WHY?

          Sometimes I think that the most frequently asked question by believers is "Why?".  Usually it is asked about things that happen to us or our friends?  Why do I or a family member have this physical problem?  Why did the Lord take my loved one home?  Why did I lose my job or not get promoted?  Why did my children rebel against both me and the Lord?  Why?  Why? Why?  And many times we will not find the answers to these questions while we are here on earth.  But when we consider our salvation and God's acts of grace and mercy, many "why" questions should also come to our minds.  Some questions like this were asked by John M. Moore in a hymn which he penned.  Why did they nail Him to Calvary's tree?  Why was He there? Why should He love me, a sinner undone?  Why should He care?  Why should I linger afar from His love?  Why should I fear?  These are good questions that we, too, should ponder.  Unfortunately it was very hard to find much about Moore or what led him to write this hymn.  And it was also difficult to find any videos of this hymn.  I did learn that He was born in Scotland and served as Assistant Superintendent at the Seamen's Chapel in Glasgow, Scotland.  He was also pastor and Superintendent at Tent Hall, an evangelistic center in Glasgow for nine years, pastor of the Inverness Baptist Church for five years, and pastor of the Willowdale Baptist Church, Willowdale, Ontario, Canada. He wrote over 150 hymns, some of which were translated into other languages.  I can only assume that He was overwhelmed when thinking about the sacrifice of Christ for Him.  Maybe He too, like me, marveled at the truth of Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  We are so unworthy of this, but Christ left all the glory and riches of heaven, to come to this earth to purchase our salvation at the cost of His life?  Why did He do it?  We may never fully comprehend the love and mercy that made this possible, but He did it ... for us.  May we be eternally thankful and may the words of Moore's hymn fill our hearts as we meditate upon them this week.

1. Why did they nail him to Calvary´s tree;

Why, tell me why was he there?

Jesus the helper, the healer, the friend,

Why, tell me why was he there?

CHORUS:

All my iniquities on him were laid;

He nailed them all to the tree.

Jesus, the debt of my sin fully paid,

He paid the ransom for me.

2. Why should he love me a sinner undone;

Why, tell me why should he care?

I do not merit the love he has shown.

Why, tell me why should he care?

All my iniquities on him were laid;

He nailed them all to the tree.

Jesus, the debt of my sin fully paid,

He paid the ransom for me.

3. Why should I linger afar from his love;

Why, tell me why should I fear?

Somehow I know I must venture and prove;

Why, tell me why should I fear?

All my iniquities on him were laid;

He nailed them all to the tree.

Jesus, the debt of my sin fully paid,

He paid the ransom for me.

Listen to the words here.  LISTEN1

I also found a second video featuring a family singing and playing this song. (I am especially partial to trombones so I just had to include this one.)    LISTEN2