At The Cross

It is no secret that I love hymns. What you may not know, however, is that I find the ordinance of Holy Communion to be one of the most sacred times in the liturgy of the church. I am grateful that Jesus encouraged us that whenever we partake of the symbolic elements representing His broken body and shed blood, that we do so in remembrance of Him.

One of the best ways that we remember what Jesus Christ did at Calvary is through singing the songs that place us at the foot of the cross, reminding us who we are, why we were in need of a Savior, and the awesome cost that Jesus paid for us. While I am moved by most of the hymns that usher us to the cross--that ancient landmark of our faith, my absolute favorite hymn to sing as we go to the Table is “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed” (which we know as “At the Cross”) written by Isaac Watts in 1707. Those lyrics, particularly the fourth verse, prompt me to respond to Jesus’ loving sacrifice with the sacrifice and surrender of myself and my life to the will of God and the cause of Christ:

But drops of tears can ne'er repay

the debt of love I owe.

Here, Lord, I give myself away;

'tis all that I can do.

What is your favorite Communion hymn? What about that particular song moves your heart and stirs your soul?

Growing in Christ

Pastor Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah