How many hymns, sermons, and Bible versus does it take to remind Andrea that this world will never satisfy her? Apparently a lot, because after recently hearing the hymn "Give Me Jesus" I find myself taken aback yet again. Accompanied by beautiful piano and violin, the hymn is three verses with a short refrain in between each one. Each verse describes specific times a person experiences in life, and the refrain always begs for the one thing that is needed most at each of those times. The lyrics of the song are simple but worth sharing.
"In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus." (verse 1)
"When I am alone, give me Jesus." (verse 2)
"When I come to die, give me Jesus." (verse 3)
"Give me Jesus! You can have all this world, but give me Jesus." (refrain)
Here is the link for the song, so please check it out if you haven't heard it yet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rZ8k9m2hwo
Now when I first heard this song, I was moved by the beautiful scene the song describes: a man asking for Jesus at common yet often desperate times. Mornings, times of loneliness, and the hour of death are common to all people. Yet they are the times when men and women find themselves most vulnerable to feelings of despair. Have you ever woken up in the morning only to vehemently wish to go back to sleep because you don't think you have the strength to get through the day? I have. Have you ever been alone with your thoughts only to find that you are not the man or woman you had hoped you would be? I have. Do you ever fear death? I'll admit, sometimes I do.
I've just described my first reaction to the song. I have had three reactions total, and I'd like to share all three with you. So my first reaction was that I truly related to the song. The second was a less pleasant reaction: shame.
When was the last time I woke up and wanted more of Jesus? Thinking back to times of loneliness, the first person I call on is usually a friend, not Jesus. And when I fear death, I am obviously in a period of doubt (however brief) since my faith in Jesus should cast out all fear of death. Ugh. Just when I was beginning to like this song, I realized that the only time I can listen to it without feeling guilty is when I am the perfectly spiritual person that I know I will never be.
And then this morning, when I was reading from C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, I learned (not for the first time I'm sure) that Christian love is unique. For the Christian, love is not merely having feelings of affection for a person, or for God for that matter. C.S. Lewis explains it this way:
"Nobody can always have devout feelings: and even if we could, feelings are not what God principally cares about. Christian Love, either towards God or towards man, is an affair of the will."
Woohoo! The song takes on new meaning for the third time. There was more nuance to the words, "Give me Jesus," than I had thought originally. The plea could be rephrased, "Give me Jesus, the only one who can comfort me in this moment." Comfort is a feeling, and Jesus does bring comfort to desperate souls. But wait! There's more. The very fact that the songwriter asks for the comfort of Jesus reveals that he is in need of it. Why ask for Jesus in times of loneliness if despair will never strike you? Why ask for Him in the morning if He is naturally the first thing you desire?
I don't have to feel ashamed because I can't muster up feelings of love for Jesus in the morning when I wake up. Feelings come and go, but loving God is a choice. It is an act of the will. That is why when I ask God for more Jesus, He will never deny my request.
Infinitely purer than my love for Jesus is His love for me. That is why I can declare with the hymn writer,
You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!
