Drawing Forth Deeper Thankfulness

"If the first sight of the cross by the eye of fatih kindles feelings never to be forgotten, and in one sense never to be repeated - like the first view of an enchanted landscape - the experimental discovery in the latter stages of the Christian life, of its power to beat down and mortify inveterate corruption, to cleanse and heal from long-continued backslidings and frightful inconsistencies, and so to triumph over all that threatens to destroy those for whom Christ died as to bring them safe over the tempestuous seas of this life into the haven of eternal rest - this will be attended with even more heart-affecting wonder, drawing forth a deeper thankfulness and a more exalted adoration of Him whose work Salvation is from first to last.

"When one is unable to go far into the investigation of indwelling sin without breaking out into an, O wretched man that I am!" and cannot enter on the way of relief without exclaiming "I thank God through Jesus Chris our Lord" he will find his meditations rich in fruit to his own soul, and may expect, through Him who presides in all such matters, to kindle in his readers or hearers the like blessed emotions."

- Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary on Romans 7:18,24

"If the first sight of the cross by the eye of fatih kindles feelings never to be forgotten, and in one sense never to be repeated

Remember very early on reading through the account of Abraham and Issac one day, very young in the faith and having some sort of fuzzy recollection of the 'types and shadows' as it were. But there was something that went off like a stage light at;

[i]And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, [b]God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering[/b]: ...[/i]

That may have been the first real look at the cross when my mind juxtaposed them together ... I just recall it taking my breath away, my astonishment, fear ... the crushing weight of it all, my sin ... my ... culpability and wretchedness, how unworthy and yet ... profound thankfulness that it all could be so true, Christ died for [i]me[/i]. I agree that it is very much 'never to be repeated' in this sense - even the retelling seems weak and beggarly.

What I do recall of it all though was how powerful it all was, in a moment I burst out into tears and fell from the desk on to my face ...

What I do recall of it all though was how powerful it all was, in a moment I burst out into tears and fell from the desk on to my face ...

And suddenly my eyes fell upon the verses (paraphrased): [i]"I know my sheep, and am known of them. A stranger's voice they will not follow. My Father gave them to me and they will not perish. I am the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for His sheep..."[/i]

And suddenly my eyes filled with tears, my whole body trembled, the words on the page started to get blurry and fuzzy as tears dropped onto the paper. Prisms of light doubled and tripled the words until finally I could no longer see them. [i]I knew I was one of the sheep. God knew me by name and had sent His Son to die for me.[/i] I then heard His voice confirm this, in an instant, I knew Jesus Christ was the truth. I understood the cross. The book fell from my hands and I collapsed from my chair to the floor on my face, sobbing uncontrollably, knowing I was a sinner.

Yes, even now, the tears come, just remembering that hallowed day. But the tears are not like that first time - they can never like the first time the cross is unveiled to the sin-sick soul. Such a moment can never be repeated.

Such a moment can never be repeated.

Truly it cannot, yet I have a longing...I know a better day awaits. Only one day will ever eclipse the precious day on which someone is saved.

What A Day That Will Be

There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come
No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye.
All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;
And forever I will be with the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
What a day, glorious day that will be!

I agree that it is very much 'never to be repeated' in this sense - even the retelling seems weak and beggarly.

I often long for that experience to be repeated. I have approached it, begged for it, yet I have never really been near it again. Sounds strange to say, but...

I have never encounter anything as wicked as myself the day I first saw Jesus on the cross. I, too, fell on my face bursting into tears as the precious blood of Christ bathed me.

One day I will experience His glory…and it will be forever. Amen.

Thanks for sharing brothers...

I have never encounter anything as wicked as myself the day I first saw Jesus on the cross. I, too, fell on my face bursting into tears as the precious blood of Christ bathed me.

It's that first [i]look[/i] - that true first [i]look[/i] to the Serpent on the pole that you you'll never forget. Looking at up at Him, as a snakebitten wretch, simultaneously realizing you are a venom-stricken dead man...but that God already had the antivenom waiting as you sought other "physicans" to attain the cure. O what mercy! What thought-transcending mercy and grace!