When O'er My Sins I Sorrow

As we spend time meditating during this season of Lent, I think it's a good time to concentrate on the atoning work of Jesus on the cross on our behalf, and our response to that gift. I think it's also a good time for us to look humbly at our own lives and ask the Holy Spirit to show us where we are falling short - to show us our sin, so that we can repent and live anew in His grace.

And that's the good news - the gospel - that when we look on our sins and are sorrowful about our human fallibility - that we look to our Lord Jesus who paid the price with His life to cover our sin! He died so that I did not have to. My sin declared me guilty and worthy of the death penalty. But Jesus took that guilt upon Himself and paid the penalty.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

When Jesus died for me, he not only spared me from death, but gloriously reconciled me to God and saved me from His wrath.

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. Colossians 1:21-22

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9

I am unworthy to be given this kind of gift. I am a sinner who has disobeyed God's commands and gone against what He says is best for me.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. I Timothy 1:15

Again, the good news is that God loved me even while I was still a sinner, and sent Jesus anyway!

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

He knew that I could never be righteous on my own, so He sent a Savior. Our Lord's precious blood was spilt to take away our guilt.

If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. I John 1:7

It's a lot to be thankful for! Join me today in thanking God for His plan of redemption, and for Jesus who humbly obeyed His Father to carry it out. And rejoice that Jesus has paid the price and can comfort us in our sorrow over our sin!

When O’er My Sins I Sorrow
Words by Jus­tus Ge­sen­i­us

When o’er my sins I sorrow,
Lord, I will look to Thee
And hence my comfort borrow
That Thou wast slain for me;
Yea, Lord, Thy precious blood was spilt
For me, O most unworthy,
To take away my guilt.

Oh, what a marvelous offering!
Behold, the Master spares
His servants, and their suffering
And grief for them He bears.
God stoopeth from His throne on high;
For me, His guilty creature,
He deigns as man to die.

My manifold transgression
Henceforth can harm me none
Since Jesus’ bloody passion
For me God’s grace hath won.
His precious blood my debts hath paid;
Of hell and all its torments
I am no more afraid.

Therefore I will forever
Give glory unto Thee,
O Jesus, loving Savior,
For what Thou didst for me.
I’ll spend my breath in songs of thanks
For Thy sad cry, Thy sufferings,
Thy wrongs, Thy guiltless death.