Looking into the hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"

Today we will examine the hymn "When I survey the wondrous cross" and I will comment in parentheses....I think a song means more when we look at it in a non-musical manner-just pondering the words, so join me here....

 "When I survey the wondrous cross" (to survey means to look at thoroughly, to investigate, examine....so I ponder what that cross meant to Jesus - an altar of Love where He sacrificed Himself to bear ALL our sin) "on which the Prince of Glory died"
(the Prince of Glory-what a perfect name for Him!)

"my richest gain I count but loss" (anything that made me feel important, or that I loved or paid attention to-even my accomplishments done for Him in His Church-as Paul said - "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ....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." Phil. 3:7-8)
"And pour contempt on all my pride." (I disregard it, I lay down my pride at the foot of the cross...I abhor any thought that would exalt itself or me...anything I am or have accomplished has come from HIM anyway!)

verse 2.."Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood." (for me, this means that nothing is as precious to me as the sacrifice He made on my behalf on that Cross-He suffered shame & contempt to bear my sin before a Holy God-His own Father - so I could be counted worthy to receive Eternal Life!)

verse 3 ..."See, from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down." (can you picture this? His love for US motivated him to give His very life-to shed his blood as the Passover Lamb for us...)
"Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?" (love and sorrow-he felt them both in greater degrees than we will EVER know!)

And Lord Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer, all I can say now is "thank you" and "I fall on my face before you", because only YOU are worthy of ALL honor, ALL glory, All power and praise forever and ever! Amen!

 As you leave here today, I pray you will take time to ponder what the Prince of Glory did for you - to allow you to have the gift of Eternal Life which is to know God the Father as your own...to be in that relationship which is beyond a dream!  :)