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…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb. 12:2 (NKJV)
“How Great Thou Art” is one of my favorite hymns. I grew up not only singing it as a member of the congregation, but also listening to my mother sing it from her familiar perch at the piano as a “special.” I don’t know how old I was, maybe twelve or thirteen, before I looked at the words in the hymnal closely enough to get them right.
Until that moment I had always sung the first two bars of the chorus like this:
“Then sings my soul, My Savior got to thee…”
Imagine my surprise when I learned it was “GOD” – not GOT – “to Thee.”
All those tender years I had the lyrics wrong, but my theology was still intact. My soul certainly can sing, “My Savior got to thee.” Had He not gotten to me, I would never have gotten to Him.
Has God not gotten to your soul? Has His love not invaded your life? Has His presence not permeated your home? If He has gotten to you, then how can you call your life ordinary or unimportant?
Let this thought cheer you. Let it empower you. Let it motivate you. God sent His Son into this world because He knew it was the only way to get to your soul.
The path Jesus had to trod to get to your soul was as clear as it was difficult. It led directly to a skull-like hill called Golgotha. Along the way, there would be whispers, accusations, misunderstandings, abandonment, beatings, and every kind of unimaginable abuse. There would be homeless wandering, bone-wearying walking, and late-night praying. There would be few friends, fickle crowds, incredulous kinfolk, and murderous enemies.
There would be a dirty stable, a rugged cross, and a borrowed tomb.
What kept His feet on such a painful path? The JOY that was set before Him: the joy of redeeming His own. The joy of saving my soul – and yours. I think of this and…
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, “How great Thou art, How great Thou art!”
