Sunday, May 31, 2009

ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL IS JESUS

There are many things that can bring us thrills.  For younger folks it might be riding the new roller coasters and thrill rides at parks.  For students it might be getting an A in a tough final exam.   It might be watching Ryan Howard hit a gigantic grandslam.   Maybe it is winning a special award or a contest or earning some recognition.  It might be buying a new home or a new car or getting a promotion.  It might be watching your grandchildren grow up to be fine believers.   There are so many things that we get excited about in life.  But most of those things are very temporary.  When I won my presidential award in 1984, the large grocery store in town carried a sign that said "Congratulations Barry Kauffman, best math teacher in Pennsylvania!"   When I returned home from getting that award from the President I found that I was replaced on the sign by "Gigantic sale of bird food and hamburg!"   Fame is so fleeting. Possessions rust out or are ruined by moths and as the scripture says, thieves can break through and steal them.   The message is to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.  Those things are permanent and our relationship with Jesus should all that really thrills our souls  In 1931, Thoro Harris penned the words of a great hymn and proclaimed that Jesus is all that should thrill our heart.

(1)   Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,
By His presence all divine?
True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blest to call Him mine!
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

(2)   Love of Christ so freely given,
Grace of God beyond degree,
Mercy higher than the heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea!
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

(3)   What a wonderful redemption!
Never can a mortal know
How my sin, tho red like crimson,
Can be whiter than the snow.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

(4)   Every need His hand supplying,
Every good in Him I see;
On His strength divine relying,
He is all in all to me.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

(5)   By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing,
And forever and forever
Praise and glorify the King
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

Listen to it here.    LISTEN

1 comment:

  1. Another one of my favorites--when I sing it it helps put me back in my place & encourages me to keep Jesus FIRST in my heart.

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