Just As I Am

Jesus Will Help You!
image courtesy photobucket.com

If you ever attended one of the Billy Graham Crusades, you will remember the hymn that they always sang at the end of the service. “Just As I Am I Come to Thee.” 

Those present who desired to surrender their life to Jesus would come forward where workers would meet with them and show the Salvation scriptures and pray with each one.

Sunday, our Pastor Jerry’s Title of his message was “Just As I Am.” I share gleanings from my notes of his sermon.

He read from 2 Corinthians 4:13 through chapter 5:1 where Paul was addressing a Greek Christian congregation. 

Times were difficult and many were suffering persecution, but Paul tried to encourage them by saying that this is only for a season and better days are ahead. We look not at that which we now see but at the things that are unseen.

Pastor Jerry illustrated by saying when we go camping we put up a tent, but the wind shakes it, and if it is not properly installed, it can topple over. The best thing about camping is when you pack up and head for home.

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

It is usually the youth who take terrible daring risks thinking that they are invincible and accidents only happen to the other person, not to me. They buckle a rubber band around their ankle and jump off a bridge. They ride their motorcycles and do dangerous stunts thinking they are indestructible.

As we grow older we are reminded of our vulnerability and our inability to do many things as we once were able to do.

Life happens and we discover we are clay vessels and our tent is fragile. However we have hope here and beyond.

Although our outer man is wasting away, we realize that our inward man is renewed daily. We have assurance of resilience in the Spirit.

In Bible times, no one was allowed to enter the temple if they would not walk or if they were blind or if they had an impediment.

Building codes today require buildings to be assessable to persons with disabilities. No one is denied entrance into churches and most churches have made provision for wheel chairs, walkers and those using a cane to walk.

There are barriers in life that endeavor to prevent us from going forward. How quickly life can crumble around us. No matter how “together” a person appears on the outside, they may be weeping on the inside.

We need the community of others, our family and friends. May we step out of our comfort zone and into the zone of others who need someone to listen and pray with them. Allow God to use you “Just as you are.”

As we come to Jesus “Just as we are,” may we allow Him to renew our broken Spirit and to heal us inside and out.

This post is Linked up today with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday