Sunday Songbook, Monday

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

Phillipians 3:8

We sang I'd Rather Have Jesus in church today. It is one of my faves even though it has been maybe a year since I have read or heard it. When a hymn is kept from the senses for a time its meaning can be renewed. It seemed so timely to hear it now that the "shopping season" is upon us. Funny though, I thought it was the CHRISTMAS season. A time of great joy and eternal hope turned into Happy Holidays. Then there is the depression that sets in when you begin to rationalize spending three months salary on 15 minutes of unwrapping. Really? Is it worth it?

I’d Rather Have Jesus

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

I’d Rather Have Jesus is a song written by Rhea F. Miller with the tune written by George Beverly Shea. This poem, written in 1922, was left on a piano in the Shea home by Bev Shea who wanted her son to find it and change the course of his life.

The words, I’d rather have Jesus, moved George so much and spoke to him about his own aims and ambitions in life. He sat down at the piano and began singing them with a tune that seemed to fit the words. Shea’s mom heard him singing it and asked him to sing it at church the next day.

George’s life direction did change. He was offered a popular music career with NBC, but a few years later chose to become associated with evangelist Billy Graham and sang this hymn around the world.

Information from All About God

Now I'm not saying that I am going to forgo the entire Christmas morning frenzy or the joy of sharing simple gifts from the heart with others, but I do know that the handmade and thrift store treasures will out number the store bought ones and the focus will be on the true meaning of the CHRISTmas season.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5