JUST AS I AM

     "Charlotte Elliott of Brighton  England was an embittered woman.  Her health was broken, and her disability had hardened her.  'If God loved me,' she muttered, 'He would not have treated me this way.'  Hoping to help her, a Swiss minister, Dr. Cesar Malan, visited the Elliott's in 1822.  Over dinner, Charlotte lost her temper and railed against God and family in a violent outburst.  Her embarrassed family left the room, and Dr. Malan was left alone with her.

     'You are tired of yourself, aren't you?' he asked.  'You are holding to your hate and anger because you have nothing else in the world to cling to.  Consequently, you have become sour, bitter, and resentful.'  'What is your cure?' asked Charlotte.  'The faith you are trying to despise.'  As they talked, Charlotte softened.  'If I wanted to become a Christian and to share the peace and joy you possess', she finally asked, 'what would I do?'  'You would give yourself to God just as you are now, with your fightings and fears, hates and loves, pride and shame.'  

     'I would come to God just as I am?  Is that right?'  Charlotte did come just as she was, and her heart was changed that day!  As time passed, she found and claimed John 6:37 as a special verse for her -- 'Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.'  Years later, her brother was raising funds for a school for the children of poor clergymen.  Charlotte wrote a poem, and it was printed and sold across England---and has since become the most famous invitational hymn in history.  

      Charlotte lived to be 82, and wrote about 150 hymns, though she never enjoyed good health.  As her loved ones sifted through her papers after her death, they found over a thousand letters she had kept in which people expressed their gratitude for the way this hymn had touched their lives."

     "Just as I am, without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me,                                                            And that Thou biddest me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come!                                                              Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot,                                                                    To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come!

      Just as I am, tho' tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt,                                                      Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come!                                                                           Just as I am--Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

      Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come!                                                                      Just as I am!  Thy love unknown hath broken every barrier down;                                                                   Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,                                                                                                         O Lamb of God, I come!  I come!"