PLEASE WATCH a beautiful tribute to “Just As I Am.” CLICK here.
When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. – Titus 3:4-5
Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871), wrote the words to the simple hymn, “Just As I Am,” that has been used to touch the hearts of millions. She seemed to have everything going for her as a young woman. She was gifted as a portrait artist and also as a writer of humorous verse. Then in her early thirties she suffered a serious illness that left her weak and depressed.
During her illness a noted minister, Dr. Caesar Malan of Switzerland, came to visit her. Noticing her depression, he asked if she had peace with God. She resented the question and said she did not want to talk about it. But a few days later she went to apologize to him. She said that she wanted to clean up some things in her life before becoming a Christian. He looked at her and said, “Come just as you are.” That was enough for Charlotte Elliott, and she yielded herself to the Lord that day.*
The late Billy Graham, was himself converted to Christianity in 1934 at a revival meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, led by Dr. Mordecai Ham, after hearing Elliott’s song, “Just As I Am.” It would later become an invitation song in almost all of the Billy Graham evangelistic crusades all over the world. Dr. Graham also used the title of the hymn for his 1997 book, “Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham.”
Do you know of someone today who believes they must become good enough before they can give their hearts to Jesus? Please let them know that is something they will never be. But it is also something they don’t need to be. God’s grace will accept them just as they are. Could that someone be you?
R. Kent Hughes in his wonderful commentary on Romans said it well, “No matter how great your sin in quantity or depth, God’s grace superabounds to you! No one is beyond the grace of Christ.”
– Maranatha!
*William J. Peterson and Randy Peterson, The One Year Book of Hymns
