In Christ Alone

It’s been months, this feeling of sadness and anxiety. I’ve felt a pain I’ve never felt before, one that goes away long enough for me to think I’ve overcome it, then comes back just when I feel my strongest. It’s a feeling of loneliness. I have fallen away from the old me, the me who used to spend hours talking to God and enjoying His creation. Now I’m stuck in this rut of doing things that are not satisfying. Though I feel broken, I am not, for I am God’s and He is my strength. He holds me together when I’m weak, He forgives me when it’s hard to forgive myself, and He leads me when I feel deserted. God is my all and I want my life to express that. In Christ alone my hope is found-when the world seems too big and too bad to go on living in. He is my light-when mine feels faint. He is my strength-when my body is weak. He is my song-all other songs bring sin into my heart because they are not pleasing to my God. This cornerstone-secure and permanent, this solid ground-never changing or moving. He is firm through the fiercest drought-when my life seems empty, He is firm through the fiercest storm-when everything and everyone seems to be against me. What heights of love-that He would die for me. What depths of peace-that calms my heart when I’m anxious. When fears are stilled-He is praised, when strivings cease-my heart is still. He is my comforter-when I’m being emotional, my all in all, here in the love of Christ I stand.  In Christ alone who took on flesh-humbling himself to become like us. Fullness of God in helpless babe-which was the plan from the beginning. This gift of love-that God sent to us, not because He had to but because He wanted to. This gift of righteousness-stepping down from heaven into a sin filled world only to save us. He was scored by the ones He came to save-though He knew He would be mocked, He still came and died. On that cross as He died-for being perfect, the wrath of God was satisfied-Jesus said it Himself, “It is finished”. For every sin-past, present, and future, was laid on Him-something we never deserved. Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay-having defeated sin. He is the light of world by darkness slain. Then bursting forth in glorious day-just when all hope was gone, up from the grave He rose again-defeating death once and for all. As He stands in victory-deserving all of our praise, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me-my chains have been broken. For I am His-His daughter, and He is mine-my King, I have been bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life-no matter how “bad” it may seem, I have been forgiven. No fear in death-for I will live forever with Him. This is the power of Christ in me-that I can place all of me at His feet. From life’s first cry, to final breath-which is such a short time, Jesus commands my destiny-and because of that I do not fear failure in this life. No power of hell or scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand-for He is the mighty Creator, everything shall bow before Him. Until He returns-coming through the clouds of majesty, or calls me home-when my body will be buried, awaiting to reunite with my soul upon the return of my Savior, here in the power of Christ I will stand.