“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Our Father who are in heaven, hallowed be Your name! We long for Your kingdom to come, and for Your will to be done on earth as it is being done in heaven. This we claim, and for this we pray in the Holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
When you look at he title of this hymn and the verse of Scripture that we will be considering today, unless you know how the story ends, you would believe that there is no connection between the two. But knowing from where Paul came and where he is at the time this verse was written, we realize that there is real, “wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb!”
Paul had to go through a whole lot of heart transforming, and brain renewing to get to the place where it was all about Christ, and nothing about Saul, turned Paul.
The hymn describes this reality, that for the Christian it should be all about Christ and nothing about us! Let us take a look at the hymn and notice the tranformation that takes place, from the song writer’s eperience.
“Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved exalted; Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard; Not I, but Christ, in every look and action, not I but Christ, in every thought and word.
‘Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow, Not I, but Christ, to wipe the fallen tear; Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden, Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.
‘Christ, only Christ! no idle words e’re falling, Christ, only Christ! no needless bustling sound; Christ, only Christ; no self important bearing; Christ, only Christ; no trace of “I” be found.
‘Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying, Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be; Christ, only Christ, for body, soul, and spirit, Christ, only Christ, here and eternally” (A. A. F. Arr. Fannie E. Bolton).
What I notice in this hymn, is the author’s desire to let Christ be the One who receives all the honor, glory, and praise. Christ is the one who is Comforter and Burden bearer. She (the author), has allowed Christ to become all in all to those in her sphere of influence.
This is only possible, because Christ has taken charge of her behavior, her speech, and has eliminated all pride, until it is Christ and Christ alone. No trace of “I” is found!
Christ has become her Jehovah-Jireh. He gives her strength as her days. Her commitment to the will of God has been completely surrendered to Christ. This command is now her way of life: ” ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” ‘ ” (Matthew 22: 37).