Mighty To Save

Only Jesus Christ is mighty enough to save us

When Jesus walked the earth, he preached a message of love, compassion, mercy and peace. These characteristics were demonstrated by Jesus and, by extension, the Father in heaven - and are the goals of all of us as Christians. While Jesus is the perfect expression of these qualities, it is sometimes difficult to understand how we can put them into practice in our lives. One approach to answering this question is to look at ourselves as recipients.

a href="https://www.christianmusicality.com/?page_id=32">Hillson United sings of this personal perspective in their song "Mighty To Save". The lyrics of the first verse provide a starting point for this view. Everyone needs compassion - who doesn't? Who has not had some time in their lives when they would have benefited from the compassion of others? These are times when the whole world seems to be against you; when nothing seems to be breaking in your direction, when you are hurting. They are the times when someone coming along, putting their arms around you and assuring you that things will be alright and provide the comfort and optimism that you need to keep going. These are the times when knowing that someone loves you with an unfailing love, not a fair weather love, will make such a difference.

Sometimes the sadness or bad times are due to injuries that we have inflicted on others in word or deed. We seek forgiveness for our offense. It is during then that an act of mercy towards us on their part is so important. The second verse explains that there is only one who has a love that is never failing, that is all merciful and all forgiving. That person is our Savior Jesus Christ.

In the chorus, Hillsong United sings of faith and power. Jesus stated that faith the size of a mustard seed could move mountains (Mt 17:20; Lk 17:6). While we struggle to have that much faith, it is part of who Jesus is. He has the power to move mountains. He alone has the power to save us from sin and death. Jesus is the author of salvation. By his death and resurrection, he has saved us. So many Christians miss the importance of Christ's resurrection. St. Paul explains this in his first letter to the Corinthians, stating "...if Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith" (1 Cor 15:14). This is the basis of our Christian faith.

The next verse asks God for his love, which he willingly gives since he is love: "So take me as you find me." Bishop Barron defines love as "willing the good of other as other." This is what we are asking of God - to take us and love us as we are, with all of our fears, failures, worries, blemishes, warts and sins. That is a huge order, and one that we are asked to emulate. Do we take others as they are? Or do we prefer to wait until they meet our definition of good?

In the last verse we are reminded that we can only be filled with grace, love and peace by giving our lives to God. Believe in him with our hearts, minds and bodies. Surrender to his love.

Finally, the song is asking us to let the Lord's light shine through us. We are asked to be the light of the world. We can only do that when the light of Jesus shines inside of us.

And how can we shine that light? Jesus tells us: to love others as God loves us. To will the good of other as other. To demonstrate love, compassion, mercy and grace. These are easy to say but oh so difficult to live. Let us ask Jesus for the grace to shine his light on the world.

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