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The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize
in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of
sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of
Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing
their sins. (Mark 1:3-5)
The
entire nation of Israel was baptized at once in the Red Sea – the only recorded
account of an entire nation being baptized. But they were baptized as a people
separated from all of the other nations of the world as is the Church, or
should be, today. They were baptized into a physical salvation. John the
Baptist came preaching and baptizing with water, but that baptism was only
figurative of that which was to come in Christ. 16 John answered,
saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one
mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose:
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: (Luke 3:15-16) John baptized in the
Jordan, but that was a half-way point. Sooner or later, if we will arrive in
the Promised Land, we must cross Jordan Waters.
We have talked much
of crossing Jordan Waters over the past few years, and I suppose we need a
constant reminder that we must, indeed, cross that barrier at some future time
appointed by God; and we shall do so either in a Lifeboat to buoy us onward, or
with an anchor to fathom the depths. I was unable to find biographical or chronological
information on this hymn in my library or on the net. But I do know that it was
composed, both lyrics and tune, by Thomas Ramsey. The song has a Blue Grass
flavor to it and was sung in the mountains of Tennessee and Georgia while I was
growing up. Though I do not usually prefer Gospel songs to hymns, this one
carries a message that seems timely and important.
I Won’t Have to Cross Jordan Alone
When I come to the river at the
ending of day
When the last winds of sorrow
have blown
There’ll be somebody waiting to show me the way
I won’t have to cross Jordan alone
I won’t have to cross Jordan
alone
Jesus died all my sins to atone
In the darkness I see he’ll be waiting for me
I won’t have to cross Jordan alone
Often times I’m weary and
troubled and sad
When it seems that my friends
have all flown
There is one thought that cheers me and makes my
heart glad
I won’t have to cross Jordan alone
I won’t have to cross Jordan
alone
Jesus died all my sins to atone
In the darkness I see he’ll be waiting for me
I won’t have to cross Jordan alone
Though the billows of trouble
and sorrow may sweep
Christ the Saviour will care
for his own
Till the end of my journey my soul he will
keep and I won’t have to cross Jordan alone
I won’t have to cross Jordan
alone
Jesus died all my sins to atone
In the darkness I see he’ll be waiting for me
I won’t have to cross Jordan alone
When I come to the river at the ending of day When the last winds of sorrow
have blown There’ll be somebody waiting to show me the way I won’t have to
cross Jordan alone. We all come into this life naked and alone, and many of us leave
this life likewise – naked and alone. It matters not our place of birth, we all
follow a continuous trail that leads inevitably to the symbolic waters of
Jordan Banks. From the primal Fall of Adam in the Garden eastward in Eden, we
have had a great dread of being found naked. It suggests that we are weak and
without means of protection, and a great shame as well. The feeling of shame
perhaps exceeds all other resulting emotions. But we do not ALL cross Jordan
alone and naked. If we have received the White Robe of Righteousness of Christ,
we shall not go across naked, nor shall we go it alone. We will have our Lord
to walk with us across Jordan just as He walked over the Sea of Galilee. The
final winds of sorrow, and the gentle breezes of grace, combine to waft our
sails up and over the murky waters and into the Paradise of God.
Refrain
I won’t have to cross Jordan alone Jesus died all my sins to atone In the
darkness I see he’ll be waiting for me I won’t have to cross Jordan alone. If we are covered by the Crimson Blood of our Lord’s sacrifice, our sins
are washed away in the tidal basin of grace and mercy. We shall certainly see
the Light of Christ contrasted by the darkness surrounding. Light is made even
more vivid as the darkness gathers more gloomily. We shall see Him in the
Light, and we shall follow Him home.
Often
times I’m weary and troubled and sad When it seems that my friends have all
flown There is one thought that cheers me and makes my heart glad I won’t have
to cross Jordan alone. There is no more faithful Friend than
Christ. All the friends of Jesus deserted Him during the terrible night of His
betrayal – not even ONE good man remained by His side. May we expect more loyal
treatment than our Master received? But to the Elect, there is one friend that
remains constant. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Prov 18:24)
Though the billows of trouble and sorrow may sweep Christ the Saviour will
care for his own Till the end of my journey my soul he will keep and I won’t
have to cross Jordan alone. Remember Peter’s lapse of
faith when embarking on the sea at the invitation of Jesus? He actually walked
on the sea until he took his eyes off the Lord and focused on the swirling
waters of the Galilean Sea. The Godly walk requires us to stay focused on God
and not the troubles and cheap goods of this world. Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because
he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting
strength. (Isaiah 26:3-4) True peace is a
product of the heart and not of the external circumstances. Yes, Christ will
care for His own, but He will also execute judgment against all who are damned
by their rejection and rebellion against their Maker. There is no better safe
haven for the keeping of our souls than the Lord Jesus Christ. He will not lose
a single soul that has been given Him by the Father. Just as He was with Hagar,
unbeknownst, in the Wilderness, and the men on the Road to Emmaus, so is He
with you and me if we trust in Him with faith and commitment. I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world. Amen. (Matt 28:20)
If
you have placed your full trust in Him, and have heard His call upon your life,
He is with you now no matter the venue, or time. If you have neither heard, nor
answered, that call; perhaps it is time to pray for light and understanding.
There is no place in the City of God for ‘marginal believers.’ The topside of
the coin reads, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (Tim 2:15) Our fervent study and adherence to God’s Word proves our
Election. The obverse side of the coin reads, But shun profane and vain
babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word
will eat as doth a canker. (2 Tim 2:16-17) No need to toss the
coin, just observe the topside and you cannot be guilty of that which appears
on the obverse.
