Why me Lord, what have I ever done
To deserve even one
Of the pleasures I’ve known
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving you
Or the kindness you’ve shown.
I’ve loved this song since the first time I heard it quite a while ago. As I was listening to it on Pandora this week I began to think more about what the song really, truly means. Maybe not exactly what Kris Kristofferson meant when he wrote it, but songs affect each of differently. They tend to touch a part of us just when we need it. Today’s world has pundits that will tell you that the Lord has given us nothing but grief and hardships, He doesn’t intervene when people do bad things to innocent people. We can focus on that part of the world, which is Satan’s plan; or we can find gratitude in all that we do have.
I love to listen to those who have gone to Africa to teach about the gospel, or in remote South American countries. One that has touched me, and still touches me each Sunday that I get in my car and drive a paved road for 10 minutes to get to Church. A young man arrived to Church each Sunday in dirty clothes, they were ‘Sunday’ clothes, but they were dirty. He walked to Church each week, and part of his trek included passing through a small river; yes, I said through a small river. Getting to Church each week was that important to him.
Lord help me Jesus, I’ve wasted it so
Help me Jesus I know what I am
Now that I know that I’ve need you so
Help me Jesus, my soul’s in your hand.
The chorus is what hit me harder than I have ever thought about when singing along with the song. “I’ve wasted it so”…What have we wasted? Time? Talents? Opportunities to serve others? Money? Perhaps, in most of our lives, it is time. Time. We need ‘time’ to unwind. We need ‘time’ to ourselves. We need ‘time’ to refocus. We need ‘time’ to ………
As this week progresses, first, think about what you have in your life that is precious. It doesn’t need to be material items, those are what the world focuses on and that is where so many lose their way. We can say, however, ‘I have a car that gets me to where I need to go, when I need to be there.’ That car may not be a luxury car, and it may not be the latest model, but it gets over the river rather walking through the river. Then, we can focus on the other precious things that we have, family, friends, the gospel, the scriptures, and joy. So, write down in your journal those things that you have that are precious.
Then, where have you wasted what Heavenly Father has blessed you with? And, this one, I will leave to you and your moments in prayer to decide. And, as always, write it down in your journal.
These are your goals for this week. Next week we will finish the song.
Carolyn Bendall 