There is a hymn and a song by Jeremy Camp with these words
in them. I was listening to the hymn this morning and it hit me, do people actually realize what they are
saying when they sing these songs?
Take the world, but give me Jesus. Let’s break down this sentence.
First, we need to
remember, we’re saying this and singing these words to the God of the universe,
who created all things, is in all things, is outside of time, and is the God we
believe in.
The muddy waterfall we went to on our day off. Normally people swim in it, but due to monsoon season, that wasn’t a popular sport this day.
To take something means to gain possession, to hold it in
your grasp, to give control.
This world… what is ‘this world’? These days, the world in
America looks like a high paying job, nice car, a big house, and lots of stuff
including clothes and electronics. My world is my home, my clothes, my bedroom
with lots of room. How about the not so materialistic world then? My mom, my
dad, my brother, my dog, my best friends, my memories, my athletic abilities, my
singing voice, my dreams, my desires, my everything.
So we’re asking God to take from us everything we have. Did
you know you were saying that? Did you really mean it? Do you really want God
to take everything you have?
I think material possessions would be the easiest to give
up. You don’t really need a nice car.
You don’t really need a high paying
job, as long as you get paid. I don’t really need all my clothes. But when I think about giving up my mom, my
dad, my brother, my family… I think I need those God.
Now for the next part of the sentence, but give me Jesus.
To give something means hand something over voluntarily
without any expectation to get anything in return.
Jesus. How can you define Jesus? I can only try. God came
down to earth as man, living a life just like me. He was tempted, he wept, he
served, he got angry, and he lived a life like me, only he was perfect. But the
reason he came to earth was to die for me. He came to save me. He died on a
cross after being beaten, all the while thinking of me. He knew I was going to
sin, he know I would hold onto the things in my life more than him, he knew I
couldn’t love him nearly as much as he loved me, but it didn’t stop him from dyeing
for me. But that’s not the end.
Courtney and me looking for cool rocks in the river, below the waterfall.
He was raised from the dead three
days later. He went to heaven and sent his Holy Spirit to live inside of me. He
is living in me; he gave me the authority to do everything he did on earth. He
gives me authority to raise people from the dead, to heal the sick, to love. He guides my every direction and rejoices when
I say yes to him. He has prepared a Kingdom for me that I cannot imagine
because my mind is too small.
Let’s put the sentence back together.
Take the world, but give me Jesus. Take everything I have
in this world I live in God, only so I can in return have Jesus. It’s not a
selfish thing to ask for Jesus because God gives himself to us freely. He doesn’t
expect anything in return, he just gives.
When I look at it that way, all I want is Jesus. Yes, if God
took my family or friends from me it would hurt. Oh boy, it would hurt so bad! But
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Is there a sweeter name? Could there be a sweeter name
than his? Is there a better life promised than the one he offers freely?
When we sing songs, do we mean what we’re saying? When we worship, do we really mean what we say or do?
