When I Survey – 12.26.08

THE BIBLE Baptist Church enjoyed the blessing of having Major Henry Parrish and his family with us this past weekend. Sunday night, Bro. Parrish sang "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." Take a soul-searching look at these words, written by Isaac Watts in 1707:

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ my God!

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Mr. Watts nailed it when he wrote of how a true understanding and continual reflection upon what our Savior accomplished will work its way out in our lives. My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride… All the VAIN things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood… Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

I don't know about you, but I don't know many who have poured contempt on all their pride. I don't know about you, but I'm fairly certain that most of us have sacrificed some level of effectiveness for the cause of Christ for some vain, but charming things. We all know that God requires and deserves our absolute surrender, but so many of us are still so hesitant to offer it.

What's our problem? Seems to be a basic lack of understanding of and appreciation for what Jesus Christ did for us on Calvary's cross.

Then what's the solution? Seems to be a basic, daily pursuit of an understanding of and appreciation for all that our God has done for us (read Ephesians 1) and a basic, daily commitment to diligently pursuing that which is pleasing to Him (read 2 Peter 1).

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.