Were You There?

One of my favorite songs during this time of the year is the old spiritual Were You There.  My family has to suffer early in the morning when I pretend I have a rich baritone voice and sing it quite loudly.  Now published in 145 Hymnals, it was first published in William Barton's Old Plantation Hymns in 1899.  It is such a simple song yet one of the most the most powerful hymns of all time.  While it paints a picture of the crucifixion of our Lord and somehow allows you to travel through time to the hill called Golgotha and gives you a front row seat to the most horrific scene of all history where the Son of God is killed.  The passion and pain that this song exhibits reminds me that it was my sin that nailed Him to the tree and my greed that laid Him in the tomb.  The April 10th reading of Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest reminded me that I must decide to be co-crucified with Christ and that I must make a moral decision about my sin.  I have to decide just as Christ did that my sin not be (in Chambers' words) "curbed or suppressed or counteracted, but crucified."  This decision must be mine and I must allow God to examine me and reveal to me those things that keep me from a closer relationship with Him.  Then I must live out Galatians 2:20 and be crucified with Christ so that I no longer live but Christ lives in me.  Yes, I was there when they nailed Him to that tree and when they laid Him in the tomb.  Okay, maybe I was not there physically, but I am convinced that I was on the heart and in mind of Christ because He knew that I would be a sorry sinner in need of a relationship with a Holy God. So yes, I was there when they nailed Him to that tree and I was there when they laid Him in that tomb.  But thanks be to God that I was there and have experienced His power that raised Him from the dead conquering my sin and overcoming my greed!  This is why I sing with as much passion and gusto as I can "Oh, Oh, Oh, yes sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble."  Yes I was there, but so was He....and He is still with me just as He is with you if you have asked Him to be there for you.  Thank you Jesus for loving me that much!