Earlier today on Bellshill Salvation Army Band’s Facebook page I shared some devotions. I’d like to share those devotions with you tonight.
A few years ago while I was still at Rutherglen Salvation Army, Sydney Staff Songsters came for a weekend during one of their UK tours. We had an excellent weekend lead by the songsters, and while there were many highlights, for me one of the moments that I still remember vividly was on the Sunday (in Rutherglen Salvation Army hall), when Garry Druery sang the vocal solo ‘He Had To Hold To Calvary’. I had never heard that song before then, when Garry sang that song from just a few metres away me (I was sitting in the band), I felt as if the words were aimed just at me.
He could have left that cross that day
To feed the hungry who were there
He could have wiped the children’s’ tears away
To show them He still cared
He could have once again reached out His hand
To give sight to the blind
He could have kissed His mother one more time
But He had to hold to Calvary
To ever hold to me
He could not free himself and set me free
He had to surrender
To win my victory
He could not save himself and save me
He could have proven to Jerusalem
That He truly was God’s son
He could have shown those who scorned Him
That He was the mighty one
He could have grieved the crown and filled the sky
With angels to set Him free
He could have walked away from Calvary
But He had to hold to Calvary
To ever hold to me
He could not free himself and set me free
He had to surrender
To win my victory
He could not save himself and save me
But He had to hold to Calvary
To ever hold to me
He could not free himself and set me free
He had to surrender
To win my victory
He could not save himself and save me
He had to surrender
To win my victory
He could not save himself
He could have walked away from Calvary
He could not save himself and save me
I found as I listened to that song for the first time, it really brought home to me the sacrifice Jesus willingly gave for me. It would have been so ease for Jesus to save himself, but he knew, and fully understood that it was His time to change the world forever – It was His time to save the world, by sacrificing himself on the cross for you and for me.
He took on our sins in His body when He died on the cross so that we, being dead to sin, can live for righteousness. As the Scripture says,“Through His wounds, you were healed.”
1 Peter 2:24 (The Voice)
That’s why Calvary had to happen!
The Distinct Dot 