As a harpist and as someone who loves good, Godly music, music is a large part of my life. There are so many beautiful, Christian songs, both old and new, that I enjoy playing and singing.
I grew up singing many of the old, beloved hymns. So many hymns are near and dear to my heart.
Every year, I always love remembering the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. And I love songs surrounding that theme.
And every year, there seems to be a song that stands out to me in a special way.
This year, a very familiar hymn was on my mind:
“Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross”
Last Friday, April 3rd, I paused around 3:00 p.m. that afternoon to remember our dear Savior’s enormous sacrifice for us. I spent a few minutes in prayer, thanking the Lord for the shed blood of His Son. The Lord Jesus is our Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God.
I sat down behind my large harp in our living room and played the old, beloved hymn. The words to that hymn echoed my heart.
Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain;
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calvary's mountain.
Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Shed His beams around me.
Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o'er me.
Near the cross! I'll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
‘Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.
~ Fanny Crosby
I have been so blessed to see where our Lord Jesus died in Jerusalem, Israel. I have stood at what I believe to be the exact spot, the exact location, inside the grounds of the Garden Tomb area in Jerusalem. Naturally, my mind went to that place. I thought about what that Passover day must have been like nearly 2,000 years ago. I thought about our dear Savior hanging in agony on that old rugged cross. I thought about that cross this year.
Like other times in the past, I wondered what kind of wood that cross was made from. Was it wood from an olive tree? Or was it wood from an almond tree? Or an oak tree? Or a cedar tree?
And I cannot help but wonder where that tree once grew? The tree that would hold the Savior of the world upon it as He died and shed His blood for all mankind. We may never know what kind of tree it was, and that’s okay. But I thought about it.
Even more than that, I thought a lot about the precious body of our Lord Jesus. I thought about that more than anything else this year.
His body was beaten, whipped, scourged, and pierced for us. He gave His body for us. That is how much He loves you and me.
The human body is very precious to God; God is the Creator of the human body.
Yeshua willingly gave His body to be sacrificed for us. I thought about that for a long time.
Such love!
Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross.
I desire to stay near that cross and to remember it often because, in the shadow of that cross, is a God who loves us more than we can imagine, so much that He gave Himself for us.
I will never get over that.
He rose victoriously from the tomb He was laid in three days later, never to die again!
I love the Scripture in Revelation where He says:
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen…”
Revelation 1:18
Last weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, we enjoyed some beautiful weather with many trees and flowers in bloom around our home and neighborhood. I enjoyed going on several walks in our neighborhood to enjoy the beauty of it all.
Springtime is a miracle to me, a miracle that becomes normal to us every year.
Last weekend, seeing new plant life as buds and blossoms everywhere, all of creation seemed to proclaim that Christ has risen from the dead!
Below are some pictures I took of some trees and flowers in bloom near our home.
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| I love these small, delicate, white flowers on a tree on our neighborhood. I wish I knew the name of this tree. |
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| New life! New buds springing forth on another tree. |
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| Our white lilac bush usually blossoms sometime in April every year. This year it blossomed just in time for Resurrection Day! |
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| Our purple lilac bushes are just beginning to bloom now - a whole month early! We have had unusually warm weather here this spring. Our lilacs decided to bloom early. |
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| These lovely pink blossoms were on another tree in our neighborhood. All of creation praises their Creator! |
I also loved the special paper plates and napkins my mom purchased for our special meal last weekend. The flowers on them fit well with all the trees and flowers in bloom around us!
I always love to remember and celebrate that we serve a risen Savior!
But I also love to remember the enormous price that was paid for you and for me - the blood and body of our dear Lord.
I want to stay near that cross every day. A verse from this beloved hymn says it well.
Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o'er me.
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