I Stand Amazed In the Presence
Backgrounder: Charles Gabriel
was born in 1856 Iowa. He is
credited with writing up to 8,000
hymns and songs in his life. Some
of his hymns include His Eye is
on the Sparrow, The Old Rugged
Cross, and Away in a Manger.
The inspiration for I Stand Amazed
in the Presence is not known, but
Gabriel wrote both the words and
melody for the song. The hymn
first appeared in 1905 Excell’s
collection. Rev. Carlton Young,
editor of The United Methodist
Hymnal, notes: “This song of
gratitude for the atoning death of
Jesus is a personal interpretation
of Luke’s account of Jesus’
sweating blood in the Garden
of Gethsemane, a portion of
the passion narrative not
included in the other gospels.
Lord, we are filled with Gratitude:
He withdrew from them about
a stone’s throw and He knelt
down and prayed: Father, if it is
Your will, take this cup away from
Me; nevertheless not My will,
but yours, be done.Then an angel
appeared to Him from heaven,
strengthening Him. And being in
agony, He prayed more earnestly.
Then His sweat became like
great drops of blood falling down
to the ground (Lk 22:41-44).
Lord Jesus, thank You for your
Great Love. Thanks for this hymn
that focuses the sinner on You
Savior, away from his own sins,
where Satan wants us to keep
looking. And the temptation to
think “I’m saved” and become
complacent is being wiped away.
For we enter into thanksgiving
and Gratefulness because of
His Deep Love for each of us.
Fact that Jesus says “not My will
but Yours” and “had no tears for
his own griefs” shows Jesus loves
us more than He loves Himself.
Realising how much Jesus loves
us, challenges us how much
we should love Him in Gratitude.
In remembrance of the Saviour’s
love and also because I love this
hymn so much, I would love it to
be sung at my funeral wake. And
I’ll be at home in heaven, standing
before my Saviour, thanking
Him for His Great Love to me!
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene,
and wonder how he could love me,
a sinner, condemned, unclean.
Refrain:
How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful
is my Savior’s love for me!
For me it was in the garden
he prayed: “Not my will, but thine.”
He had no tears for his own griefs,
but sweat-drops of blood for mine.
He took my sins and my sorrows,
he made them his very own;
he bore the burden to Calvary,
and suffered and died alone.
When with the ransomed in glory
his face I at last shall see,
’twill be my joy through the ages
to sing of his love for me.
Prayers for You
