Lift your head weary sinner, the river’s just ahead
Down the path of forgiveness, salvation’s waiting there
You built a mighty fortress 10,000 burdens high
Love is here to lift you up, here to lift you high
If you’re lost and wandering
Come stumbling in like a prodigal child
See the walls start crumbling
Let the gates of glory open wide
All who’ve strayed and walked away, unspeakable things you’ve done
Fix your eyes on the mountain, let the past be dead and gone
Come all saints and sinners, you can’t outrun God
Whatever you’ve done can’t overcome the power of the blood
If you’re lost and wrecked again
Come stumbling in like a prodigal child
See the walls start crumbling
Let the gates of glory open wide
This song has been rolling around in my soul for months. At first, the word “sinner” held me back from truly letting the message sink in deep. I’ve come to understand that when Jesus said:
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. JOHN 19:30
We are no longer slaves to sin
We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. ROMANS 6:6
So by those statements, we are no longer sinners. Jesus completed His work for us on the cross. Yet, we see ourselves as sinners still. We think we’re trapped under all the junk we’ve done or been through.
It isn’t so. He looks at us from this perspective:
Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. EPHESIANS 2:5-6
He says we are alive, and that we are right now already seated with Him.
If you still identify as a sinner, unable to see yourself from the eternal position of being with Him, it’s time to come in. Prodigal son, come home. We are longing for you with. If He says you are alive in Him, that is our response of your presence as well.
The walls you’ve built up and chains you’ve allowed to hold you under all happened while operating in any way other than from the position of being seated with Him.
We are the gates of glory.
Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors,That the King of glory may come in! PSALM 24:7
Be opened wide for Him to come in… and please do be with us. Nothing can separate us from this love. You will be wrecked for sure. You are called to come out of your burdens, chains, and mindset of being a sinner. You are a son or daughter of the King, and you are seated with Him. His heart for you love. Those of us who no longer identify as a sinner want you with us.
And that leads me to another song that’s been ruminating around:
Are you empty? Are you broken?
Are you lost and all alone?
Unaccepted? Suicidal?
Are you looking for a home?
Heavy-hearted? Forgotten?
Like you’ve got no place to go?
Homosexual? Unlovable?
Are you just a little low?
Come in
Come in
Come in.