By: Richard Berry
When I was 11 years old at East Dillon Baptist Church, I walked down what seemed like a very long aisle to tell my friends and family that I was choosing to surrender my life to Jesus, and at that very moment, I was saved, born again, a new creation, cleansed of my sins, forgiven, granted citizenship into Heaven, and promised to have my Savior with me every step of my life. The song that was playing as I accepted God’s free gift of salvation was the famous hymn, Just As I Am, which many of us know and recognize as the anthem for all of the Billy Graham crusades. The lyrics go like this:
Just as I am - without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
-O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am - and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
-O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am - though toss’d about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
-O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am - poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
-O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am - Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
-O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am - Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
-O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am - of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
-O Lamb of God, I come!
As we celebrate Easter this Spring, I want to reflect on what God did to get to us! The Bible, which is the inerrant, absolute, God-inspired Word, is basically a 3 part tapestry of the past and the future –
1. God made it 2. People messed it up 3. Jesus fixed it! As the great hymn above reminds us, we are so unworthy of God’s unconditional love but despite that, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die to pay the price for our sins and to make a way for us to be reconciled and in a relationship with God. Salvation is not meant to just provide a ticket to Heaven. NO! Salvation IS the moment when we are justified (or made right with God), but it is only the beginning of a life here on earth through which we are transformed as we spend time with Jesus in prayer, in Bible study, in quiet time, and in worship. If you are not already a part of God’s Family, let this Easter be a new beginning for you!
Come to Jesus Just As You Are – a sinner with spots, doubts, fears, conflicts, blindness, wretchedness, and spiritual poverty. Experience the belonging, cleansing, healing, pardon, forgiveness, relief, security, unconditional love, peace, joy, and comfort that only The Lamb of God can give. I pray blessings for you and your family as we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! The tomb is empty!
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