One of my personal favorite invitational hymns, Near the Cross truly stands out as one of the best descriptions of the desire of every Christian who lives for Christ. This hymn is a prayer to our Lord Jesus to keep our straying hearts near His cross.
1. Jesus, keep me near the cross-
There a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
2. Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Sheds His beams around me.
3. Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadows o’er me.
4. Near the cross I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand
Just beyond the river.
Chorus:
In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest, beyond the river.
About the Author
It would do her injustice to merely say that Fanny J. Crosby was one of the most prolific hymn-writers of all time. Fanny wrote multiple thousands (yes thousands!) of hymns in her lifetime. Amazingly, she retained a refreshing level of quality in her lyrics, though she wrote so many hymns.
She was born on the twenty-fourth of March, 1820, in Brewster, New York; and tragically lost her sight in a medical blunder only weeks after her birth. Though many would have, Fanny would not feel sorry for herself, but instead chose to glory in the fact that the first face she would see would be her precious Savior’s.
Over the course of her life, she wrote many poems, and also worked at a rescue mission.
Fanny Crosby is a real inspiration to us today to live life as God has given it to the fullest- serving Him with eternity in view.
Citations
A Few Thoughts...
It is so easy to get caught up in the temporary things of this life, and too easily we become attached to those things. The here and now takes over our view, and we forget that we are not here for us, but for God! As Jesus was even at the age of twelve, we should be about our Father’s business, not our own. Hymns like this one are so important, because they remind us where our focus should be- ever turned to the cross of Jesus. For the rest of our lives, not our knowledge, not our fleeting possessions, not ourselves, but may the cross of Jesus Christ be our glory forever.