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 The words to “He Died for Me,” may be from a
sermon he preached or from a poem he wrote, but they were not put to
music or formatted into a song until around 100 years after his
death.
The reason why I wanted to share this hymn with you is that I think
it does a very good job in highlighting the fact that Jesus died on
the cross for you and for me. The crucifixion is not some dusty
irrelevant historical fact that has nothing to do with our 21st
century lives. The cross is very personal and makes room for us… In
fact, this hymn places you and me at the cross on Good Friday!
Can you imagine being there? I’m not sure I want to imagine being
there! It’s not easy to visualize the terrible death that Jesus went
through. It’s not easy to accept that our sin and/or brokenness put
Jesus on that cross. When He said: “Father forgive them for they
know not what they are doing,” as He was being mocked and ridiculed
and experiencing immense pain, it is not easy to imagine that he was
saying this to you and me.
We need to “transport” ourselves to that hill, to that cross, and to
that Savior, on that Friday. We need to grieve our part that we have
played in the Passion of our Lord.
I don’t want to look… but then I see the eyes of Jesus, filled with
compassion. I don’t want to hear… but then I hear a gentle voice as
if in His sight I have beauty and value.
Thankfully, we also need to hear the loving and grace-filled and
powerful and redemptive words of our Savior when He said “It is
finished!” The love of Jesus and the blood of Jesus is here for us
and for our cleansing… my cleansing… your cleansing… That’s why we
call it “Good Friday!”
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Isn’t it ironic, yet O’ so beautiful, that a day of great pain and
sorrow can also be a day of great victory and gratitude. We may
enter into Good Friday with weeping... but those tears of grief form
into tears of joy, tears of relief and freedom, and tears of
gratitude, for through this death, we have been given life!
I am so thankful for the love of Jesus. I am humbled by His
sacrifice for me. I pray that by His grace I might be a vessel that
He can use. May the words of this hymn be a blessing to you as they
have been a blessing to me.
I saw One hanging on a tree, in agony and
blood;
He fixed His loving eyes on me, as near His cross I stood.
Sure, never till my latest breath, can I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with His death, though not a word he spoke.
My conscience felt and owned the guilt, and plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had spilt and helped to nail Him there.
A second look he gave, which said: “I freely all forgive.
This blood is for your ransom paid, I die that you may live.”
O, can it be, upon a tree The Savior Died for me?
My soul is thrilled, my heart is filled, to think he died for me! |
