I have been listening to a pre-release download of Ginny Owen’s new CD, “Say Amen.” If you like a blues/jazz style, you’d like her… and if not, you probably wouldn’t. 🙂
But I love the hymns she chose on this album. For instance, I’ve been listening to her rendition of “Just As I Am,” and the words really popped out at me.
Just as I am, without one plea, but that your blood was shed for me, and that you call me tenderly, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of sin's dark blot, to you whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, though tossed about with many conflicts, many doubts, and fighting fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, so poor, so blind; in need of healing for my mind, all I need in you I find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, your love so strong has broken every barrier down; now, to be yours and yours alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
I hope this is a blessing to you today!
Thanks for posting Charlotte Elliot’s beautiful hymn. Sometimes it is thought of strictly as an invitation to salvation but, as you seem to imply, Christians need its message too. Whoever we are, we must come to the Lord just as we are, without pretense or an attempt to impress Him.
Incidentally, today is the 138th anniversary of the author’s death. If you’d like to know a bit more about how the hymn came to be written, you can check out my blog for today at Wordwise Hymns. God bless.
Thanks, Robert! I missed your original comment until now, and I’m sorry about that. I found this great post about Charlotte Elliot (and others) on your blog:
http://wordwisehymns.com/2009/07/08/suffering-hymn-writers/
I also read the following online:
http://www.workersforjesus.com/just.htm
This reminds me of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV):
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.