Just As I Am

By: Julie Maschhoff

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32

There is a beautiful old hymn called Just as I Am that was written back in 1836. A woman named Charlotte Elliott wrote it while she was an invalid suffering from chronic pain and exhaustion. Her illness led to a case of severe depression, and it caused her to have many doubts about spiritual things. But a visiting evangelist encouraged her to come to Jesus “just as you are.” Charlotte took those words to heart and wrote a hymn about her salvation experience.

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that thy blood was shed for me,

And that thou bidd’st me come to thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come

Just as I am, and waiting not,

to rid my soul of one dark blot,

To thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about,

With many a conflict, and many a doubt,

fighting’s and fears within, without,

O Lamb of Gid, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

Because thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

We don't sing old hymns much anymore, but the words of this one are beautiful. Not just to sing, they can also be recited as a wonderful prayer. If you've never heard it sung, consider reading it aloud, and as you read it, pretend you are talking to God. After all, God does tell us to come to him "just as we are", without trying to clean ourselves up first.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

No matter what mistakes we've made in our past, no matter our current condition, Jesus makes us spiritually clean after we come to Him! As Jesus said in our opening verse (Luke 5:32) He didn't come to call the righteous, He came to call sinners like us to repentance.

Lord, we come to you just as we are. We repent for our sins, and we are sorry we have sinned against you. Strengthen us and help us say no to temptation. Thank you for the blessings, guidance, and direction you have given us. Please help us be the Christ followers you have called us to be. Amen