Nothing Between Jesus and Me

Recently, I sinned against someone. I had to apologize and make it right. I wrestled with myself for one night over my pride. Sometimes making things right can be extremely hard to do because it is humbling.

​The next morning I confessed my sin, asked her to forgive me, and pleaded for restoration. Afterward, I was given such sweet forgiveness and grace and the relationship was restored between us. More importantly, however, my relationship was restored between me and Jesus, the one who rescued me from my sin...the one that I truly want to please and serve.

Today, I came to this verse in my Bible reading: 

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 1 John 2:28

Oh, how I need to stay or remain in Jesus, so that when He comes back, I can have confidence and be open, not be ashamed or shrink away from Jesus! Because Jesus is Righteous, everyone that is born of Jesus will practice righteousness.

I must stay as close to Jesus as possible. I urgently need to fill myself up or be completely IN Jesus all the time. I do not want to be afraid to meet Jesus when he returns because I have continued in my sin. Because I am in Jesus family and He bought me and adopted me into his family, I ought to everyday strive to practice righteousness. I need to always make sure there is no sin between my soul and Jesus, the one who rescued me.

If I am righteous, doing what is right toward God and toward people, to my family, to my neighbors, to the world, to Jesus who rescued me, who died for me, then I am a true Christian; and then, no matter how soon Jesus will return, or how scary the end the world will be, I WILL NOT shrink away or be afraid of Jesus return, because I will REJOICE that He rescued me and REJOICE that the time has come that I can go and live with Jesus forever.

As I was wring these thoughts in my Journal, I was reminded of the old Hymn by Charles A. Tindley a Preacher who was said to be the father of African American Hymnody, “Nothing Between” was written around 1906 during a difficult time in Tindley’s life, when the congregation was negotiating to purchase a larger facility.

Nothing Between My Soul and the Savior

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

Nothing between, like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him e’er sever;
He is my all, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, like pride or station;
Self-life or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved; there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, e’en many hard trials,
Though the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self-denial,
I’ll triumph at last, with nothing between.

Do you have anything between you and Jesus? It's a beautiful thing to wake up in the morning and know that all is well between Jesus and me!