When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
When I survey the wondrous cross...
This is the cross of death,
the instrument of cruel death! On this cross the Lord Jesus suffered
Himself to be nailed. He had at His disposal many legions of
angels who would have instantly come to His rescue. No doubt
they would have slain every bloodstained hand that dared to lift
itself against their Creator. But even in such pain, He held
them back by His powerful word and by His great love.
On which the Prince of Glory died...
This was no ordinary human.
This was Almighty God. This was He who formed all things. This
was the Prince of Heaven who had created man, but was now allowing
man to slay Him. As those cold, hard nails were cruelly driven
through His hands, He did not so much as speak a word or protest.
It overwhelms us to see such love, but at the same time, it makes
us fearful to disobey such a one’s least command, lest we should
feel the wrath of the Father who dearly loves Him who died.
My richest gain I count but loss...
Indeed, what can be compared
with such? What is there on earth that is worthy to be thought
of at the same time? It is but dung! Who could want to stay here
on earth gaining filthy lucre when one can obtain such riches
as those that are from above? O friends, let us hasten on our
way; let us not pause to ponder upon this world and how to gain
its riches. We have a higher calling than that.
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Yes, contempt is what pride
needs! Such love pleads that one would utterly loathe such an
ugly thing—and not as in pouring cupfuls of water on a campfire,
but rather as in taking a high pressure fire hose to a raging
fire!
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast...
Forbid it, Lord, that I should
glory in any other. Forbid it, Lord, that I should think of my
own righteousness. Forbid it that I should do anything but wholly
lean on Thee.
Save in the death of Christ, my Lord...
Yes, indeed, of that I
shall boast: that my God so loves me that He died in my place,
that He, the perfect One, would suffer the sentence of my crime.
Let us always be mindful of this. Let us not forget how the Judge
took His own death sentence for us upon Himself, how He willingly
went to the gallows and hung there in our place. Let us not deceive
ourselves; we richly deserve to suffer!
All the vain things that charm me most...
What is it that charms us
most? Is it our business? Our earthly dreams? Those things which
we longingly hope to obtain? Is not even our life unworthy to
be compared?
I sacrifice them to His blood.
Yes, with glee I sacrifice
my new car, my house, my bank account, fame, or approval of man.
I willingly accept with joy the contempt of a scornful world.
Oh, that we would rather eat bread and water and keep peace with
Jesus, than abound in earthly treasure and be counted an enemy
of His!
See from His head, His hands, His feet...
Yes, gaze upon them and ponder
much. Be amazed at the sight of them. Marvel at such patience.
How the thorns did pierce this beautiful Rose! How He spills
forth His blood, patiently suffering the buffetings of sinful
man, patiently suffering the buffetings of my own hands! Such
beauty there is to be seen there. Oh, that tongues were not so
feeble and could do justice to it! Surely man did not know that
he was buffeting God...or did he?
Sorrow and love flow mingled down...
Yes, sorrow that man had
fallen, sorrow that man had gone the way of devils, sorrow that
He had lost that intimate fellowship with man, sorrow that man
had gone his own way. Yet He demonstrates His great love by offering
to buy man back, offering to make a new covenant with man. His
love is an earnest longing for man to come back to Him. Are we
not called to be His disciples? Is it not true that a disciple
does that which he sees his Master doing? How should we then
live so as not to grieve Him more? Sorrow and love flow mingled
down: of which is there more?
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet...
Was anyone else ever willing
to suffer so? Was anyone else ever able to pay the cost of
our sins? Could anyone bear such grief but Him alone? In
spite of being offered the world, He chose to suffer. Do we truly
follow Him?
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Surely man’s hatred must
have been great to so severely abuse and mock his King! Surely
pride is a very deadly poison if it would cause one to be so
blind as to crown Him in such a cruel manner. Brethren, let us
not deceive ourselves; that is self-righteousness in action.
Let us ever be mindful of those things, and let us not return
to doing such deeds.
Were the whole realm of nature mine...
What words these are! This
speaks of all we have, all our earthly things. What if we were
able to gain the whole world? What if we were able to cause all
things to become ours? Yet, even then...
That were a present far too small...
Indeed, even that gift would
not suffice to bring before the King of Kings; it would yet be
far too small. No amount of earthly treasure will do, no matter
how vast. What little we do have is hardly worth being counted,
yet we think at times that we are giving up a lot.
Love so amazing, so divine...
Yes, this is no ordinary
love—this is God’s amazing love! Perhaps one would dare to die
for his friend or for a good man, but that one would die for
His executioners...
Demands my soul, my life, my ALL!
Yes, such love constrains
me to give my all! It constrains me to despise my own life. Such
love cannot be contained and must be returned, no matter how
small it may seem in return. Such love must not be kept to oneself
because it is altogether lovely and good. Such love makes me
want to follow Him.
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