Exegeting the Hymns #76 - My Worth Is Not In What I Own

My Worth Is Not In What I Own
w/m - Graham Kendrick, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty

My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love at the cross

My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed at the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest treasure Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone

As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us at the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom's fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ at the cross

Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed my ransom paid at the cross

This song was a special last week at our church and also a fantastic congregational song I hope to sing soon and often. It is a theology-based hymn that speaks of the value of what Christ has done for us on the cross.

My worth is not in what I own, not in the strength of flesh and bone, but in the costly wounds of love at the cross. This song takes a look at all the things we put our trust in, yet are fleeting and have no real power in and of themselves. Our possessions and our health and strength will not last, but the price that was paid at Calvary is eternal.

My worth is not in skill or name, in win or lose in pride or shame, but in the blood of Christ that flowed at the cross. So many of us take pride in our reputation, in our name. Being shamed and losing our standing or notoriety would be the ultimate insult to some. But it is not at our name that every knee shall bow. It is at the name of the Lord that we should glory in. His name is Wonderful!

I rejoice in my Redeemer, Greatest treasure Wellspring of my soul. The highest worship should be reserved for the one who condescended, took on flesh, and ransomed us. When we draw from Him for our physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance, we, like the woman at the well, are filled to never thirst again. I will trust in Him no other. My soul is satisfied in Him alone. The world and its offerings can never appease the hunger of our souls. Too many live their lives in pursuit of anything but the One who can truly satisfy.

As summer flowers we fade and die. Fame youth and beauty hurry by, but life eternal calls to us at the cross. I have said many times, if you want to see what people place their value on, look at what they are passionate about on Facebook. How much of our conversation, our thought life, our time and money are poured into the cup of the temporal? We will not always be young or beautiful or rich by the world’s standards. One day, all we will have is our legacy. Will it be one that is as temporary as the “stuff” we built our lives on, or will it be a lasting memorial to a life that has been changed by the cross?

I will not boast in wealth or might or human wisdom's fleeting light, but I will boast in knowing Christ at the cross. All one needs to do to see the difference between worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom is get into a conversation over a controversial topic on Facebook. A good rule of thumb is if you find yourself agreeing with the world most of the time, you might want to dig into the scriptures more. Truth divides and there is only sadness and despair at the end of worldly wisdom. Proverbs 9 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Two wonders here that I confess: my worth and my unworthiness. My value fixed my ransom paid at the cross. What a great verse showing the unity of two seemingly contradicting statements. We have no value, no worth in ourselves. We are completely void of anything that would make us worthy of the blessings we receive. However, the cross changes all of that. Now, being bought by the blood of Christ, we have a value not our own, but the value of the one who paid for us. May we always remember that the only good in us is Jesus, and our only worth is in the price paid on our behalf.

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