Jenny Jeffery

At different times and seasons I have different “favourites” and even then I keep adding to them. Somehow “Be thou my vision” is never far from my thoughts nor “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness”

However right now I am choosing “In Christ Alone” words by Stuart Townend and music by Keith Getty ( Stuart Townend also wrote a great new tune to the words of the 23rd Psalm, The Lord is my Shepherd, with a chorus that begins “And I will trust in him always” with a second part descant that fits over the top of the tune. He also wrote the words to “How deep the Father’s love for me”)

However "In Christ Alone” is based on words from Ephesians I:4-7He is my light, strength, cornerstone, comforter, my All in All As the title suggests the words form the basis of our Christian faith. In Christ alone my hope is found. Jesus – the Incarnation -The Cross – Resurrection- Eternal Life are all there in the words. The song was written just before the 9/11 bombings and has a very powerful line in the last verse......”no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His (Christ’s) Hand” There has been some controversy over the line in verse two which reads “The wrath of God was satisfied” some have preferred the line to read “The price of sin was satisfied” What do you think?

The song can reduce me to both tears of sadness and tears of joy.
I love the crescendo in verse 3 ....then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave he rose again!”

I’ll leave you with the last two lines.
“Till he returns to call me home, here in the power of Christ I stand”




In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save;
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of god was satisfied-
For every sin on him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I Live.

There in the ground his body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from his hand;
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand.

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMtz1fJv340