“Jesus” by Rich Mullins (performed by Ashley Cleveland)

Jesus

They say You walked upon the water once

When you lived as all men do

Please teach me how to walk the way You did

Because I want to walk with You

Jesus

They say you taught a lame man how to dance

When he had never stood without a crutch

Well here am I Lord holding out my withered hands

And I’m just waiting to be touched

Jesus

Write me into Your story

Whisper it to me

And let me know I’m Yours

Jesus

They say You spoke and calmed an angry wave

That was tossed across a stormy sea

Please teach me how to listen how to obey

‘Cause there’s a storm inside of me

Jesus

Write me into Your story

Whisper it to me

And let me know I’m Yours

Jesus

They drove the cold nails through Your tired hands

And rolled a stone to seal Your grave

Feels like the devil’s rolled a stone onto my heart

Can You roll that stone away?

Dear God, this is one of those great songs that it’s a crime isn’t know better. Rich Mullins wrote it shortly before his untimely death. I say untimely, but I suppose everything is in your time. But it sure felt untimely at the time.

Anyway, I love the connection between Bible stories about Jesus and an aching heart here and now. I try to imagine Rich writing it and the emotions he felt that drove the request he makes in the song.

It opens simply enough: “Please teach me how to walk the way you did because I want to walk with you.” The more I become like Jesus the more closely I can be to him. No, that’s wrong. The closer I get to him and you the more I will walk like him and be like him. My salvation is one thing. My discipleship and transformation is another that I must grow into.

Then he moves on to needing healing: “Well here I am, Lord, holding out my withered hands. And I’m just waiting to be touched.” One of the first stages of the walk is seeking your healing. Healing my soul. Chris Pratt recently said in an awards show, “You have a soul. Be careful with it.” Well, a lot of us are careless with our souls, or others damage our souls. It’s really a combination of both. But we need your healing before we can really move along in our journey with you.

The next thing is tuning into you: “Please teach me how to listen and how to obey because there’s a storm inside of me.” It’s interesting that he made a connection between the storm Jesus calmed with listening to and obeying you. I don’t think I would naturally have made that connection, but I can see it. The storms that rage inside of me—the fear, the unsettledness, and the selfishness—all combine to drown out your voice. I need your healing and your calm to bring me to a place where I can hear you.

And finally: “Feels like the devil’s rolled a stone onto my heart. Can you roll that stone away?” Father, I can’t do this myself. I need you to do it. My wounded soul. My stormy heart. My sin. My selfishness. I cannot will it to be gone, and I cannot will myself to be acceptable to you. I am acceptable to you because of Jesus’ sacrifice and because you choose by your will to accept me. Thank you for this freedom.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen