~ Liz Curtis Higgs ~
I have to admit, I am an audio-visual gal…I am the closest to God through songs. I know – strange. There is one song in our current hymnal, that for the life of me I can not finish singing. Not because I don’t like the song — no, I love it. The words just cut to my heart and when we start the second stanza, I am in tears. Oh, you are wondering which song I am talking about? Glad you asked…”Were you there?”. Let me share with you the second stanza:
“Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?”
We usually sing the song during the Lenten season, which is already a season of reflection. When we sing the song — well, I kind of loose it completely…bawling like a baby. I visualize that my sins hang with Him on the ‘tree’. He took the nails that I deserved! All I can think off how much He suffered, because I am a rotten apple. But He loved me so much, that He did what needed to be done so I will be able to spend eternity with Him…
This maybe will freak you out, but you know, when I get to heaven, the first thing I want to do it touch His nail-scarred hands. There is nothing more beautiful to me than the Hands that saved me from eternal damnation…Yes, Lord, I embrace the grace You have extended to me – I love You, Lord! I just wish that more people would embrace Your gift…
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” ~ Romans 5:1-2 (ESV)
Do you embrace the grace He has given you today? Please share with me…Blessings on your day and as always…
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Yes, I embrace the gift He has given me today.
What a beautiful post!! Now, I have tears in my eyes!! I don’t think you are weird at all to want to touch His nail-scarred hands as soon as you get to heaven. Not at all. What a beautiful thought to go to bed on….It’s Monday evening here. Thank you for hosting this. Blessings to you too.
Love that quote. And as a musician, I completely understand the power of music. That is one of my favorite Lenten hymns too. Beautifully said!
Me too, the first thing I want to do is kiss his hands. This is beautiful.
I LOVE that song. Even through the hard times I try to embrace the Grace and Mercy given to me. Sometimes remembering WHOSE I am and what He did for me is what gets me through those times.
Excellent quote for the return of the IOW! Thank you. 🙂
Iris, thanks for picking this quote and the thoughts you shared about it. The timing is a gift from God to me, personally! Until this summer, I avoided thinking about Jesus’ nail scarred hands. I tripped heading up my deck steps and cut myself pretty bad on my palm. The wound, as shallow as it was, took forever to heal and left a mark until mid fall. The Lord used that little wound to remind me of the one He took for me. Talk about perspective! I was so thankful for that scar. I just might go get myself a sharpie and put it back there on my palm. I need that perspective this week as we battle colds once again!
What a beautiful post! I love the song also. Sometimes when I really sit and think about what Jesus did for me it really brings tears to my eyes. I know what you mean about kissing those hands. I think when I get there it’s going to be quite a while before I even look for my beloved mom, I’m going to be too busy kissing those hands and worshiping at his feet.
Thanks for sharing
God bless
I love, love, love that song. We sang it in choir when I was in high school. It had the same effect on me as on you. What a lovely post. Thank you for reminding me of the gift.
I have always been touched by that song as well. Thank you for sharing so well.
Love the quote! I too have not been able to get through certain songs during the church service! God bless you!
You have captured how great the LORD is in such a simple way He suffered and gave Himself for us. He gave us music to celebrate and share our love from the very depths of our soul. How great is our God. Thank you for a moving post Iris.
Thanks for picking this quote and sharing this song. It touched my heart.
Oh your post took me back to a little church in the South. A (large) African American man standing in the balcony at the back of the church singing this song in his deep baritone voice. No instruments. Just his voice. Still get chills thinking about it.
The power of music always gets me. Thank you for the memory.
Reading your posts I wonder each time more and more what had happened to you that you became so religious. I respect everybody’s personal faith in whatever religion but I personally went the other way around.
Oh, I love that song too. Music has always played a big part in my life. Now I have Christian music to listen to instead of the other! Thanks for sharing Iris.
btw…I’m sorry for Gattina.
Music is one of my strongest bonds with God. Through it I can tell him so much! I wonder if I would be brave enough to touch the scarred hands! But I am sure he will let us if we ask! Blessings on you today!
I agree it is a powerful song, but if I were completely honest, I’d have to say I have a hard time imagining Jesus’s suffering on the cross. It is so far from any experience I have had. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t wrap my head around it. Praise God I don’t have to “get it” to receive His grace. He is something, isn’t He?! Thanks for hosting this week!
Iris,
When I saw todays quote, I smiled. Thank you for choosing such a touching and telling topic for today. We are promised nothing more than being held by our saviors nail scarred hands- what an amazing visual and an expression of unconditional love.
Thank you for hosting this week, I hope to participate more regularly now.
Be Blessed,
Heather
I was there, Iris….. when they nailed him to the tree… I was there, with my heart full of vile, deeply rooted sin…
And now I cling to that tree… and let the blood wash over me…
Mercy is my only hope.
Thank you, Iris…
All is gift,
Ann V.
YES!!! I love singing praise songs too. It gives me a different kind of feeling. I have a collection of cds both at home and at work. I always start my day at home and at work listening to praise songs especially when I am bothered about something.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful lines from this song. May I know who the singer is?
Yup. There is something about music that cuts through all my barriers and gets into my soul.
Thanks for hosting this week and for your beautiful words. Much to think about. And I agree – I am totally a music person.
That’s beautiful. I love how music can move us the way words sometimes cannot.
I love music and so many songs make me tear up – some more than others. I don’t freak out by knowing you want to touch His hands. I hope you are having a good day – just wanted to touch base since I don’t get to “talk” to you that often….
I know EXACTLY what you mean!! I always feel so close to Jesus when my hands are lifted and I am singing his praises! I have a song that I feel similarly about… “Here I am to Worship” by Matt Redmond. The line that says “I’ll never know how much it cost, to see my sin upon that cross” gets me every time! How precious is our Savior and the work he did on that WONDERFUL cross!!!
This quote really touched me. No matter how we falter, He is holding us near to Him. What better place to be?
You inspired me, so I could finally get mine written. Thank you. It’s all about Him.
I have so missed you all!!! The holidays ate me up…but I guess that’s better than me eating them up. 🙂 Iris-what a great quote and thanks for the words…can’t wait to visit everyone!
Iris, funny you should mention that particular song. We sang that song on the first women’s retreat I EVER attended immediately after getting saved (1983). I cried like a baby…I couldn’t even say all the words, I was choking up so bad. It still moves me.
When I was a child, I remember having a dream where the Lord came to me and showed me His nailscarred hands and feet. I woke up profoundly moved and tearful. I don’t often tell people about this. I can understand your wanting to touch His nail scars when you get to heaven.
Thank you Iris. Beautiful.
thank you for sharing this iris! i am so thankful i stopped by for a visit today.
shalom my sister. xo
Iris, you are not alone. I, too, respond wholeheartedly through song. As I read your post, I’m playing Third Day’s Offerings II ~ “Show Me Your Glory” is playing now and I am reminded of His grace, love and care for me. May we continue know Him in this imtimate way ~ true worship.
Be blessed. ;D
Beautiful post as always, Iris! While you’re touching His hands, I’ll be touching the hem of his robe.
The question that is even harder for me is, am I there now? Willing to be “on the tree,” to share His redemption with the world. Mostly, I admit, I just want to associate my life with the resurrection part, not the sacrifice.
Just beautiful Iris. I am not surprised that you cannot finish singing that hymn, I think I would struggle not to cry too. I often cry at worship and reading scripture. To see His nail pierced hands…such love.
I guess I can’t count the songs that affect me that way- there are so many. About His hands- back in 1995 my Dad had several heart attacks and following the last one he died on the operating table during emergency bypass. The Dr.s were able to bring him back (he’s still with us yet) but when I saw him in the ICU afterward I did not want to leave his side. We had young children at home and I had no choice, though. All the way home I asked God to show me that Dad would be okay. That night, before I fell asleep, I saw in a vision the most beautiful hands I have ever seen. I knew without being told that these were the same hands who healed the blind, deaf and lame, the same hands who created the universe. In my vision these same hands were gently holding my Dad’s heart. Remembering the way those hands looked still reduces me to tears.
I came to Christ through the ministry of Young Life (in high school). We sang that same song at our weekly meetings! I imagine the melody was updated or different because the singing was led by a guitar-player. I wonder how this song sounds as a hymn? Music is very powerful and touches my soul too.
I enjoyed reading all the comments on this post today. So many lovely Christian women come to visit you. :~)