Me and Jesus

A couple of my friends started the month on Facebook by making daily postings of things they were thankful for. That started me to thinking (scary thought, I know) and I decided I needed to give thanks as well. Think about that for a moment ... have you counted your blessings lately? You just might be surprised just how very much you have to be thankful for.

Today's post, completed when I returned from a walk with Trina, just seemed to roll off my fingertips. It is as if I sat down at the computer and the words just fell out of my brain through my fingertips. For some reason, the words of the old Tom T. Hall song "Me and Jesus" came to mind, and so here we are with this devotion.

Tom T. Hall was born in 1936 and has been referred to in various articles as a country balladeer. Merriam-Webster online defines balladeer as a "singer of ballads." Okay .. I have to say it ... duh. I guess I don't know what I was thinking but that simplistic answer was not it! Back to Tom T. I remember several of his songs from childhood, and I guess country balladeer is a pretty good description. His songs told stories. I don't remember the first time I heard the song "Me and Jesus," but even today, just thinking the words made the lyrics start playing in my head. It makes me smile.

Let's look at the chorus, if you will:

Me and Jesus, got our own thing going
Me and Jesus, got it all worked out
Me and Jesus, got our own thing going
We don't need anybody to tell us what it's all about

Yes, if you're not familiar with the song, it pretty much plays like it reads. Hand clapping and flat top guitar as accompaniment. Catchy, is it not? But look at the words, and read what they say. Our relationship with God is not about the biggest and baddest church, it's not about the "church clothes," it's not about the preacher. Your relationship with God is just that: you and God. Or as the song says, me and Jesus. No more, no less.

Look at the first verse:

I know a man, who once was a sinner
I know a man, who once was a drunk
I know a man, who once was a loser
He went out one day and made an altar out of a stump

Go ahead and smile. Maybe even say to yourself, "yeah but I'm not like that." Well I do see myself in that verse ... because I was, and am, a sinner. I try very hard to live as Jesus would have me live, but I fail sometimes. And I ask Him to forgive me. It doesn't make me a bad person ... just makes me forgiven. Because Jesus does forgive. Verse two?

Jesus brought me through all of my troubles
Jesus brought me through all of my trials
Jesus brought me through all of my heartaches
And I know that Jesus ain't gonna forsake me now

Simple words. Powerful statements. Jesus is here, with me now. He's going to be here tomorrow, just as He was yesterday. Thank you Lord, for deeming me worthy, sinner though I am.


"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 8:38-39 NIV