I’d Rather Have Jesus

Shalom, happy Sabbath! Life is full of choices. Thus, a question for us today is, who shall we choose in life?

There was a woman named Rhea F. Miller who was born in New York. Her parents were very different in characters and beliefs. Her mother, Bertha, was a faithful follower of Christ, yet his father, Martin, was an alcoholic and was not interested in church or spiritual thing.

Thankfully, being a woman of faith, Rhea’s mother unceasingly prayed for her father. She was faithfully pleading in her prayers to God to make her husband aware and to follow the truth.

God heard her sincere prayers and long story short, Martin accepted Christ and became a pastor.

Yet, the story did not end here. One day, when Rhea was walking in a park near her house, she began to ponder upon the testimony of her father who broke his alcoholic life off and how he would rather choose Jesus than all the pleasures of the world.

From that contemplation, Rhea got the inspiration to write the poem “I’d Rather Have Jesus” which several years later became a popular hymn sung with the tune composed by George Beverly Shea.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Than to be the king of a vast domain,
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything,
This world affords today.

An extraordinary testimony of how powerful sincere prayers are and how God can change someone’s life—that is the most beautiful miracle!

My brethren in Christ, miracles still does happen today, and the most beautiful one is the change in our lives and characters. Those who used to be grumpy will become friendly and patient; who used to be often hurt will be forgiving; who used to be impolite would be meek, and other bad traits to God-like character.

May we learn from Bertha who kept praying and be like the Martin who listened to God’s voice and call to return to Him and devote the rest of his life to Him, which is more beautiful than everything offered by the world. Therefore, choose Jesus in all aspects of our lives!

Let us also say as Paul said in Philippians 3:8, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”

May the Sabbath blessings be part of all of us. Amen.