Take the World, But Give Me Jesus

I don’t know about you, but watching the news lately seems to increase the uncertainty that nips at our heels all day.   If you’ve ever been around an ill-tempered little dog that delights in pestering you that way, you know what I mean – just GIT away!

If it wasn’t for the fact that I need to be conversant with people I meet, I’d turn off the news, maybe miss it altogether,  slip into ignorance (they say it’s bliss) and enjoy having less to worry about.

I can’t, though, so I’ve been doing something else lately.  I’m countering the effects of today’s news with a song I’ve known since I was a child.

This is the time to sing Christmas carols, and some of them have been around a while.  I’m singing something to myself too, though it’s not about Christmas, exactly.  It IS about the One we celebrate at Christmas, though. Does that count?  Of course it does.

Here are the lyrics I’ve been humming to the original tune.  I like Matt Redman well enough, and you may find his tune comes to mind first.  But he’s a tenor and I’m a bass.  Plus I’m over fifty.  I like the way Francis (Fanny) J Crosby expressed her thoughts in 1879 and the tune John R. Sweeny wrote for Take the World but Give Me Jesus.  So I’m singing it low – in the range where comfort-music ought to be sung.

Read these sentiments  slowly – devotionally.  Let them encourage you the way they’ve been encouraging me the last couple of weeks.  Don’t let yourself hurry through them,  they need time to soak in; especially if you just watched the news.

1. Take the world, but give me Jesus,
   All its joys are but a name;
   But His love abideth ever,
   Through eternal years the same.
2. Take the world, but give me Jesus,
   Sweetest comfort of my soul;
   With my Savior watching o’er me,
   I can sing though billows roll.
3. Take the world, but give me Jesus,
   Let me view His constant smile;
   Then throughout my pilgrim journey
   Light will cheer me all the while.
4. Take the world, but give me Jesus;
   In His cross my trust shall be,
   Till, with clearer, brighter vision,
   Face to face my Lord I see.

Refrain:
Oh, the height and depth of mercy!
Oh, the length and breadth of love!
Oh, the fullness of redemption,
Pledge of endless life above!