That Kind of Savior

I thought I'd said what I needed to say to honor Memorial Day. (See THIS POST.) But the Holy Spirit woke me up at 2 a.m. with 3 Scriptures and a song from 1861.

I got up and read the verses, struck silent by their message.

I heard Him say then, "I know every name."

What men dishonor and forget, He doesn't. But the truth of His words is far greater.

“The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.” (Jn 10:13)

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:” (Jn 3:14)

“For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” (Ps 103:14)

Overwhelmed, I sang the song next, the words I knew, and stopped short at my remembrance.

The “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was written by Julia Ward Howe in November 1861. She was a pacifist, a staunch abolitionist, and an advocate for women’s suffrage. Of writing the words, she once said:

“I went to bed that night as usual, and slept, according to my wont, quite soundly. I awoke in the gray of the morning twilight; and as I lay waiting for the dawn, the long lines of the desired poem began to twine themselves in my mind. Having thought out all the stanzas, I said to myself, ‘I must get up and write these verses down, lest I fall asleep again and forget them.’ So, with a sudden effort, I sprang out of bed, and found in the dimness an old stump of a pencil which I remembered to have used the day before. I scrawled the verses almost without looking at the paper.”

This moves me. I cannot begin to tell you the number of times I’ve done the same, including the thoughts behind this post. The Holy Spirit loves to interrupt my sleeping and how easy it is to forget, though He is faithful when I do to remind me of them. (See Jn 14:26)

The chorus of the song Ms. Howe wrote is remembered the most: “Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.” But it is two lines from the fifth stanza that I couldn’t get past. Understand, I wasn’t thinking of these things when I went to bed.

“In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me.
AS HE DIED TO MAKE MEN HOLY, LET US DIE TO MAKE MEN FREE,
While God is marching on.”

One man died so that all could be free.

Not a hireling, but the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, who loved the sheep so much He gave Himself as sacrifice. FOR OUR ULTIMATE FREEDOM. Freedom of spirit and soul from the bondage of sin and death.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus HATH MADE ME FREE from the law of sin and death.” (Rm 8:2)

Having sacrificed Himself, He sees those who have done the same.

He knows every name and remembers we are but dust. Take a few minutes today to say “thank you” – to Him and to those who paid the price with their lives. His death honors their deaths. He is that kind of Savior.

Photo from Wikipedia


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.feelgoodromance.com
www.suzannedwilliams.com<br />