As I was driving the kids home from school this afternoon, Hudson became bored and began fishing around in our old CDs. Ha! Remember those?
“Hey dad! What’s this?” Hudson shouted, as he held up a non-descript CD-R reminiscent of my music-ripping days. If you’re a child of the 80’s or early-90’s, you know what I’m talking about.
“That’s an old CD that I put some music on… probably 20 years ago.” I replied.
“Really? Like, were you singing on it?” Hudson asked.
“No, I don’t think on this one.” I told him as we slid the disc into the player.
Soon old praise songs, Steve Green solos, and a bit of Carman were flooding the walls of our minivan. We skipped through a few of the slower ballads until we arrived at the last track.
The introduction caught my ears and began to pull at the strings of my heart. The familiar 1970s baseline immediately brought me back to a dark hospital room…
My mother and I stood by the bedside of my grandma, Betty Czarnecki. She wasn’t even passed her mid-70’s. But a stroke and continued heart trouble had brought her to those final days. Grandma had gospel exposure throughout her life, but not personal gospel understanding. She was a good and loving woman, but she had not yet received full, eternal forgiveness.
In her last hours, my mother and I told her, again, of the gospel of grace and everlasting life in Jesus Christ. My mom then asked me to sing a few songs to her. The final one I sang was the last on that dusty old CD we found today.
Come unto Jesus.
Come unto Jesus, give Him your life today;
Come unto Jesus, let Him have His way!
Oh, I know there are things in your life
You think He can’t forgive;
But He’ll forgive and forget, my friend,
And show you how to live.
Come unto Jesus, give Him your heart today;
Come unto Jesus, let Him have His way!
Don’t you put it off my friend;
You can’t afford to wait;
Today’s the day for you,
Soon it could be too late!Come unto Jesus, give Him your life today;
Come unto Jesus, let Him have His way!
There in that cold, lonely room my grandma responded to God’s invitation. Her hand tightly squeezed mine and she responded with understanding and personal trust in Jesus the Christ.
My mom and I wept. But now with tears of joy.
Come unto Jesus.
Yes, you. Maybe you’ve been attending church services all your life. Perhaps you’ve been reading these notes from me for years. But do you know of true, complete forgiveness? Who owns your heart? To what effort are you clinging to maintain your standing with God? Your best stuff or Christ’s cross?
God invites you today. Don’t put it off, my friend. Give Him your life today. Come unto Jesus.
“Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.
Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 – NET)
Click on the button below to listen to Dallas Holm sing “Come Unto Jesus”:
