This is a great hymn about Jesus.  It gives a good picture of what He went through at the cross and who He is.  He is such a wonderful friend and Savior.  So humble, so loving.  There are so many good things this hymn points out about Him and what He went through at His crucifixion.  The first line, for instance.  He was stricken for our transgressions, smitten, and afflicted.  What a Savior to endure so much for our transgressions.  It talks about Him bring rejected.  Friends, through fear, disowning Him.  It says "Foes insulting His distress: many hands were raised to wound Him, none would interpose to save."  So many cause Him pain, and none to stand up for Him and help Him.  What this man went through for us, his enemies!  The third verse is so powerful.  It talks about the meaning of this and how we shouldn't take sin lightly, for what these people did, gives sin and evil its true colors.  Sin is evil and horrible and the human nature is twisted.  It talks about how Christ saved us from that and He is now our foundation, rock, salvation, refuge.  So, put your trust in Him for He saved you from sin.  I hope this hymn is as powerful to you as it was to me.    

1. Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, See Him dying on the tree! ’Tis the Christ by man rejected; Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He! ’Tis the long expected prophet, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord; Proofs I see sufficient of it: ’Tis a true and faithful Word. 2. Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning, Was there ever grief like His? Friends through fear His cause disowning, Foes insulting his distress: Many hands were raised to wound Him, None would interpose to save; But the deepest stroke that pierced Him Was the stroke that Justice gave. 3. Ye who think of sin but lightly, Nor suppose the evil great, Here may view its nature rightly, Here its guilt may estimate. Mark the Sacrifice appointed! See Who bears the awful load! ’Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed, Son of Man, and Son of God.     4. Here we have a firm foundation, Here the refuge of the lost. Christ the Rock of our salvation, Christ the Name of which we boast. Lamb of God for sinners wounded! Sacrifice to cancel guilt! None shall ever be confounded Who on Him their hope have built.

Today is Father's Day.  In church we had sharing time to thank our fathers or the father of our children.  Well, I think it is also a great time to thank our Heavenly Father.  Sometimes it's hard to verbalize praise to God and thank Him for who He is.  But, we can try anyway.  This hymn is a prayer to God.  Each verse is to a member of the Trinity, and the first is specifically to God the Father.  The first line says, "We bless you."  It's important that we realize why we were made.  We were made to bring God glory.  So let us bless Him by living a life that is glorifying to Him.  Easier said than done, I know.  But, let's make it our goal this week to try to bless God with our obedience and with our prayer time and with our interactions with others.  Let's try to glorify Him...let's try to love and adore Him and let's have our life sing forth His praise.  Please pray this prayer to God.  Happy Father's Day!

1. Father, Father of all things, we bless you.  Father we love and adore you.  O Father, your children praise you.  Father, Father of light, and power, Father, your greatness surrounds the earth and all of your children declare you are Lord.  2. Jesus, only Son of the living God, Jesus, you willingly suffered that through you we might know His love.  Jesus, cleanse us, your people, and fill us.  Pour down your Spirit upon us that we as your body may show forth your love. 3. Spirit, sent by the Son to dwell in us, living and working within us to make us more like Jesus; Spirit, fall down upon us as fire.  Fill and equip us with power and draw from us love and praise to the Lord.

Sin is serious.  Sin is vile.  Sin is pervasive in our culture and in the lives of the sinner.  Sin is what we were born into.  Sin is our tendency.  Sin is addictive.  Sin is hard to break, and hard to get away from.  And, if you know these things as truth, this hymn will be such a relief!  Because, though sin is all these things, Jesus  and His grace is greater than all our sin.  We were slaves to sin, but Jesus' grace sets us free.  It can reach any expanse and forgive any sinner.  We were children of Satan, but Jesus' grace makes us children of God!  I hope you can read this hymn and feel the joy and peace that comes with the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

1. Wonderful grace of Jesus, Greater than all my sin; How shall my tongue describe it, Where shall its praise begin? Taking away my burden, Setting my spirit free; For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. Refrain: Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus, Deeper than the mighty rolling sea; Wonderful grace, all sufficient for me, for even me. Broader than the scope of my transgressions, Greater far than all my sin and shame, O magnify the precious Name of Jesus. Praise His Name! 2. Wonderful grace of Jesus, Reaching to all the lost, By it I have been pardoned, Saved to the uttermost, Chains have been torn asunder, Giving me liberty; For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.3. Wonderful grace of Jesus, Reaching the most defiled, By its transforming power, Making him God’s dear child, Purchasing peace and heaven, For all eternity; And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

We, as Christians sometimes struggle with guilt, sin, and doubt.  And, sometimes it is hard to believe that Jesus really loves us, or forgives us, or is near us.  Sometimes it is hard to feel like He is near or watching out for us.  We doubt His love in the moment, though we may affirm it with our mouths.  This hymn speaks of Jesus' deep, deep love for us, and what He does to show that love.  I hope you come to realize more and more how very much Jesus loves you specifically.  And I hope this hymn will help.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free! Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me! Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above! O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore! How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore! How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own; How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne! O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best! ’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest! O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me; And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!