Good stewards -- of our health, continued

Why worry about being healthy?
Don't we sing "This world is not my home, I'm just a-travelling through" all the time?

It seems an obvious answer, doesn't it? Be healthy so that we live longer, happier lives. But we are planning to live forever in heaven . . . why be concerned now? What's the point of stressing about health, counting calories, measuring portions, journaling our exercise data, before "forever" begins?

After all, our bodies will be changed in a twinkling, right? (Kinda looking forward to that one.)

All of that is true -- we WILL live forever, and we WILL be changed. But as we saw yesterday, there is a Biblical basis for encouraging a healthy life-style for Christians in the present.

This might not be something we want to focus on right now. Here in the United States, we just finished up a holiday (Thanksgiving) that stresses traditional foods, heavily-laden tables groaning with the weight of scrumptious dishes, and congregating in front of the television to snooze afterwards! Add to that the Christmas seasoning of eating follows on the heels of "Turkey Day" and there are office parties, church parties, Christmas cookies and eggnog, and, and, well.....you know the drill. (Grin)

Hopefully we are awake in front of our computers and ready to read, no? I was interested to read that some of the oldest and most venerated schools have advocated good health for a long time. Harvard University (1636), Oberlin College (1833), and Earlham College (1847), were all institutions of higher learning which (at the time of their founding, at least) emphasized healthful lifestyles in addition to their quest for academic excellence.
Hmmmm. Wonder why they felt that it was important for a healthy physical body to accompany a sharp mind and a fervent spirit?
Well, from the beginning, we humans were created as whole beings: body, mind, and spirit. The whole package, so to speak.
Today, science and medicine confirm this "whole being" idea, because more and more people are recognizing that illness in one part of the body has an impact on all other parts. On the negative side, heart disease affects the brain. Depression affects spiritual thoughts. Stress and spiritual restlessness can affect blood pressure, blood glucose, and mental agility.
On the positive side, the Bible tells us:

A cheerful heart is good medicine,    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

And even the description of how Jesus grew and matured is noted in terms of the whole person:

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52)

I reckon ('scuse my country showing there) that if we were to express things in scientific terms, the human body is here to house and maintain the brain. The brain is how we communicate with God, and with other people. And any defects in the physical body will mess up our brain and how it functions. So this really applies to everyone here on this earth -- if we keep our bodies healthy, our minds and our relationships will be healthy, too.

Whoa, partner. We Christians don't live just for ourselves, though. From the day we accept God's gift of grace and forgiveness, we live in a special relationship with "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28)
So, if we take the whole person idea into this new relationship, we can see a very special and important meaning in one of our focus verses from before:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own... (I Corinthians 6:19)

Look right above your head. See that light bulb?
Good! That means you got the idea!
Christians are not free to do whatever they choose with their bodies. Their bodies belong to God, and not just to themselves anymore.
That one was important. Go back and read it again....
Paul told us this:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31)

For us as believers, the power inside that enables us to follow God can be affected (positively or negatively) by such simple things as what we eat or drink. By whether or not we exercise.

(Kinda puts a different angle on whether or not to scarf down that plate of sugar cookies, or the extra slice of cheesecake....or whether to drink our third cup of eggnog (and ask if it was dosed with alcohol),....or whether or not to get out in the frosty cold and walk briskly. I know, right? I'm preaching to myself here, and my toes are busted.)

As believers who want to be useful to God, to bring glory to Him, our decision to learn and implement healthy lifestyle choices is important. It needs to be on our list, right behind our commitment to read our Bible and pray, and to love our neighbors. If we want to be complete and effective witnesses for Him, we'll give our attention to the health of the whole person -- our mind, body and spirit.

We'll finish our study tomorrow!

Prayer requests

Remember being in school, and facing a problem that you just could not solve?

Maybe it was in math.

Maybe it was English. Diagramming sentences, right?

Maybe it was algebra.

Try as you might, no matter how long you stared at it, you just couldn't solve it.

We have those feelings in our lives today, no? Are we staring at a problem that we can't solve? Can't figure out a solution, no matter how hard we try? Our struggles just bring more stress, and more depression?

It's OK. You can give up now. No, I really mean it!

It's time to give up, let go, and let God.

Our Savior knows all about the problem. He also knows the answer. And (and this is the important part) He is strong enough to make the solution happen!

A dear lady who was like a mother to me said these were her life verses:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

These verses are some that I've clung to, when I've faced problems that I absolutely could not solve:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. (Psalm 46:1-3)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (II Corinthians 12:9)

I know that we've talked about this before, but I can't escape the feeling that the Spirit wants me to post this today. Perhaps someone reading this is bowed under a problem and needs to hear this. He delights in the requests of His children. He loves to show us His strength, His mercy, and His compassion. He will truly care about your request, and He will show you a way to solve that problem.

Let us know if we can pray with you today. He will hear, and He will work in our lives. And let's not forget to praise Him when the problem is solved!

Good stewards -- of our health

When we were studying purity, the end of our study had us looking at verses in Colossians and in Galatians. We were thinking along the lines of focusing our thoughts and using strategies to keep out of "the dirt."

At the close of that study, it occurred to me that we also need to keep our "temples" out of the dirt, too. To be good stewards of what we've been blessed with.
Did ya know that the Bible talks about that, too?
Yep.
Ain't it awesome that we can find most anything in there? (Grin)

I know that some of us have some health issues. Some of us are healthy as horses, as my Grandma used to say.  It always made me wonder, why horses?  But I digress.

I guess that good health, or being a good steward of these miraculously designed coverings that we call our bodies, is something that we sometimes take for granted -- that is, until something starts to go wrong! Why do I feel fatigued? What is that bump on my forehead? What is wrong with me?

When our health takes a turn, we usually are quick to look at our own habits and diet. Our bodies really are finely tuned by our Maker, and they're able to endure fractures, scrapes, fever, and pain. But we actually are kinda fragile: we aren't designed to handle excess, whether it's nourishment, stress, or additives. If we were machines, we'd probably pay close attention to the fuel we put in, the poisons that we allowed, regular cleanings and the like.

Hmmmm. Are we doing at least what we'd do with machines, when it comes to these bodies of ours? What kind of fuel is going in? What kind of stress are we enduring? Are we keeping clean physically, mentally, and spiritually?

God has provided us with an "owner's manual" in our Bible. There are instructions there for proper "maintenance." It's not a medical journal. It's not a memo from the Center for Disease Control. But we can find basic principles for individual health and for public health, as well. An awful lot of the laws given by God to Moses contain rules that effectively ensure healthful living: they outlined water and food contamination, sewage disposal, infectious diseases, and much more.

Here is an interesting verse about the health of the children of Israel (and about the health of the Egyptians):

He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keepall his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26)

Lots of people are intrigued by the tombs of the Pharaohs, the mummies, and that ancient culture. The Egyptians suffered from many diseases that have ravaged populations throughout history. The mummies have revealed evidences of arthritis, cancer, gallstones, heart disease, and smallpox. Many of these were because they didn't understand the health principles that were given to Moses by God. These instructions were based on true science; they were based on cause and effect thousands of years before scientists discovered germs, bacteria, and viruses. Modern medicine has re-discovered many principles of good health that originated with God.

A couple of years ago, we studied the book of Proverbs here, and read this:

My son, do not forget my teaching,    but keep my commands in your heart,for they will prolong your life many years    and bring you peace and prosperity.This will bring health to your body    and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:1-2,8)

Obedience to God's commandments and other laws promotes health. For when we obey, we are operating in accordance with His "owner's manual." And as our Creator, He knows what is best for us.

Now, before we go any further this week, let's make one thing perfectly clear: the Bible tells us that those who follow God will generally be healthy. That does not necessarily mean that those who don't follow Him will always be sick!
Nor does it mean that God's people will be free from disease.
The apostle John wrote:

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (III John 1:2)

And Paul wrote this:

 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

God is interested most in our spiritual health, but He does want us, as much as possible, to be physically healthy as well. This week we'll focus on these thoughts.

Thanksgiving week, United States

This week is the United States' celebration of Thanksgiving. I hope all of you enjoy a peaceful and blessed week, and that we all take time to praise our Father.

He has blessed us so abundantly; His love and mercy surround us each day.

Some of my posts may be humorous, and my style may border on irreverent at times, in order to get a point across, or to make a concept memorable.

But I'm serious here -- make it a point to praise Him, and set an example for those you love. His love is overwhelming; He blesses us and blesses us again.

Thank you, Father. With all my heart, I'm grateful.

I'll see y'all next week!

Friday slowdown

The 51st Psalm always makes me remember the old hymn, "Whiter than Snow." As I looked for a song to place here today, I found this uplifting music from a wonderful Jamaican artist. I hope it blesses your heart as it did mine.

Blessed be the fountain of blood
To a world of sinners revealed
Blessed be the dear Son of God
Only by His stripes we are healed
Tho I've wandered far from His fold
Bringing to my heart pain and woe
Wash me in the blood of the Lamb
And I shall be whiter than snow

Chorus:
Whiter than the snow
Whiter than the snow
Wash me in the blood of the Lamb
And I shall be whiter than snow


Thorny was the crown that He wore
And the cross His body o'ercame
Grievous were the sorrows He bore
But He suffered Thus not in vain
May I to that fountain be led
Made to cleanse my sins here below
Wash me in the blood that He shed
And I shall be whiter than snow




Father, I have wandered from Thee
Often has my heart gone astray
Crimson do my sins seem to me
Water cannot wash them away
Jesus, to the fountain of Thine
Leaning on Thy promise, I go
Cleanse me by Thy washing divine
And I shall be whiter than snow

Staying out of the dirt, conclusion

So far this week, we've seen that Ruth and Boaz modeled moral and sexual purity in their relationship in the book of Ruth. We've also discussed how purity has more to do with honoring God, than it does with obeying a long list of rules. And we touched on being able to move forward, in spite of our past, if it includes some things we're not proud of . . .

Many believers waste a lot of time worrying about their past. Boy, is that a waste of time! We can't change anything back there. We can, however, do something about the future. By accepting God's grace, we can be clean from this day forward. No more fear, or guilt about the things that were. We can get out of the dirt, and stay out, with His help!

Are we, as believers, struggling with guilt and sin? It's a characteristic of Christians that though we fall, and although we may stumble, we rely on God and keep walking toward the light. If we focus on our feelings (which is how we got into the dirt anyway), we will be misled. What matters is that we choose to confess to Him and rise to walk again. And as we mentioned yesterday, be prepared -- the devil is 100% opposed to your efforts and will put us to the test. This is just my opinion, but I think that after we have made a genuine decision for the Lord, He may allow us to be tested and tempted. Why? So that we can prove to ourselves the sincerity and genuineness of our love for Him. (Notice I did NOT say to prove it to Him. He wants us to prove it to ourselves, for then we are emboldened and encouraged!)

When we look into our spiritual mirrors, do we like what we see? Do we need to pray, as David did:

Have mercy on me, O God,    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion    blot out my transgressions.2 Wash away all my iniquity    and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2)

God loves us too much to leave us in the dirt. He is going to do whatever it takes to make us holy.

Are we willing to do whatever it takes to stay out of the dirt?

Whether we are talking about sexual purity, evil talk, greed, pride, or any other sin, there are strategies that we can use.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life,appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:1-5)

Can we be honest here?
Good.
I think we can all agree that self-discipline is necessary, but it's not enough. But there is help:

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

If we are in fellowship with Him, and worshiping Him, we will be able to overcome the lusts of our flesh; sexual sins, greed, spiteful and hateful words will be under His control.

Whether we are trying to control our tongues, out thoughts, or our sexual desires, we can employ some common sense strategies:

1. Keep ourselves accountable to a trusted friend or group of godly friends.
2. Pour our energies into serving others, or working with others for a common good.
3. Be sure to have open and honest sharing with our trusted friends.
4. Be determined to stay in close fellowship with God; don't skimp on prayer or study times.
5. Avoid situations that cause us to fall - if we can't avoid them, prepare with more prayer!
6. If we do fall, ask for God's forgiveness and start again.

I'm so glad for a loving Father who included in His Word both bad and good examples for us to learn from! Truly, Boaz and Ruth teach us that we can stay out of the dirt!

Staying out of the dirt, continued

Our studies this week are our final studies from Ruth (although I bet there's more here that we haven't yet tapped!) and they are focused on moral and sexual purity. Last time we were talking about several verses that got our heads going in the right direction . . . you can scroll down there to refresh your memory if you like. (Grin) I'm not the only one with a memory like a sieve, am I?

Anyway, we said then that purity was not simply a long set of rules, of what is OK and not OK, and what we should or shouldn't say, etc. Purity is about God -- it's about glorifying Him.

Purity in our morals and in our sexuality is a personal decision to glorify God with all that we are: body, soul, and spirit. Yes, it's true that so many times when a speaker chooses this subject, we hear it put in terms of "dos" and "don'ts" . . . let's see, can I go here or not? Is it OK to see this movie? Is this swimsuit (substitute any other article of clothing here, blouse, skirt, whatever) too revealing? Do I really want to read this book? Should I date this person?

All of these are legitimate questions. But they are actually secondary to the real issue. God has a stake in our moral purity. He has called us to it, and He is glorified when we walk in purity.

Perhaps the better question to ask is "Will this choice honor God?" Then the questions become: will it honor God for me to read this? Will God be glorified if I date this person? Does reading this book dishonor my holy Lord? Will I reflect badly on Him, if I wear this?

When our questions are addressing the real issue, we realize that purity is not about us or our desires. It's about living so that God's reputation is enhanced by our choices.

How important is this actually to God? Seriously.
Let's go back to the Old Testament and talk about a subject that most people spend very little time thinking about, OK? And hang in there, with me.
Way back in Genesis, Abraham did it. Then Moses made sure that all the men of the children of Israel did it. Paul and some of the leaders of the church had an argument about it.
What is it?
Circumcision.
Circumcision was a God-ordained sign of His covenant for the patriarchs and for the Jewish men from then on. It meant they were part of His covenant family, and that they lived under His law. Circumcision was something that opened the door for everything else: temple worship, sacrifices, the priesthood. But why did God choose that particular sign? After all, it is painful for the little boy babies, right? Yes, it is. And it's so personal, and private. No one else but a man (and his wife) would even know. I mean, come on, from the outside, no one knows which men are circumcised and which ones are not.
Maybe God should have chosen some other sign. Maybe a mark on the body. Maybe a pierced ear, or a mark on the hand.
Praise God for commentaries, right? When we study we can find nuggets that open our eyes.
I read recently, and I believe it to be true, that God chose this mark in a man's most private parts, so that in the most intimate moments of life, he would remember that he belonged to God. If he chose to sin with a woman, especially with a "foreign" (outside of the Hebrew nation) woman, he would have to do it with a reminder that he had been set apart for God. He belonged to God, body, soul, and spirit, and even what went on behind closed doors must belong to God, too.

We went down that little rabbit trail in order to say this: we can see that purity matters because all of our lives matter to our Father. Nothing is hidden from the Lord, even the things that we may try with all our might to hide. And we can't talk about outward purity unless we are inwardly pure -- the New Testament calls that having our hearts "circumcised." That setting aside to Him still matters; it's the state of our hearts that He really cares about.

The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.  (Deuteronomy 30:6)

Our hearts.
Do we have pure hearts?
Many Christians will admit that they feel far from God. They long for the closeness that we sing of, in hymns and songs. One strategy is to be determined to pursue purity in every part of our lives. As long as we allow impure thoughts, words, or even deeds, to be part of our lives, we can't get closer to Him. If we continue to cover up the truth, and hide our "secrets" (which He already knows) we can't possibly get nearer to Him.

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,    but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

Oh, for courage to confess our sins to Him, to bring those secrets out into the open. We can be healed, cleansed, and forgiven! But heed this warning . . . the devil will fight us every step of the way! Especially in the area of moral and sexual sins. It's not just the lust or the pride that he uses as tools against us. Even worse is the shame and guilt for what we've done, or said, or thought. We can't shake that guilt until we decide we're ready to do whatever it takes to be pure before Him.

We can't get clean until we decide to wash off that dirt. And then we can stay out of the dirt. That doesn't mean we won't fail, that we won't ever fall back down in the dirt. Nope.
We're going to have to wrestle with the world, and with our own flesh, and with the devil until we go to heaven! But with God's grace, we can get up, and wash off, and walk again.

Perhaps we are feeling defeated. Perhaps we've messed up so badly in the past that sometimes we wonder -- the devil loves to make us do this -- if He can really forgive us. Past sins and moral failures can haunt us. Are we actually dirty and stained with sin for life?
No way!
Sin does have its consequences. But Jesus tells us to "rise and walk."
And He tells us to "go and sin no more."

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (I John 1:7)

 Tomorrow we'll look at some helpful thoughts for us as we strive to "stay out of the dirt."

What are we listening to?

We're talking about purity this week, and so a "what are we listening to?" post seems appropriate.

One way that we can maintain our purity is with our music. Making the right choices there can influence our whole day!

If we want our thoughts to be on the things of verse 8 in chapter four of Philippians:

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Then we must follow the instructions of the Psalms:

How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
    teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
    all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:9-16)

Hymns and praise songs are wonderful ways to guide our thoughts and allow the Spirit to infuse us with His peace!
What are we listening to, today?
I have been listening to some songs that get me anticipating the Thanksgiving season. Like this one:

Staying out of the dirt

We're lingering in the book of Ruth for one more week . . . did the title of this post catch your eye? I don't mean to be trivial, for our subject of study this week is pretty important.
Married or single, young or not-as-young-as-we-used-to-be, we have a responsibility as believers to remain morally and sexually pure. The characters in our focus passage modeled this for us, and I was struck by the opportunity to discuss something that is truly needed in our world, today.

First of all, let's look back at when Boaz first became aware of the presence of Ruth in his harvest fields.  He cautioned the young men to be kind to her, and to "behave like gentlemen" in verse 9:

Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled. (Ruth 2:9)

Boaz told Ruth that his young men would not stop her from harvesting, nor would they approach her. One has to imagine that in the harvest fields, a lovely young woman would attract attention, and he had cautioned his men "not to lay a hand on" her. Some scholars say it was just to allow her to glean there in the field, and others say that it was to make certain that she was not flirted with, or more. Maybe it was a little of both?

Boaz also gives us another example of purity when he discovers Ruth at his feet during the night. When he tries to turn over in his sleep on the threshing floor, he awakes to see her there. Ruth, beautifully clothed, smelling lovely, and probably looking radiant, reveals to him the kinsman relationship that Naomi has told her about. His response is mature, and he works to preserve her good reputation:

The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.” (Ruth 3:10-14)

He takes no liberties with the young woman, and remarks that he is honored she sought him out, instead of running after a younger man. And he has her leave before daylight, so that no one can sully her reputation.
Oh, what a difference!
If this were a story or movie of today, there'd be more than sleep happening at that threshing floor!

All joking aside, Boaz and Ruth showed restraint and purity in their relationship. They knew that God intended for sexual intimacy to happen in the loving relationship of marriage.

Why is this so foreign to people today? Why is this considered "quaint" or old-fashioned?

What are young people bombarded with, in today's world? Why is this such a difficult challenge, this idea of purity?
Well, let us count the ways . . .
Pornography has come out of the dark closet and is paraded on Main Street.
The internet makes absolutely vile things available to the very young.
Homosexuality is seen as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, even something to emulate.
The television brings things into our living rooms that would have made us blush before -- now they don't seem to surprise or shock us anymore. Television shows routinely showcase adultery, premarital sex, quick abortions, lesbianism, abuse of both children and adults . . . the list seems to go on forever. It should not surprise us that young people and older folks alike have difficulty with the concept of sexual purity.
But as believers, we see a lot in the Bible about it!
Moral purity:

Blessed are the pure in heart,    for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)

Sexual purity:

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (I Thessalonians 4:3-7)

 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (I Corinthians 6:18-20)

Should we notice something in these verses?
See God . . . This is the will of God . . . .God called us . . . . glorify God.
Purity is not only about sex.
It's definitely not just about rules for what we can or can't do.
Purity is not just about what we watch, or what we read, or even what we say.
It's much, much more.
Purity is all about God!

We'll continue our study next time. I hope you'll join me . . . we need to remember to stay out of the dirt!

Friday slowdown

I am resolved no longer to linger,

Charmed by the world’s delight,

Things that are higher, things that are nobler,

These have allured my sight.

Refrain:

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;

Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I will hasten, hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;

Jesus, Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I am resolved to go to the Savior,

Leaving my sin and strife;

He is the true One, He is the just One,

He hath the words of life.

I am resolved to follow the Savior,

Faithful and true each day;

Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth,

He is the living Way.

I am resolved to enter the kingdom

Leaving the paths of sin;

Friends may oppose me, foes may beset me,

Still will I enter in.