All That Thrills My Soul is Jesus

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus
By His presence all divine
True and tender, pure and precious
O, how blest to call Him mine

Chorus
All that thrills my soul is Jesus
He is more than life to me
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see

Love of Christ so freely given
Grace of God beyond degree
Mercy higher than the heavens
Deeper than the deepest sea

What a wonderful redemption
Never can a mortal know
Oh my sin, though red like crimson
Can be whiter than the snow

Every need His hand supplying
Every good in Him I see
On His strength divine relying
He is all in all to me

By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing
And forever and forever
Praise and glorify the King

Written by Thoro Harris in 1931, this particular hymn is also known by it’s first line – “Who can cheer a heart like Jesus?”  Mr. Harris was an author of many hymns and spent most of his adult life in Chicago and later retired to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  I found it interesting that this song was written right in the middle of the Great Depression.  Although I could not confirm this, I am assuming based upon his age that he was in Chicago during the Great Depression, and as many of you know, the big cities in America were the hardest hit during that economic depression.  I wondered “How can an author write about being “blest” when the country was in such a great time of financial crisis?”  “How can someone be cheerful and thrilled during times of great turmoil and uncertainty?”  I think Mr. Harris answers that question for us.  It is Jesus.  True happiness is not found in a thriving economy.  It is not found in great wealth.  True joy is found in the presence of Jesus, and knowing that we have been cleansed by His saving grace.  That is the only thing that can truly cheer our souls.

Couple of comments on the lyrics:

• Oh my sin, though red like crimson, can be whiter than snow – The opening chapter of the Book of Isaiah contains some pretty harsh words about the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  Isaiah is speaking on the Lord’s behalf, and is telling the people of their wicked rebellious ways.  Verse after verse talks about the judgment that has come upon the people for forgetting God and forsaking Him.  If you read the first 15 verses, you almost want to tear those pages out, and find an encouraging Psalm to read.  But we must endure the realities of the judgment of the first part of Isaiah 1 so that we can be encouraged by verse 18.  Verse 18 tells us “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”  These words are reminders that God is a God of forgiveness and mercy – of second, third, and fourth chances.  A God that takes what is scarlet and crimson and washes it white as snow.  I am encouraged when I found myself more like the people of Israel – rebellious and forgetful of the Lord’s blessing.  I am encouraged to know that He desires to reason together, to reconcile, to wipe the slate clean, and to offer forgiveness to us.

• Every need His hand supplying – This phrase reminds me of Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”  Most of the time we focus on the “need” part of this Scripture.  But I also like the phrase in this song that talks about “His Hand” doing the supplying.  The Bible says the Hand of the Lord is Mighty (Joshua 4:24).  That His Hand is full of righteousness (Psalm 48:10).  Psalm 95:7 tells us, we are the sheep of His hand.  God takes care of His children, His sheep, by providing for them with His loving, gentle, strong and firm Hands.  He does supply our needs…and many of our wants as well.  I pray however that His faithfulness in supplying doesn’t create a reaction in the people of God to take Him for granted.  We cannot become like the children of Israel – God blesses, the people forget.  We must recognize and be grateful for His provision and His care.

Have you ever jumped out of an airplane…on purpose?  Parachuted thousands of feet from a plane to the Earth?  What about bungee jumping off a bridge, or in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee?  Have you ever driven a race car?  Have you ever ridden a hand glider?  From the top of Lookout Mountain here locally, you can literally run off the side of the mountain with a glider strapped to your back and fly like a bird.  All of these activities are pursued by people who consider themselves “thrill seekers.”  They are looking for that next adrenaline rush.  The next big thing.

The chorus of this song says “all that thrills my soul is Jesus” and it caused me do a little introspection.

Am I a “thrill” seeker?  Does doing the work of Christ excite me?  Does the opportunity to share kindness and to share the Gospel excite me, or do I look at it as a drudgery?  Am I seeking opportunities to share God’s love with a dying world?  Do I go out of my way and take my time to find people that need to hear the Good News of Jesus?  Can I say that all that thrills my soul is Jesus?

When I answer those questions honestly, the answer is too often “No.”  Other things tend to capture my thoughts and my attention.  The pleasures, and problems, of this world become distractions from the thing that should thrill me most – knowing and serving Jesus.  I pray today for myself and for you that you become a “thrill-seeker.”  One who “seeks first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” and that you trust Him to “add all these things unto you” by His mighty, righteous, supplying Hand.