Tuesday 22nd
Romans 8:24
NIV – ‘For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?’
ESV – ‘For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?’
Arise, my soul, arise!
Charles Wesley – RH200
The day before I prepared this devotion the words of the hymn that we have turned to today came to my mind while I was preparing other ministry and I immediately felt I should include it in these devotions.
I want to start it off with a reference to 2 Timothy 2:5-6 ‘For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.’
There is a man in glory who stands in the presence of God on our behalf, and he has nailed scarred hands and feet and the scar from a spear in his side, and his name is Jesus! This should thrill us that Jesus stands in the presence of God interceding for us and he can do it because he suffered for us, he came into this world to bear not only our sin, but also the punishment we deserved for it and the proof is there in the presence of God. ‘Five bleeding wounds he bears, received on Calvary; they pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me: “Forgive him, oh, forgive,” they cry, “Forgive him, oh, forgive,” they cry, “Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”
The whole thrust of this hymn is about the intercessory work of the Lord Jesus as our Great High Priest. It starts off with an instruction to us as believers to arise and shake off our guilty fears, in other words, taking another Scripture to remind us that ‘there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ why? Because he has procured an effective and a full salvation, because he bears the five bleeding wounds to prove it, and because he stands before his Father’s throne as our surety, our guarantee that whosoever comes and believes will be forgiven, saved and reconciled. His sacrifice was and still is sufficient to save and to cause that for all who come to him the past is blotted out! Therefore, there is now no condemnation, our past should not longer haunt us or cause us to fear – we are forgiven, and God has forgotten, he has blotted it out, and Jesus has the scars to prove it.
The final verse in this hymn is ‘My God is reconciled, his pardoning voice I hear; he owns me for his child, I can no longer fear; with confidence I now draw nigh, and ‘Father, Abba, Father,’ cry.’ These old hymn writers certainly used the Word of God as the basis of their compositions, bringing theology in song, and we need to grab hold of the wonder of these truths, that because of those wounds, we are reconciled, we have become the children of God, we can call God our Father, we are accepted in the beloved, and we can draw near to the mercy seat to find mercy and grace to help us in time of need. ‘For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.’ (Romans 8:15–17)
Spend some time today contemplating the wounds he bore for you on Calvary and then ponder on the benefits we have as a result, sinners saved by grace, reconciled, and accepted into the family of God and access to the throne of grace. ‘He ever lives above, for me to intercede.’
Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding Sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on his hands.
He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all-redeeming love, his precious blood to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.
Five bleeding wounds he bears, received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, oh, forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, oh, forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”
The Father hears him pray, his dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away the presence of his Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.
My God is reconciled; his pard’ning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.