In the morning, when I rise...

"In the morning, when I rise...in the morning, when I rise...in the morning, when I rise...Give Me Jesus!

 Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!"

 Many of you know this song. My favorite version is sung by Fernando Ortega. These pictures were taken outside my backdoor one morning. They do not do justice for the sight that I took in. It was breathtaking and vibrant! A true reminder of the beauty to come when we see heaven one day...

Fernando Ortega goes on to sing "and when I am alone....oh, and when I am alone...and when I am alone...give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!"

Are you alone today? Do you feel forgotten? Is the world overwhelming? Take Jesus! He has already been given to us, to live in us! Take advantage of this gift. Our earthly troubles will pass...take Jesus...His love lasts far beyond this world!

He finishes the song like this: "and when I come to die...oh, and when I come to die...and when I come to die...Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! You can have all this world! You can have all this world! You can have all this world, but give me Jesus!"

Psalm 118:17
I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord. 

Give me a passion like this Father! That I can look past the troubles I face each day and focus on the eternal prize you are preparing for me! Give me Jesus! Nothing of this world is greater than the gift that has already been given to us through Jesus! Thank You, Father! Thank You for reminding me in the beauty of Your creation, beauty that only You can bring into this place!

Many of you also know that we sang this to Marcus in some of his last moments, and as we did, we all watched as a single tear streamed down his face. He loved this song and his prayer for all of us was to live for Jesus, for us to realize our worth in His eyes and for us to live extraordinarily through Him. As you remember Marcus today, and throughout this next week, and as we remember what he meant to so many of us, think of the wonderful time he's having in heaven and remember his desire for us...to grab hold of Jesus and find ourselves in Him.

John 13:1
...when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

Mark 10:21
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”