AMAZED

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Luke 22:41-44 KJV

Charles H. Gabriel wrote a heart touching hymn about our loving precious Saviour which describes how I feel.  “I Stand Amazed in the Presence”.  “For me it was in the garden He prayed: Not My will, but Thine. He had no tears for His own griefs, But sweat drops of blood for mine.”  I am amazed He loves me so much.

What kind of love is this?  It is a compassionate tender loving and forgiving unconditional love that can only come for the heart of Jesus.  We only have a fingernail’s grasp of how much Jesus loves us.  Think about it.  Jesus had never done anything wrong, had never sinned yet He allowed them to crucify Him.

We read in the Bible.  “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17, 18).

Gordon Jensen wrote one of my favorite hymns “I Should Have Been Crucified”.  “Crown of thorns, the spear in His side, And all the pain should have been mine. Those rusty nails were meant for me, But Jesus took them, and let me go free!”  O how Jesus loves you and me.

Joanne Lowe

January 8, 2019