Rae Waldo on the most wonderful exchange
Why did you choose this hymn?
His Robes For Mine has become a new personal favorite. After almost a decade of walking with the Lord, the lyrics in this song give me the same feeling of when I was newly saved. It is filled with gospel truths and daily application.
Favorite line or stanza?
My favorite part is the chorus:
“I cling to Christ and marvel at the cost;
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God
Bought by such love, my life is not my own
My praise, my all, shall be for Christ alone”
There are many wonderful lines in the song that point to the truth of the Gospel. If I had to pick one, my favorite line is: “Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried, “‘Tis done!” Sin’s wage is paid, propitiation won”. Using the word propitiation takes the cake!
What does this hymn teach about the Gospel?
This hymn shows the heart of the Gospel: the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross to redeem sinners. The first line sets the scene that not only did Christ die a death that I deserve, He also gave me His robes of righteousness. As the song goes into the second stanza it shares the truth that as justified Christian’s we have no fear or cause for dread, for we can lean into the full assurance of the finished work of Christ. I would encourage anyone to not only listen to this hymn, but to bring up the lyrics and read verse-by-verse how the song lays out what has been done on the cross for those in Christ Jesus.
How has this hymn encouraged, convicted, or comforted you?
In my current season of life, raising three small children at home, the line “my life is not my own” hits deeper than ever. This hymn has simultaneously encouraged and convicted me. The world (and often my own flesh) tells me how my life is not mine the moment I become pregnant. So often, my days, time, energy, finances, or wants are not centered around what I would have sought after. This hymn is a beautiful reminder that my life actually belonged to someone else well before I gave birth to any of my children — I belonged to Christ at the moment God gave new birth to me as a believer (John 3: 3-6). That my new life in Christ Jesus is to be spent daily for His glory and to enjoy Him forever. Now each day I can cling to the Christ and what He has done for me.
Any final thoughts?
Whether you have been a Christian for a day or a life time, I want to encourage you to “marvel at the cost” of what Christ has done for you. We hear “Christ has died for your sins” so often people can take it for granted. May we never stop marveling at the truth of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus!
