I love music.  I guess I come by it naturally.  My paternal grandfather (who passed away well before I was born) was a musician who started out playing for his preacher-father’s tent revivals and later played with Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra.  My father, being the son of a professional musician, began playing guitar at the age of four.  He and my mother, who also grew up singing in a musical family, introduced my siblings and I to music before we were even born.

And, I grew up singing.  Lots and lots.  I’ve always loved the intricacies in the sounds of chords, harmonies, and arrangements, but nothing reaches in and touches my heart like lyrics.  I’m a word girl… a logophile at heart.

Just As I Am

As Julie wrote recently, “Songs speak to our hearts when only music can be heard above the noise, the pain, the questions, or the confusion. God uses worship music to help us grow.”  One song that makes me feel completely overwhelmed and humbled by God’s grace is Just as I Am, by Charlotte Elliott.  I especially like the version by Brenton Brown that includes a new chorus.   I love the reminder of God’s graciousness in reaching out to this sinner just the way I am.  He loves me far too much to leave me where He finds me, so I am ever journeying this path of sanctification.  But the good news is that He will accept my repentant heart (and yours, too) even when it’s grimy with fresh sin.  It’s absolutely overwhelming how much God loves us, isn’t it?

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou biddest me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, 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, I come.

Just as I am, Thou will receive,
Will welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promises I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Jesus take all of me
I run to You, I run to You,
I lay everything at Your feet
Let my life be Yours

God wants His children to come to Him.  He doesn’t expect us to go and get cleaned up and picture perfect before we come running to Him for salvation, for forgiveness, for help, for love, or even for service.  The truth is that we could never do that anyway.  We aren’t capable of cleansing our own sin.  We need the blood of Jesus to do that!  And that’s why He bids us to come to Him.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psa 51:7)

“…and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Heb 9:22 b)

Yes, we need the precious blood of the Lamb to remove the dark spots from our souls and wash us whiter than snow!  He meets us where we are, and pardons, cleanses, and relieves us of the heavy burden of sin.  Christ covers all our ugly sinfulness with His beautiful righteousness.  To get that, all we have to do is come in faith.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

And this sacrificial act of love is exactly why we can raise our hands in praise and cry out,

“Jesus, take all of me… I run to you, I run to you!  I lay everything at your feet.  Let my life be yours!”

I’m praising God for His grace today and how such beautiful lyrics can illustrate His Holy Word!  Thank you, Lord, for the love that reaches out to your children wherever we are!  And, thank you that I can come to you… Just As I Am!

How does God speak to you, and even enrich your Bible study, through music?

Tweetables:

“Just as I am. We don’t need to get picture perfect before we come to Him.” http://wp.me/p1Su7F-2So @DoNotDepart #SingPraise” ~ Click here to tweet this.

“Just as I Am. Christ covers all our ugly sinfulness with His beautiful righteousness.” http://wp.me/p1Su7F-2So @DoNotDepart #SingPraise”  ~ Click here to tweet this.

“Just as I am.  Beautiful lyrics can illustrate God’s Word.” http://wp.me/p1Su7F-2So  @DoNotDepart #SingPraise” ~  Click here to tweet this.