Guest Post
by John Doyle
John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’”
I was reading the story of Fanny Crosby who at times struggled to find peace. Born in 1820, she had been blinded while still an infant. Yet instead of making her blindness an excuse, she became one of history’s great hymn writers.
Even though she had become a believer as a child, as a young girl she felt that something was missing. In November 1850, she joined other Christians attending Revival meetings. Hungry for more, she returned, night after night. Then, on November 20, she had a breakthrough while the congregation sang “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed,” a hymn written by Isaac Watts in 1707.
Watts wrote this hymn to express how deeply he realized that he owed everything to God. “Alas! and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?” Watts was amazed that “Christ, the mighty Maker, died for for all mankind, and paid the penalty for their sins.”
It seems like his heart was dissolved in Thankfulness, and brought him to tears. He seemed like he found himself “at the Cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away.” We can imagine how Fanny Crosby, in her blindness, would respond to Watts’ inspiring words that “It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day.”
As she sang the last verse, she was stirred by the hymn’s words: “Here, Lord I give myself away ‘tis all that I can do.” Realizing that she needed to yield herself fully to Jesus, she later recalled, “I surrendered myself to the Savior, and my very soul flooded with celestial light. I sprang to my feet, shouting ‘Hallelujah!”
Today, as we draw close to Easter Weekend think about all that Jesus has done for you. Just like He surrendered all for you and I, it would be so fit for us to Surrender all we are to Him. He is the Lamb of God who died for you and He has taken away your every sin.
When John saw him that day he shouted out “Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the World” May that be something that we will follow this coming Easter time and “not be ashamed of the Gospel” (Death, Burial and Resurrection of Christ) but declare that Jesus is the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the World. Can you think of something you will say to Jesus when you see Him in glory one day? I would love to say to Him – Behold the Lamb of God Who took away my sin and because of your death on the Cross Lord, I am with you in Glory. Thank you Jesus.
My prayer for today.
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for dying on the Cross for our sins. We acknowledge our sins Lord and thank You for Your unconditional Love and Forgiveness. All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give, In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
You are welcome to pray this prayer with me today.
Its time to sing the song:
Alas! and did my Savior bleed, And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head, For sinners such as I?
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day
Thus might I hide my blushing face, While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in Thankfulness, And melt my eyes to tears.
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day
But drops of grief can ne’er repay, The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away, ’Tis all that I can do.
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day
In the Love of the Lord Jesus,
John and Barbara.
Thank you for sharing the devotional Ps. Graham. Have a wonderful blessed birthday. John and Barbara