I Wonder as I Wander

Yesterday, I was looking for some nice music to listen to, and I remembered the title of a song I'd heard playing on Pandora, "I Wonder as I Wander," so I looked it up on Youtube, and I was mildly surprised to learn that it had lyrics. (The version Pandora had played was instrumental.) Sources vary on the exact wording of the lyrics, but as far as I can tell, it goes something like this:

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus, the Savior, did come for to die,
For poor ordn'ry people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander... out under the sky. 

When Mary birthed Jesus, t'was in a cow's stall,
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all,
But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall.
For the promise of ages... it then did recall. 

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God's angels in heaven to sing,
He surely could have it... for He was the king. 

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus, the Savior, did come for to die,
For poor ordn'ry people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander... out under the sky.

Part of the reason I wanted to share this today rather than yesterday is because today is my birthday, and this song is all about Christ's birth. And I think I'd rather write about His birth and life than mine.

I really liked this song, first for its enchanting melody, and then for its powerful message. It starts with an emotion somewhat similar to the emotion stirred up by the hymn I Stand All Amazed,  that it's inspiring to think someone would love us deeply enough to suffer and die for our sakes. Then the song details the humble circumstances of Jesus' birth, and reminds us that if Jesus had wanted anything, and I mean anything, "He surely could have it... for He was the king."

Then they repeat the first verse, but it wasn't because the writer was lazy or felt the song was too short. They repeat the verse because the same emotion is now put into greater perspective. This wasn't just someone with an abundance of love laying down his life for us. That's special enough, but there's more. This was a king with an abundance of love, voluntarily leaving his throne in heaven, to live as a mortal, with no plumbing or electricity, to be mocked and rejected by many, and to eventually suffer incredible pain and lay down His life, "For poor ordn'ry people like you and like I."

None of us see ourselves as very important, but somehow, our salvation was of vital importance to Jesus, the King of Kings.

That amazes me. And I wonder, what does He see in us that we don't see in ourselves? Why are we seen as important by the most important person that ever lived? I don't have answers to those questions. I don't know why Christ thought we were worth saving, despite the sacrifice it cost Him. But I'm glad that He did.

Today, I'm going to try to think of the Savior and why He did what He did. I'm going to try to see things from a perspective that more closely matches His. I'm going to try to find out what He sees in me, and then I'm going to try to live up to that. Today, I'm going to try to live up to my potential.