now I know
I love You, I need You -
Though my world may fall
You'll never let me go -
My Saviour, my closest Friend
I will worship You until the very end.
I so needed to sing that to Him this morning. I needed to remember that no matter what happens, Jesus is the One who loves me, all of me, all that I am or ever become, and that He is faithful. He will never. never. NEVER let me go.
When I am weak.
When I am sad.
When I am weary.
When I am frustrated.
When I am sick.
When I am discouraged.
When I am grieving.
When I am busy.
When I am angry.
When I am hurt.
And more.
He holds me. He loves me. He takes care of me. He listens to me.
He has already forgiven me, made me clean, declared me without blame. (Ephesians 1) Unconditionally!! All of this just to spend time with me, know me, and help me to know Him in greater and greater intimacy. Jesus, Lover of my soul ... Jesus, You won't ever let me go.
Such great, great Love!!
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| Photo "Couple At Sunset" courtesy of piyaphantawong at www.freedigitalphotos.net |
But oftentimes I am not, and things are not so rosy. My feelings change with the circumstances. They change with what others tell me, how others treat me, with what I tell myself and how I treat myself.
I don't want to make a promise to Him that I have no guarantee of being able to keep. I'm just not that strong. I'm not that sure of myself. However, I am sure of Him. His love, His grace, His perseverance. I know that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it (Phil 1:6). I depend on that. Every. Day.
So, to fit with my experience and with the doctrine (no, that's not a dirty word) of the Good News (that is, all of Jesus and none of me), I had changed the lyrics slightly:
Jesus, Lover of my soul -
Jesus, You won't ever let me go!
You've taken me from the miry clay,
You set my feet upon the Rock
And now I know
I love You, I need You -
Though my world may fall
You'll never let me go -
My Saviour, my closest Friend
I will worship You until the very end.
I so needed to sing that to Him this morning. I needed to remember that no matter what happens, Jesus is the One who loves me, all of me, all that I am or ever become, and that He is faithful. He will never. never. NEVER let me go.
When I am weak.
When I am sad.
When I am weary.
When I am frustrated.
When I am sick.
When I am discouraged.
When I am grieving.
When I am busy.
When I am angry.
When I am hurt.
And more.
He holds me. He loves me. He takes care of me. He listens to me.
He has already forgiven me, made me clean, declared me without blame. (Ephesians 1) Unconditionally!! All of this just to spend time with me, know me, and help me to know Him in greater and greater intimacy. Jesus, Lover of my soul ... Jesus, You won't ever let me go.
Such great, great Love!!
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