Monday, November 28, 2011

ONLY ONE REASON


Why was it you decided that you would serve the Lord?
Could it be, to serve Him, for some sort of reward?
I know that’s why I started. I’d heard there was a hell.
That’s why I came to Jesus – as best as I can tell.
But was that reason valid? Was that the way to come?
To hide away from Satan and be the Father’s chum?
There lots of folk who’ve done this. They wanted an escape.
They didn’t want the flames of hell. For them it would be rape!
There’s many other reasons. They focus on themselves.
But why should Father take them down from off His storage shelves?
Surely if it’s selfish, the action was a sin.
Was that a proper reason to want to enter in?
We think the Lord will do us good and so we raise our hand.
And walk the little journey while all the others stand.
We come before the Master and say we want to serve.
We think that we will benefit. And then, we have the nerve,
To think that we were doing it to glorify the Lord!
That’s just a load of nonsense, we flee His mighty sword!
There has to be a reason, that isn’t me and mine.
A purpose more appropriate, for serving the Divine.
Something to bring glory to the God who saves our soul.
Something that’s unselfish, where Jesus is the goal!
I know that I first came to Him, so I could get away,
From what was very certain on the final judgement day.
And so I took His offer, with a big sigh of relief.
But when I think about it, I think I was a thief!
What glory was there in it, for God who reigns on High?
The one who had the benefit was me, myself and I!
There’s really just one reason for coming to the Lord.
That reason is He’s worthy to be worshipped and adored.
In fact He is so worthy, that what He does with me,
I shouldn’t even think of what the outcome aught to be.
In truth He is so worthy, that if I get sent to hell;
And stay in it forever, as best as I can tell;
It shouldn’t really matter. His glory will then shine,
In spite of what will happen to me, myself and mine.
And that is more important than any other thing.
He has the right give to me His lovely wedding ring.
Or send me to the other place; for He is all in all.
I have no right to bargain or on His name to call.
It’s only Him Who matters. My purpose is to see,
The splendour of the Master. So what He does with me,
Depends upon His purposes. I cannot cut a deal.
I only have to trust that in His glory He’ll reveal,
His purpose and His planning, for those who want to be,
Doing what He wants us to for all eternity.
Jim Strickland – Written 29th November 2011