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Draw near: Praying to Jesus, our priceless treasure

Lynne Baab • Tuesday October 11 2022

Draw near: Praying to Jesus, our priceless treasure

Recently I’ve been looking through old songbooks. I am very fond of a 1980 praise song by John Wimber, with the opening line referring to Jesus: “Isn’t he beautiful? Beautiful, isn’t he?” I had an AHA moment recently while playing that song on the piano. The world has so much ugliness in it. What a relief to turn to Jesus who is so beautiful. We might meet him in the Bible, in song, in our prayers, in nature, or in the faces and personalities of people we love and those he loves. Jesus’ beauty is soothing and restoring. Jesus’ beauty reminds us of the shalom and wholeness that God gives us. Jesus’ beauty helps us remember the extravagance of the beauty God placed in creation that we see in nature and in human acts of goodness and kindness.

When I think of Jesus’ beauty, a particular hymn comes to mind, written by the German poet Johann Franck (1618-1677) and translated into English by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878). The opening words in German mean “Jesus my joy.” Notice how the first verses and half of the second verse address Jesus directly and express such joy and longing for the peace, comfort, and wonder of Jesus’ presence.

Jesus, priceless treasure,
source of purest pleasure,
friend most sure and true:
long my heart was burning,
fainting much and yearning,
thirsting, Lord, for you.
Yours I am, O spotless Lamb,
so will I let nothing hide you,
seek no joy beside you!

Let your arms enfold me:
those who try to wound me
cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking,
every heart be quaking,
Jesus calms my fear.
Fires may flash and thunder crash;
yea, though sin and hell assail me,
Jesus will not fail me.

Those first two verses touch on so many powerful themes. Jesus is our sure and true friend, so we can draw near and abide in him with confidence (John 15:12-17). Longing, thirsting, and yearning are to be expected because we live in a broken world yet we long for more (Psalm 42). The earth shakes and our hearts quake, but Jesus bring his peace that passes all understanding (Psalm 46, Philippians 4:6).

The third verse opens with the word “hence,” which we currently use to mean therefore or later, but an older meaning for the word is away or go away. This verse addresses worldly treasure and empty glory, telling these attractive aspects of daily life to go away, affirming that their tempting story will not shake our faith in a Savior who loves us.

Hence, all worldly treasure!
Jesus is my pleasure,
Jesus is my choice.
Hence, all empty glory!
What to me your story
told with tempting voice?
Pain or loss or shame or cross
shall not from my Savior move me,
since he chose to love me.

I wonder what it would be like to directly address the forms of worldly pleasure and empty glory that can lure my heart away from God. I might say, “Hence, all forms of self-pity!” or “Hence, all forms of self-criticism!” These may not sound like forms of worldly pleasure or empty glory, but they are the mental meanderings that tempt me to stop trusting God and motivate me to doubt God’s goodness.

The fourth verse begins by addressing ourselves again, but concludes by addressing Jesus one more time. As we read or sing these words, we again affirm to Jesus that in him lies purest pleasure because he is our priceless treasure.

Banish thoughts of sadness,
for the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in;
though the clouds may gather,
those who love the Savior
still have peace within.
Though I bear much sorrow here,
still in you lies purest pleasure,
Jesus, priceless treasure!

I find it fascinating that the oldest and most common tune for this hymn, by J. S. Bach, is in a minor key. For me, that minor key evokes the brokenness, terrors, and temptations that we live with, and from which we turn to Jesus over and over. Or perhaps more accurately, the minor key affirms that we hold grief and gratitude in two hands at the same time. (You can listen to it here.)

Isn’t Jesus beautiful? Isn’t he wonderful? Isn’t he such a source of joy? Yes, Jesus, in you lies purest pleasure. Yes, Jesus, you are our joy and treasure. Thank you that you are our brother and friend. Thank you that we can draw near to you over and over and over.

(Next week: Praying to the Holy Spirit. Illustration by Dave Baab: Tomahawk Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean, Dunedin, New Zealand. If you’d like to receive an email when I post on this blog, sign up below under “subscribe.”)

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