To Christ Crucified

I am not moved to love Thee, O my Lord,
By any longing for Thy Promised Land;
Nor by the fear of hell am I unmanned
To cease from my transgressing deed or word.
Tis Thou Thyself dost move me,—Thy blood poured
Upon the cross from nailed foot and hand;
And all the wounds that did Thy body brand;
And all Thy shame and bitter death's award.

Yea, to Thy heart am I so deeply stirred
That I would love Thee were no heaven on high,—
That I would fear, were hell a tale absurd!
Such my desire, all questioning grows vain;
Though hope deny me hope I still should sigh,
And as ray love is now, it should remain.
-"To Christ Crucified," translated by Thomas Walsh

One reason I love this poem is how it captures what President Nelson said in his talk "Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into our Lives" when he said "There is no amorphous entity called “the Atonement” upon which we may call for succor, healing, forgiveness, or power. Jesus Christ is the source."

We can do a lot of self-improvement with meditation, life coaching, and many other "amorphous" but effective activities. Yet nothing compares to what happens when you learn to love a real person, especially the realest person of all -- Jesus Christ. It is Him and His sacrifice that moves and changes us.

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