What Could You Do?

Good Morning,

In 1835, a 46-year-old woman named Charlotte Elliot was a frustrated Christ-follower. She had a deep desire to help a local church she cared about.  But due to illness and fatigue she was unable to help in ways she desired. Amid her frustrations, she recalled a conversation 12 years prior with an evangelist who told her she need only bring herself to God. Nothing more was required. Instead of wishing she could do more she realized she needed to simply do what she could.  And what she could do was write.

She sat down and penned a poem, the words of which have impacted millions since.

Just as I am without one plea but that
Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee
Oh lamb of God I come I come

Just as I am Lord Thou tossed about
With many a conflict and many a doubt
Fighting fears within and without
Oh lamb of God I come I come

Her poem was published, translated into hundreds of languages, used to raise money to help a hospital, and has subsequently been included in more than 1,600 hymnals.

Ninety-nine years after Charlotte wrote her poem, 15-year old Billy Graham was sitting in a crowd listening to evangelist Mordecai Ham. As he wrestled with his desire to one day play professional baseball (his childhood hero was Babe Ruth), Billy could not escape the tug of the Holy Spirit.  At the end of the service one evening the choir sang two songs, Just As I Am and Almost Persuaded.  Billy went forward and gave his life to Christ.

Billy Graham went on to speak to over 215 million people at live events alone with an estimated 2.2 million accepting Christ.  And what hymn did Billy use to invite people to Jesus? Just As I Am.  I am guessing Charlotte Elliot never dreamed the impact her simple poem would make on the world.  Her gift to God, and to us, was simply “what she could do”.

Instead of wishing you had other gifts, resources, talents and skills, what would it look like for you to simply do what you can?  In the hands of an infinitely creative God, that could amount to more than you could ever dream.

Live this week on purpose,
Ron Klopfenstein