A city missionary in London was called to an old tenement building, a lady was dying and in the last stages of disease the room was tiny and cold and the woman was lying on the floor. This missionary tried to help this lady and asked if there was anything she wanted and this is what she said, I have all I really need, I have Jesus Christ. Well the man never forgot it, and he went out of there and he wrote these words,
In the heart of London City,
Mid the dwellings of the poor,
These bright golden words were uttered,
“I have Christ, what want I more.”
Spoken by a lonely dying woman,
Stretched upon a garret floor,
Having not one earthly comfort,
“I have Christ, what want I more.”
He who heard them, ran to fetch her,
Something from this world’s great store,
It was needless, died she saying
“I have Christ, what want I more.”
But her words will live forever,
I repeat them o’er and o’er
God delights to hear me say
“I have Christ, what want I more.”
Oh, my dear, my fellow sinners,
High and low and Rich and poor,
Can you say with deep thanksgiving
“I have Christ, what want I more.”
Look away from earth’s attraction
All earth’s joys will soon be o’er,
Rest not till each heart exclaimeth,
“I have Christ, what want I more.”i
—John MacArthur, Be Filled with the Spirit, Part 4: Spirit-Filled Thanksgiving
—Ephesians 5:20
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What more do you need? Is not Christ enough? Is not Christ sufficient? Is not Christ all and in all? Oh, if you have Christ what more do you need? What more would you want?
How ashamed am I to be in a generation that thinks otherwise. A generation that loves the gifts rather than the Giver. Accolades, wealth and recognition has become the “Christian profession.” Self-worth is aggrandized above the transcendent worth of God. His glory secondary, our needs and happiness the primary. How sad is this case!
But no, the true Christian soul isn’t such! Ultimately, he would ascribe all glory to the Lord of Hosts! Oh, that the Lord be ours, what more should we seek?! Our all and in all!
“I Will be Their God.” Is That Not Enough?
Is He not enough??
Ah, indeed, dear blood bought sinner, can we say with deep thanksgiving, “I have Christ, what want I more?”
Footnotes
- Complete poem taken from http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/article/3609 [↩]
