Just As I Am, Without One Plea

The hymn we consider today is one that for me growing up was traditionally sung as the invitation song, or altar call.

The words of the song reminded me of turning my back on God and doing life my way — Develop without details

Yet when I came back God accepted me just as I was.

The song is a call to come to God with all our baggage.

Our messed up life, no matter how bad we think we may have screwed up we come to God just as we are, receive forgiveness and let the Holy Spirit begin to change our life from the inside out.

John 6:35–40 NASB 2020

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty. 36 But I said to you that you have indeed seen Me, and yet you do not believe. 37 Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Are you ready for the message God has for us today?

Cool let’s dig in!

Charlotte Elliott

Born March 18, 1789 at Westfield Lodge, Brighton, England

Her childhood was passed in a circle of great refinement and piety.

She was highly educated, and developed at an early age a great passion for music, and art.

Elliott felt its emptiness when she began to suffer from crippling fatigue at age 33 and for the rest of her life she was invalid.

At times Ms. Elliot suffered greatly, and often with the utmost despair.

She was carrying a great deal of guilt and upon a visit from the Rev. Ceasar Malan was the happy instrument of her deliverance that great burden.

Dr. Malan is attributed with much of the deep spiritual-mindedness which is so pronounced in Charlotte’s hymns.

Dr. Malan’s visit also helped improve her health a little.

However, in 1829 she once more became an almost helpless suffering with only occasional relief.

Charlotte then took to editing and supervision of the annual The Christians Remembrancer Pocket book and the Invalid’s Hymn Book.

Even though she was week and feeble in body, she possessed a strong imagination and a well cultured and intellectual mind.

In 1834, while Elliott’s family attended a church bazaar to raise funds for a charity school, she found herself confined at home due to her illness.

Alone and struggling with feelings of isolation and depression, Elliott recalled the words of César Malan, who had encouraged her to come to Christ just as she was.

In that moment of reflection and despair, Elliott penned the lyrics to “Just As I Am.”

She poured out her heart’s cry for salvation and acceptance.

The hymn’s simple yet profound message resonated with her own experience of coming to faith, not through any merit of her own, but through the unconditional love and grace of Jesus Christ.

She wrote around 150 hymns many of which are still in use.

It was in the Invalid’s Hymn Book she contributed 115 hymns; among them the hymn Just as I am, without one plea.

A commentator says of this hymn, "With its sweet counsel to troubled minds it found its way into magazines and other publications, and in devout persons' scrap books; then into religious circles and chapel assemblies; and finally into the hymnals of the church universal".

Some time after its publication, a lady, struck by its beauty and spiritual value, had it printed in leaflet form for circulation in cities and towns of the kingdom. Miss Elliott, in feeble health, was then in Torquay in Devonshire, under the care of an eminent physician.

One day the doctor, who was an earnest Christian man, put one of these leaflets into his Ms. Elliot’s hands, saying that it had been helpful to him and felt sure she would like it.

The surprise and pleasure was mutual when she recognised her own hymn and he discovered that she was the author.

We know not which to admire most, the beauty of the composition, or the lovely modesty of its author, who for so many years forbore to divulge its origin.

In 1869 she was brought very low, but rallied slightly.

She continued bedridden until September 22, 1871 when she sweetly fell asleep.

She suffered greatly in life yet lived a long life dying at the age of 82.

What does the song remind and teach us?

When singing this song the words tend to speak directly to the heart of the singer and listener.

They acknowledge the doubts, fears and conflicts that often accompany one who is on a journey of faith.

The hymn reminds us that we can come to Jesus just as we are, without any plea or pretense and find rest in His love and acceptance.

For evangelist Billy Graham, it all came down to the invitation.

The climatic point at the end of his crusade when he invited people to leave their seats and make a decision for Christ.

His song of choice was, “Just as I am.”

The slow moving, soul moving hymn that accompanied millions down the aisle and became Graham’s signature anthem and title of his 1997 autobiography.

No one can deny that “Just as I am” continues to touch people with the message of the hymn, and continues to invite people to experience the transformative love and grace of Jesus Christ.

As we sing this timeless hymn we are reminded that no matter our doubts, fears, or failures, we can come to the Savior just as we are and find the peace and acceptance we so desperately need!

Conclusion

Read all 6 stanzas.

What a powerful reminder of God’s unconditional love and grace.

An invitation to accept His mercy and forgiveness, not based on our own merits, but on the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

What are you going to do today based on what God has said?