Give Me Jesus

I had some lovely praise and worship time this morning, thanks to a dear friend who posted some videos of songs that touched her heart. One of those songs was “Give Me Jesus.”. I remember the first time I heard it. I fell in love with it – and with the singer, Fernando Ortega. (I’ll post his beautiful version in the comments.) I loved his style of writing and singing. He was my personal worship leader.
But then my life got very busy when I started back to school. I was also working and serving at my church and caring for my family. I didn’t have – or perhaps I should say I didn’t make time for listening to my favorite musician. When we moved the CDs got packed up – and didn’t get unpacked. They weren’t a priority as I was still deep in seminary and eventually working again and along came a little girl who needed her Nana. Eventually, the box got shoved in a closet somewhere and I forgot about Fernando.
I believe that happens to us in our spiritual life too. We start out with Jesus – so in love and attentive to His word and His Spirit. We talk to Him – and about Him – at every opportunity. But then life happens and Jesus gets less and less of us. Work, family responsibilities, illness, a move, and of course, struggles, disappointments, life changes, and grief all work against our time with Jesus. Or maybe that’s just me.
All the things I’m doing are good in and of themselves. But if they draw me away from Jesus, they are not serving a good purpose. What’s the answer? I have to “Love the Lord [my] God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind and with all my strength” (Mark 12:30). He can’t just be my No. 1 priority. He has to be my only priority. He has to have all of me. Does that mean that I don’t tend to my other responsibilities? No, but it does mean that some things – maybe even good things – may have to get less of me so that Jesus can have more. I can think of several time-wasters that I can eliminate. That may be true for you too.
Beloved, when you “Delight yourself in the Lord He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). He will give you Himself.