Lyrics
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to his
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Saviour He will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed
To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me
Through the deepest valley He will lead
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven
The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And He was raised to overthrow the grave
To this I hold, my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For He has said that He will bring me home
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
All the glory evermore to Him
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!
Devotional Thought
It's clear that the writer of this song has a mature awareness of Christ and steadfast faith in Him, as the song is overflowing with worship and conviction.
Let's look first at the worship side—who does the songwriter say that Jesus is?
- A gift of grace
- Redeemer
- Joy
- Righteousness
- Freedom
- Steadfast love
- Deep and boundless peace
- Hope
- Saviour
- Shepherd
Take a few moments to contemplate the beauty of Christ. Who is He to you? What would you add to this list?
Now to the conviction side—what is it that the songwriter is convicted of when it comes to Jesus?
- He is our only hope
- The believers' life is wholly bound to His
- He will defend us
- He has forgiven us
- He will stay by our side
- His power is displayed in our weakness
- He bled and suffered so that we could be pardoned from sin
- He overcame the grave
- He will renew us day by day
The strongest conviction, though, is found in the most frequently repeated phrase, and the title of the song: "Yet not I, but through Christ in me." We have done nothing to earn or deserve our calling and salvation—we are who we are and have all that we have only in and through Jesus Christ. Only because of Him can we sing "all is mine!"; only because of Him can we sing, "I shall overcome!"; and only because of Him can we sing "I am free!"
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)