Hymn for the Day: "And Can It Be That I Should Gain?"

And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood?
Died he for me, who caused him pain, for me who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be that thou my God shouldst die for me?

He left his Father's throne above, so free, so infinite his grace;
Emptied himself of all but love, and bled and died for Adam's helpless race!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free! For oh, my God, it found out me!

No condemnation now I dread, Jesus and all in him is mine!
Alive in him my living head, and clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne and claim the crown through Christ my own.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature's night.
Thaine eye diffused a quick'ning ray, I woke the dungeon flamed with light,
My chains fell off; my heart was free; I rose went forth and followed thee.

This is one of my very favorite old hymns. The first verse expresses well my own thoughts as I stand in awe that I, even I, have been bought by the Savior. The last line in the next verse always brings tears to my eyes as I realize afresh how important grace is to this undeserving disciple! The third so beautifully describes the relief spoken of in today's scripture and our freedom from condemnation. The fourth is a perfect description of how I remember feeling when I finally got the message that I will never earn my salvation and never need to get caught up again in the struggle to do enough, to be good enough to be saved. I remember walking down a street in Raleigh, North Carolina, realizing that I was smiling, and knowing that the smile came from the fact that I was finally free! My chains had fallen off.

Charles Wesley wrote this hymn in 1738. Its words must be universal, for they are surely my testimony of new faith and life in Christ. Miraculously, the words always remain fresh to me!

Today's Scripture: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

I believe that I was saved when I was about sixteen. It was a Sunday morning, and I was mad at my mother. She didn't go to church, but she made me go. In fact, she drove me to the church and told me to go in. I waited until she was gone, and walked across the street to another church, in a sort of final act of rebellion. She meant for me to go to my own church, but I went to another in an "I'll-show-you" attitude. Dr. C. Greer Davis was preaching on the Apostle's Creed, and I remember going away thinking, "I believe every word Dr. Davis said. From that point on, I tried very hard to be all that I was supposed to be, but I wasn't well taught in what the Word tells us about our position in Christ.

I mentioned above that I remembered walking down a street in Raleigh, smiling. That was about fifteen years after I heard Dr; Davis speak. That was after I had seen and heard teaching about the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. That was after I had learned that in my own strength I could never please God. That was at the beginning of a period of incredible spiritual growth for me!

The knowledge that "there is now no condemnation" for us who believe should be the most freeing and exhilarating news any Christian ever hears. We now try because we want to please him, but if we don't succeed--even if we don't meet our own limited standards--there is "now no condemnation."
Whatever the past has held, it has passed! No condemnation! Alive in Christ! Clothed in Christ's righteousness! Free!

And so our prayer must be: "Thank you, Father, that Jesus paid it all! The past is finished and we move on toward you in this life of faith and a promised life of sight when we finally reach that place where you now abide!"