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Jesus Paid It All

This morning I found myself searching for songs to add to my playlist. I have decided I want a list of songs to play while I run. As I've shared before, I don't particularly enjoy running, but we have committed to this 5K at the end of October. Running becomes tolerable when I can blast worship music and simply be with God.

I was in search of particular version of a hymn from the 1800's titled "Jesus Paid it All." The Passion conference worship team did a rendition of it 5-6 years ago and I quite enjoy it. Anyway, in the search for the song, I got to reading about the lyrics.  I have always been drawn to the refrain because of it is a reminder of Jesus' incredible gift to us.  It goes:

"Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow."

The images portrayed by the comparison between a crimson stain and white snow are vivid. Dark red stains are the type of stains that just don't come out. The pure white of a fresh snow is perfect. There isn't a blemish on it.  That imagery is a powerful picture of our finite ability as opposed to God's infinite ability.

Then it really sinks in the "it" that is white as snow is me, it's you. Insert "me" in the verse instead of "it". "He washed me white as snow." No longer do I wear the scarlet badge of shame from my sin. No longer am I blemished. He did it for me!

The first verse of the hymn hammers home my fallibility. I admit I've sang this hymn a thousand times. Yet I've never really paid attention to the first verse. Amazing how I can sing something and not pay attention to the meaning of the words. The verse says:

" I hear the Savior say,

'Thy strength indeed is small,

Child of weakness, watch and pray,

Find in Me thine all in all.'"

Jesus has paid my price to do what I am unable.  I could scrub and scrub, but that stain would remain. I am not strong enough, I don't have the power to make myself clean.  On my own that crimson stain isn't going anywhere. It's there for the world to see and more importantly for me to see. 

Then along comes Jesus. He says "watch this weakling." In Him we are washed clean. In His strength we find power, His power. In Jesus we are complete. 

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” - Mark 14:38 NIV

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Matt






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