His Crown For My Soul

"When I was sinking down, beneath God's righteous frown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul." (from the hymn "What Wondrous Love Is This")

If you're not familiar with the hymn, this YouTube video provides a wonderfully original arrangement.

I recall a conversation with a wise pastor who recognized that the scripture readings and sermon may not be what reaches a specific worshiper on any given Sunday. Some Sundays we may be "touched" by a prayer, the sharing of peace, a moment of silence, lighting, or perhaps a hymn.

This past weekend, I had just such an experience. Had I not jotted a few notes on my bulletin, I would have little recollection of the sermon. (Sorry Pastor!) But I remembered the above line from our opening hymn.

In so very few words, the hymn writer paints a glorious picture. There we are sinking, one might imagine, under the weight of our own busyness, our broken relationships, our sins. Sinking, I imagine, in sand because we've not based our lives on the firm foundation, our rock.

God the Father frowns on what he sees. This version of the hymn calls it a "righteous" frown; others refer to it as an "awful" frown. Either way, we are compelled to recognize God's deep disappointment and sadness. It is indeed an awful thing for us to face God's holiness. Like Peter, after just a step or two on the water, we are scared and sinking.

Thankfully the story does not end there. Just as we are about to go under, there is Jesus, setting aside his crown, rolling up his sleeves, and holding out a scarred hand to us. All we need to do is reach out, take his hand, accept his help. He lifts us up! He saves our souls!

On every Sunday, every day, Jesus reaches out to us. It may not be through scripture or a sermon; it may be a hymn or a friend that reaches you. Look for his presence, listen for him, and when he offers his help, reach for it. He lays aside his crown for us. What will we lay aside for him?

*****

While most devotions are based on a piece of scripture, this experience helped me to realize that a devotion can also be based on a hymn, which was almost certainly based on scripture itself. God has many ways to reach us.