Monday, October 4, 2010

I'd Rather Have Jesus (by George Beverly Shea & Rhea F. Miller, 1922)

Verse 1
I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be His than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Chorus
Than to be the king of a vast domain. Or be held in sin's dread sway. I'd rather have (my) Jesus than anything, this world affords today.

Verse 2
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause, I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause; I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame, I'd rather be true to His holy name.

(Chorus)

Verse 3
He's fairer than the lilies of rarest bloom, He's sweeter than honey from out of the comb; He's all that my hungering spirit needs, I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

(Chorus)

I woke up Sat morning after having dreamed about this song during the night.  It was with me all through the day Saturday and again Sunday morning as I got ready for church.  Verse 2 really stands out to me as I think about some of the things I feel God has called me to do.  People around me, even fellow Christians, may not agree with stands that I have taken.  And I know the world will despise me b/c of my love for Jesus.  But in the end, what it all boils down to is this: I'd rather have Jesus.  I don't need your applause or approval, but I do need God's!  And that is what is more important to me than anything else.  As long as I've got King Jesus, I don't need anyone else. (As the song sung by Brian Free & Assurance says.) I don't mean that in a stuck up way or that I'm any better than you.  Only the simple fact that in the end of time Christ is going to ask me if I was faithful to Him.  If He finds that I was more faithful to my peers, I don't think the end would be too pretty for me. As I was looking through my Bible yesterday I came across and underlined scripture in Galatians that goes well with my train of thoughts.  This song and scripture are big part of my personal testimony.

Galatians 1:10
"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."

In the end of time, who will God find you to be faithful to? Him, or others?

3 comments:

  1. I agree with your comments wholly. As humans, we do need other people, for encouragement, etc but if it comes down to doing what God says when no one else will stand with you, His viewpoint and approval is what counts. I don't want to keep any tradition or go along with a crowd just to keep people happy. I don't want to be religious or go through a form creating the vision that I am doing something for God when really I'm not.

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  2. Loved this post. I was singing this song all morning. Glad to see others also like it.

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  3. Such a sweet and meaningful post. Thanks for sharing. I'll be humming and loving it!

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